Home, Ringwood North (Melbourne)

Saturday 15, May 2021

Three days ago, 12^th May, I celebrated twelve months since my release from 14 days of Hotel Quarantine at the Pan Pacific in Melbourne.  

As many will be aware, after 4-5 weeks of lockdown in a New Zealand marina aboard Chimere, it seemed things were going to get a lot worse before they got better, so I took the Federal Government’s advice and enacted “PLAN B” … while I could.    Essentially fly home, leaving Chimere at Chaffers Marina in Wellington.

Looking back, the past year has certainly been put to good use.  Not sailing, but tackling the very long list of home-based projects, from painting the house, turning the backyard wilderness into a veggie garden (that some have described as a “farm”), to building a serious workshop.  

The prospect of eventually returning to New Zealand, always seemed like … “something in the future”.  Always out of reach.  Subject to so many uncontrollable variables.  So much so, that there was really no point dwelling on it, or planning for it. 

Fortunately, a friend we got to know last year, has been taking care of Chimere in my absence. Checking the lines, running the engine, generator and water maker – even obtaining an electrical compliance certificate for Chimere and relocating her to a new berth when it was necessary last month.  THANK YOU SO MUCH ADAM!  It’s been such a relief to know you were there on the spot, taking care of things

So, tomorrow begins the start of “NZ20/21 – Unfinished Business”! … and writing a daily blog … as best as I am able…

Naturally, I’ve put together a sailing plan.  One that covers the next 3 months, breaking it up into 7 separate stages which makes it easier for crew to come and go along the way.

Stage 1 covers about 9 days of PREPARATION in Wellington.  No sailing, just work and maintenance aboard, including a day on the marina slipway to give Chimere’s bottom a good clean.  I’m not planning on antifouling (with paint), just a good high pressure water spray.  From the photo Adam sent a little while ago, there’s a regular Attenborough-ecosystem attached below the waterline.  Everything from mussels to seaweed and everything in between.    

There’s an obvious benefit to having a clean hull – you go faster.  But there’s also a legal requirement, given the marinas and waterways up north require evidence of a … “clean hull in the past 30 days” … to tie up or enter.  Without one, you are directed to the closest haul out facility.  I don’t know all the exact details of what is described as “Biofouling Management”, (check it out HERE if you are interest) but I’ll do my best to comply.

Stage 2 starts around the 26 May (weather permitting) and sees us heading north to Tauranga, where we’ll stay for a week or so, then Stage 3 & 4 takes us to the Bay of Islands. 

It’s here in the Bay of Islands that carry-over champion and all-round great guy … and First Mate … John Land will be leaving Chimere, as he melts back into the Northland wilderness; affectionately known as “the Hokianga” … or if you’re a local, “up the Hokianga”.  John has “family” in the region, which I think numbered about 100 at last count.  And that was just brothers, sisters, children and grandchildren plus nieces and nephews.  With a bit of luck I might be able to get John to have a literal “write of reply” in a future blog.

Picking up on last year’s Sailing Plan, it’s great to see Linda able to step aboard for a couple of weeks in the Bay of Islands – making good use of last year’s Air New Zealand (unused) flight credit – plus Matt and Cathy, along with James and Eva will join us as well.  Making it one of those rare and unusual situations – in everyone’s busy life – that we will all be together at the one time! What better place than in the Bay of Islands!

The start of Stage 5 takes us into mid-July and the trans-Tasman crossing – home.  Winter isn’t the usual time to do a crossing, but the plan is to head further north, if required, making landfall perhaps at Coffs Harbour.  The one thing we want to avoid is high seas and wind on the nose.  Just think of rotten fish … they are definitely “on the nose” and you have an idea of sailing into the wind.  Particularly when the seas are up and the wind is strong.  It’s one of those nautical phrases that definitely carries over into land-life.  

Once we’ve cleared back into Australian waters it’ll be a steady trek south back to Westernport for mid-August – making up Stages 6 and 7 – stopping at Sydney Harbour for a photo-op in front of the Bridge and Opera House, then riding the EAC (think Finding Nemo) south to the familiar waters of Bass Strait.

All the while, as some people are aware, Chimere remains on the market.  So, if you’re interested in buying a boat, this boat, then give me a call. We don’t take Bitcoin.  There have been a few inquiries and some promising discussions, but nothing serious enough to be close to a sale … so we’ll continue to sail …  (If you want to check out my promo video, then click HERE)

The final things are packed.  By bag is bulging and I’m still adding new things to my NZ Task List – which I’ll probably share tomorrow.  It’s a bit long to go through now.

Right now, I need to go to bed before I have to get up. 

My flight takes off at 9:00am tomorrow, so I’ll probably be up around 4:30am to make it in time for check-in.  So exciting!!!!   A big thank you to Linda, my ever-patient wife, who will be driving me out to Tullamarine.

Smooth seas, fair breeze and ‘twas the night before …

Rob Latimer

Home, Ringwood North (Melbourne)

Wednesday, 7 April 2021

After numerous false starts and rumours, an abundance of trans-Tasman diplomatic-speak and political posturing, the introduction last October of a one-way travel concessions (in a westerly direction) – even announcements of pending announcements – finally the big day came yesterday with the big news that a two-way, Aussie-Kiwi “Travel Bubble” would open up from 19 April; without the need for mandatory quarantine.

Naturally it can all be stopped, modified or suspended overnight if conditions change, but it’s a good start; to be sure!

Having maintained this NZ2020 Blog from January to May last year, I’ve resisted the urge to post additional news over the past 11 months because, really, there hasn’t been any.  At least no news that really relates to sailing, or this ongoing adventure; soon to become a saga no doubt.

As for planning my next move, there’s not a lot I could do until there was clarity on travel.  Technically. From what I was able to establish over the past few months, it has been possible to travel from Australia to New Zealand, despite the “DO NOT TRAVEL TO NEW ZEALAND” SmartTraveller emails I’ve been receiving like the following …

All you had to do was apply to the Australian Government for a Travel Exemption, then, assuming it was granted, (and you could get a flight) pay around $3,000 for 14 day’s of hotel quarantine on arrival in New Zealand.

So that I couldn’t be accused of holding back on potentially returning to New Zealand to resume my voyage, I thought I’d test the system.  I must have been feeling lucky back in February, so I went online and submitted my “Travel Exemption” application to the Department of Home Affairs.

I considered applying under “COMPASSIONATE GROUNDS” – after all, being separated from my dearest, darling Chimere has been something of an emotional struggle.  Or at least that’s what I would have contended.  But in the end, I thought I’d apply on “BUSINESS GROUNDS”, because after all, there are financial implications to having Chimere stranded in Wellington which I need to address.  

Obviously, Jason from “Travel Exemption Requests” didn’t quite see it that way, as the following email explains… ho hum, at least I tried.

Before going on I should thank everyone who has taken an interest in my welfare since returning in April last year – boat less – and also those who’ve made inquiries about when I plan to resume the NZ voyage.

Looking back, it’s been rather surreal living though a succession of lockdowns – but then that applies to most people really – and let’s face it, Australian and New Zealand are two of the BEST places in the world to have had to weather this storm – particularly those unfortunate enough to call Melbourne home. 

I say unfortunate, because there was a time there last year when even people from New South Wales were starting to feel sorry for us.  You just had to say, “I’m in Melbourne”, and they would typically say … “How’s it going?” with a genuine feeling of concern in their voice. 

Click HERE for full article

You could be mistaken for thinking the following photo is from Hong Kong, Myanmar, or maybe Venezuela – but nope, it’s Melbourne … and the men in black weren’t at the Victoria Market to buy bananas?!

Not Western Australia.  They shut their border to the rest of the world very early on and have been happy to pretty much keep it that way ever since.  I think they’ve got the internet over there, but they seem to live in their own bubble, not seeming to care much about the rest of the country.  But it’s certainly been a vote-winner if the latest election results are anything to go by. 

Watching the 5-month long, Victorian Hotel Quarantine Inquiry play out last year, like a Reality TV drama, day-after-day was a revelation.  Kind of a cross between Survivor, Big Brother and Mastermind, with an unhealthy number of key players seemingly incapable of remembering who did what, when, where and to whom; a case of collective selective amnesia it would seem.

My interest in the inquiry was of course heightened on account of having seen the “system” from the inside, so to speak.  Based on all the information that was revealed in the inquiry, it seemed I dodged a bullet … or several bullets, plus a few landmines … in finally arriving back home unscathed.   

While I’ve been making good use of my time, working through a very long list of overdue home and garden tasks, Chimere has been quietly bobbing away in her berth at Chaffers Marina in Wellington; for over 12 months now.  I am extremely fortunate to have got to know – through my cousin Keith – a boating chap called Adam, who has been incredibly helpful and generous.  Not only does Adam go aboard on a regular basis to give everything a run, he also addresses issues that arise from time to time. Like most recently, the need to move Chimere from one berth to another, over to the far side of the marina.  All I can say is, thank you so much Adam.  I’m just hoping that one day I’ll be able to repay all the many favours.     

Here’s a picture Adam took just the other day,  which he described as … “the best view in the harbour” … looking straight across to the main inter island ferry terminal.

Many people may not be aware, but it was always our plan to put Chimere on the market … when I returned to Melbourne last year.  Naturally, it’s all been deferred 12-18 months, but nonetheless, we are starting to advertise as you can see HERE    I even managed to put together a Promo Video, using the skills I gained during lockdown aboard in New Zealand last year, which you can find HERE if you’re interested.

So, what are the sailing plans, now that trans-Tasman travel “bubble” is becoming a reality?  (Of course, … subject to change, terms and conditions apply, see store for detail)

Well, one thing’s for sure, my old friend (he’s slightly older than me) John Land, is itching to climb aboard, and there are a few others (some of whom still have unused airline tickets from last year sitting on the shelf) who might also like to sign up again. 

Whilst it’s still a little early to lock anything in, I can start to see a possibility of returning in mid to late May, with a plan to cruise north to the Bay of Islands over June and July, with a return across the Tasman in August, taking a more northern route to avoid the strong winter westerlies further south.  Watch this space!

Smooth seas, fair breeze and I hope I can still remember how to upload a Post to the website

Rob Latimer

Home, Ringwood North (Melbourne)

Monday, 11 May 2020

So, here I am sitting at my old desk again in Ringwood North, pecking away at my keyboard.  In some ways it feels like I’m trying to recall a dream after waking up from a 4-month sleep.  Like any dream, there are bits that are starting to fade, there are other bits that are really vivid … and for some reason I feel an urge to say … “vivid as, bro” …  could it be that part of my dream was set in New Zealand?!

Last night, when I was in the hotel room, “altered-time-dimension”, I had my regular late-night video-chat with my ol’ mate Graeme. Then I finally finished the blog over a few more coffees, making sure to eat the last of the Tim Tams, cracker biscuits, corn chips and salsa dip, oh, and cheese.  Them for some reason, I was still a bit “bouncy” at 1:00am so I started flicking the channels on the TV, making sure it wasn’t too loud. 

Trouble is, some channels have shows whose audio is pretty middle-of-the-road … particularly, say, a Shopping Channel demonstrating a … “must-have turbo, fold-away-super-delux-home-cleaning-system (ie. Vacuum cleaner) – phone now, don’t be disappointed  … etc etc”  … whereas, other channels break in with an avalanche of sound, as Bruce Willis, Rambo, or Sylvester (Stallone, not the cat)  shoots up another bunch of bad guys … which has you madly pressing the Volume DOWN arrow.

After two weeks in that room, well, actually, after one night in that room, it’s easy to see why a service like Netfix is so popular.  I held out hope that the hotel’s selection of movies might have been a deep pond from which to draw, but maybe my tastes fall outside their “target demographic”.  As for the TV??  At one point I thought I’d count how many channels there were, just for fun.  And I was determined to do it last night, but by around 2:00am this morning sleep got the better of me and I pressed the big red button on the remote control, and turned off the light.

It was the phone ringing that woke me.  It was 8:20am and this chirpy voice (definitely a Tigger) from reception introduced himself … “Hello Mr Latimer, it’s Simon from downstairs, today is your day of release, we were just wondering what time you’d like to Check Out?”   The question kind of caught me off guard.  After all, wasn’t HE supposed to be telling ME what time I was to be leaving?  “I was hoping to push for an extension”, I jokingly replied, followed a little more sensibly with …”my form says I’m here till midnight tonight”

“Does your form say that?” said Simon in surprise, as he continued  …  “… give me a few minutes, I’ll check, I’ll give you a call back”. I tried t re-direct him … “No, no, it’s OK, I can …”, but he’d already hung up.

Sure enough, five minutes later the phone rang again, “Hello, Mr Latimer, it’s Anna, one of the nurses, I believe you’re going home today, just checking whether you have any virus-related symptoms, coughing, sore throat, fevers?”   “No, all good, thanks very much” I replied.

Another five minutes and the phone rings again, it’s like a regular telephone exchange in here …  “Hello, it’s Craig, I’m the team leader downstairs, you’re free to go anytime.  It’s quiet down here at the desk now, so just let us know and we’ll send someone up.  Your wife was picking you up just down the road, is that right?”.   “Yes, she is, that sounds great, give me a few minutes, I’ll give my wife a call and get back to you”       

Wow!  I know I said I’d start packing my bag after breakfast, but this is ridiculous.  What is for breakfast, I thought as I opened the door for the second-last time?   Mmmm, a tub of sour yoghurt again??!! Glad I have just one serving of my own cereal to fall back on … or should that read, “… on which to fall back?”

Pretty soon I was on the phone to Linda … “what??, right now??,  I was expecting you home tonight, or tomorrow … I thought I had all day to clean up, the house is a mess, but that can wait, no worries, I’ll come in now!!”  … Go, Uber-Wife!! 

“No need to hurry, make it 10:30” I said, realizing that I had a bit of a job ahead of me getting everything back in my bag.  Then checking I hadn’t forgotten anything!

Before packing away my computer, there was just time for me to Post a brief “I’M GETTING OUT OF HERE” message on Facebook, as well as add a “Breaking News” addendum to last night’s blog.  And it was so lovely to see everyone’s heartfelt responses. Thank you! (see below)

Around 10:15 I was saying good buy to my room, with my bags being taken down in the lift on a hotel baggage trolley, just like I was checking out for real.  At ground level, I made my way to the first of two temporary desks near the hotel reception and provided my original Detention Notice, plus photo ID.  There was only one person ahead of me and as I made small talk with lady behind the desk, it was evident that every-one had their particular “story”, including a chap who had just left who was on his way down to Tasmania, where he’d be doing another two weeks in isolation there.

In passing, I mentioned that I really didn’t expect to get out until after midnight tonight … “not that I’m complaining” … I assured her.  “Yes, a few people have been confused by that.  But you were told your time of Checking Out yesterday, weren’t you?”, she inquired.  “No, not really,  … I got the form under my door, but there was nothing filled in under  departure-time” I replied, putting my form and ID back in my backpack.

“Oh, sorry about that”, she said … “But I bet you’re glad you’re going home now?!” she continued           

“Sure am”, I said, as I moved onto the next desk. “Do you have your Detention Notice and some photo ID please,” asked the nice lady behind desk number two. Obviously I was too quick in putting them away! “That’s OK, if she’s sighted the form,” pointing to the lady at desk one, “then that’s fine. All I need is some photo ID and a signature, then you can go”

After signing the departure register and making sure everything was where it should be (and paying nothing for all the things I didn’t buy from the empty minibar – yes!) I headed off across the hotel lobby to the entrance, just in time to stop my bag being lifted into the boot of a taxi.

“It’s OK”, I said “I’m being picked up by my wife”   

There were a few people gathered around the back of the taxi, including a couple of drivers, a few Hi-Vis-Vest-guys wearing masks and someone with a clipboard – oh, and three police standing about 30 metres away to the left, and another five or so police officers to the right … “Everyone leaves in a taxi” said one of the guys …

“Well, it’s been arranged for my wife to picking me up”, I started to explain, “I’m just going to walk a couple of hundred metres down the road to the DFO Carpark,  She’ll pick me up there”. 

“You need to be escorted” someone else chipped in, while a different bloke started explaining that different hotels have different policies.  Then, as I was obviously making to wheel-away … one of the Vest-guys said he needed to check at the desk and turned to go back through the foyer to, presumably Desk One, and/or Desk Two .  As he left, I mentioned that he should … “ask for Craig”, because he was aware of it.

Soon enough, Craig appeared, (hallelujah) but before that, I asked the guy who seemed to know so much about what was happening at the different hotels … “what’s with all the police?” … “Well”, he enthused, “apparently someone put a message on Facebook that they were going to escape, whether it was a joke or not, I don’t know, but the police are here in case there’s any trouble”.

At that point a loud thought just crossed my mind … “I JUST PUT A MESSAGE UP ON FACEBOOK ABOUT LEAVING!!” But of course, not all thoughts need to be spoken, and there’s a big difference between “escape” and “leaving” … something in the method, motive and means … and also permission. So I quickly deduced I was NOT the subject of official focus, despite the “misunderstanding” at my “fresh-air-break” two nights ago.

“Hi guys”, I said to the larger group of police, as Craig came to escort me “off the premises”.   “Happy to be going home?” called one officer … “Is that a question, or a statement?” I jokingly replied. Yep, definitely they weren’t here about MY Facebook Post. Either that, or my face-mask and nonchalant manner fooled them

Craig seemed a good bloke and I could see why he might have been made team leader; you could sense an air of commonsense about him.  As we walked the 200 metres to where I’d be meeting Linda, Craig commented on the impact of the virus around the world and brought it back to “deaths per thousand” … from memory he said Victoria was 2, Belgium was over 700 and the US in the 300s.  Just a staggering difference in numbers and you’d like to think that strict and concerted efforts on the part of our state and federal leaders – supported by an equally concerned and compliant community – has enable us all to dodge a bullet; for now at least.  

As we said good-bye, Craig … “thanked me for my cooperation” … and extended his jumper-covered elbow for what now-days, I suppose, passes as a handshake.  We then bumped elbows and said good-bye. 

Eager to see where Linda might be, I fired up the “Find My Friend App on my iPhone, otherwise known as “Stalk My Wife”, which showed that she was driving down Dudley St on the edge of the city, just a few minutes away.

It was wonderful to see Linda again.  No social distancing! Here was a person I could cuddle with immunity!

Thinking back, the last time we held each other was Saturday 14 March, when we parted company at the Milford Sound bus and ferry terminal.  Wow, just three days off two months ago.  Not that long when you say it quickly, but hasn’t a lot happened in that time.  And I’ve got a daily blog to remind me, if for whatever reason I ever forget; what still seems like a dream.

Finally arriving at our suburb of Ringwood North, followed by our road, then turning into our drive, it had the feel of arriving at a friend’s house.  Lots of things were familiar of course, but then there were differences from what I could remember – some subtle, some less-so.  After all, the last time I was here was January, admittedly, late January – the middle of Summer – but time has a habit of dimming lots of things.

Linda was naturally eager to show me all the things she’d been doing, chief amongst them, the new vegie garden and the repaired glasshouse.  There were the things that needed attention and the list of “tasks” is a very long one, but for now it was fun and satisfying, to just look and feel the familiar “vibe” of home and the “ordinary”.

As a special treat I gave Linda her Mother’s Day gift, including a blank card she might use at a future time.  Luckily she liked the socks, after all, I’d spent ages picking them out specially?!  As it turns out, Linda also reads my blog, so she was well aware that this was a “re-gifting” exercise on my part, from what I’d been given yesterday at the Pan Pacific Hotel.

After all the excitement, I ended up having an afternoon nap, (of several hours as it turned out) – just like back in Room 1214 … but the big difference now of course is that I can open that door, and the next door, and even go outside if I choose … which I don’t … but if I did, then I could.  In a word, (or three) … “I am free”.

In looking at my original NZ2020 sailing plan, the intention at the start, was to be sailing back into Westernport in around 5 days’ time, after a 113 Day adventure.   Whilst things haven’t quite worked out as plan, (major understatement there) there’s no doubt it’s been a true adventure. 

It’s become an Adventure in Two Acts, with the curtain now having come down on the First Act.  Intermission has been called, but remember to resume your seat for the start of Act Two, in around 9 months’ time, as we embark on NZ2021 – Unfinished Business.

Thank you to everyone for your interest, encouragement and support.  The support from my NZ cousins and friends has been amazing, and without them, I suspect my experience would have tipped over into the “frustrating and miserable”

It’s kind-of-sad to be signing off for the last time.  Let’s just hope and pray there’s a high degree of normality in the world, by the time the New Year comes around and the start of this adventure’s Act Two

Smooth seas, fair breeze and I’m free again

Rob Latimer

FURTHER ADVENTURE BLOGS ... I’ve received some really nice comments about ready the blog each day and being able to participate in the adventure from the comfort of an armchair. If you are looking for something new to “fill the void” during this blog’s “Intermission”, then you might like to have a look at the following “Adventure Blogs” … which I’ve prepared earlier.

The first is our sailing adventure around Tassie last year. It was to celebrate my retirement, hence the name “Freedom Sail”. It some ways it was kind of apprenticeship for the New Zealand sailing trip this year, in particular the Fiordland section.

TASMANIAN SAILING ADVENTURE 2019

SHIPS LOG – FREEDOM SAIL – AROUND TASMANIA IN 48 DAYS – 2019

The next Adventure Blog dates from 2014 and covers a trip to Iceland and England. The trip was fantastic for all the right reasons and the blog is fun to look back through, if just for the pictures – particularly of of Denmark, Norway and of course Iceland.

LATIMER EUROPEAN VACATION – 2014 

Iceland, Denmark and Norway

England

Pan Pacific Hotel, Rm 1214 (Melbourne)

Sunday 10 May 2020

Looking back on my last full day in captivity, (and let me say Happy Mother’s Day to all relevant parties), it’s hard to pin down exactly what I’ve been doing.  There was online church at 10:00am, followed by a smaller gathering of half-a-dozen or so, for an online “coffee & chat”.  Then there was “Family Lunch”, with Linda at home in Ringwood North, Matt and Cathy at Mooroolbark and Eva and James in Canberra.

It was fun to catch up with everyone and to hear all the news – and of course to see everyone.

In recognition of Mother’s Day, I received a gift with today’s lunch bag.  It was contained in one of those cute little folded noodle boxes and included some spotty socks, a ball of olive oil soap in a small eco-friendly paper bag, and a blank gift card I can keep to use at a future time of my choosing. 

There was also a Mother’s Day card from the Victorian Government which is, “…to thank mothers everywhere … whether you are a mother, have a mother or know a mother [kind of captures everyone really doesn’t it] we hope you enjoy this gift as a celebration of Mother’s Day”   Just glad it didn’t also say … “identifies as a mother” … otherwise I’d be considering handing back my Seniors Card

So that was very nice and unexpected.  Something to remember my 14 day stay as a guest of the Government. And to all you tax-payers out there … a big cheerio and thank-you for picking up the tab!! 

Rest assured it does NOT include the mini bar.  In fact, it’s a particular point of honour that I have NOT bought anything from “Room Service”, over the past 13 days – not even one lousy beer.  There was only the small supermarket online order in the first few days and tonight I’m going to eat my very last Tim Tam

Not that I can recommend mandatory detention and isolation as a way to save on the household budget – there are downsides of a non-financial kind.

It gave me great joy to mark off “Day 13” on my wall-chart earlier today and so I’m expecting a phone call sometime tomorrow morning to finalise the exact time of my release.  As you can see from the text in the photo, under Section 2 (2) Place and time of Detention, it confirms “You will be detained until Midnight on 11 May 2020”, with the exact details to follow … as in, Terms and Conditions apply, see store for details …

Like most game-show contestants, I won’t be going home empty handed.  I did a quick stock-take of my food packaging booty earlier today, and ignoring what I get tomorrow, I currently have 42 (almost new) brown paper bags, 49 plastic takeaway tubs (with lids) and 89 pieces of plastic-esque cutlery.   Not sure any of it will be going to the poolroom when I get home, but I’m sure Linda and I will find a re-cycled use for it all some time in the years ahead.

As I prepare to exit-stage-left from the Pan Pacific Hotel, I’m reminded of the comedian Bob Newhart (from quite a few decades ago) and the many monologue-routines he did over the years.  Typically, they were make-believe addresses to a range of audiences … such as … the captain of a submarine to his crew after two years without surfacing … or the office accountant on his retirement … or the captain of a low-frills airline to the passengers … you get the idea. 

For those who may not be old enough to remember Bob Newhart, (who turned 90 last year) you may recall him from his appearances as Professor Proton in the popular TV series, The Big Bang Theory

Anyway, I’m sure there’s scope for a suitable speech to be written that refects on the previous two weeks of detention and isolation … the highs … the lows … the regrets … the friendships forged …

It might need a bit of “workshopping”, but I reckon I’ve got most of the required first-hand material and experiences to fill up a 6-minute address.  In the meantime, I’ll share some of the Bob Newhart presentations for your enjoyment.  The last one, is the most famous of them all, The Driving Instructor.

USS Codfish

Retirement Party

The Grace L. Ferguson Airline (And Storm Door Co.)

Bob Newhart The Driving Instructor

This afternoon, I had a chance to catch up on news that wasn’t related to the coronavirus global pandemic … apparently this is some out there … and the thing that stood out for me, was the 75^th Anniversary of the end of World War 2, in Europe; VE Day.  

Watching video clips of wreath-laying in various places, the Queen’s address and an amazing ‘concert’  by Mezzo Soprano Katherine Jenkins before an empty Royal Albert Hall, was extremely moving. 

None of us need reminding that this was a war that kill 70-85 million people, (hard to imagine such a massive estimated margin for error of 15 million, from low to high) and consumed the globe for nearly six years. 

It’s rather poignant that the VE-Day 75 celebrations might be overshadowed at this time by another, quite different ‘war’ that is currently consuming the globe.

Gee, the Queen holds up well, and some of her words really nailed it … “Never give up, never despair … they fought so that we could live in peace at home and abroad   They died so that we could live as free people, in a world of free nations.  They risked all, so that our families and neighbourhoods could be safe”

Check out the following links …

We’ll Meet Again for VE Day 75, with Katherine Jenkins

Dame Vera Lynn, At 103 gives message of hope

Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, Address to the nation to mark 75^th Anniversary of VE Day

VE Day:  European leaders mark 75 years since defeat of Nazi German

There’s something about “freedom”, in all its forms, that you appreciate most acutely when it’s taken away … or you face the prospect of it being taken away.   

Again, I’ve got to say thank-you to everyone for your encouragement and kind words regarding this blog.  Believe it or not, this is my 90^th Post over the past – almost – 4 months, and I’m estimating that’s around 157,000 words, based on each blog being around 1,500-2,000 words long.  Add to this the fact that a “picture paints a thousand words” … and I’m well and truly into the millions of words.   

I was looking at the website statistics and it was fascinating to see that since 25 January, when we sailed out of Western Port, the website has had 7,740 Views, 1,390 Visitors, 13 Likes and 108 Comments.  There have been visitors to the blog from a total of 25 countries … mostly Australia and New Zealand of course, but a steady following in Spain, Germany, USA, Canada, Malaysia and the Netherlands. 

No doubt, some of these more “unlikely” audiences came about because I was clicking through so many find-a-crew-social-media and sailing websites while I was in New Zealand; while doing nearly 5 weeks of isolation. 

And quite a few of the “foreign” visitors registering just “1 View” on the site – of which Qatar and Bolivia are probably the most surprising – may well have been “accidental” visits from click-happy web-surfers dreaming of escape…

I was just about to sign off for the night and there was some excitement in my room …

Now, bear in mind, we’re coming off a low base here, when I talk of excitement … but the poking of a piece of paper under the door was exciting to me. And as you can see below, the piece of paper was headed:

END OF DETENTION NOTICE, Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 (Vic) Section 200

As you can guess, the notice explains all the things that are expected of me upon release, and that I must remain in my room until the designated day of 11 May … however, the exact time has been left blank. Unlike the original Direction and Detention Notice that stated 12 midnight tomorrow. No doubt that’ll be sorted out tomorrow, although one of the paragraphs says that I will be given approximately one hour’s notice of when I will be “collected”. I’ll start packing my bags after breakfast tomorrow!

Smooth seas, fair breeze and just one more sleep

Rob Latimer

IN BREAKING NEWS …

Pan Pacific Hotel, Rm 1214 (Melbourne)

Saturday 9 May 2020

The phone call around 9:30 this morning was most unexpected.  “Hello Mr Latimer, you’re down for a fresh-air-break today, around 6:30-7:00pm.  Is that OK with you?” … I was caught a bit off guard, and simply said, “Ah, yeah, that would be great, thanks … bye”. Of course, I’d forgetting to check my diary.  ‘Cos after all, 6:30 to 7:00pm is when I usually “dine”.  And who knows, I might have had some other appointments too if I’d checked …

So, the day started all crazy and topsy-turvy-like, with the prospect of another 10-minute fresh-air-break in a matter of days.  AND the likelihood that dinner would be arriving at the same time.   Talk about excitement, and I had the entire day for anticipation to build – but that still didn’t stop me setting the alarm for 6:25pm, just in case I forgot. It’s what us “older people” do.

Breakfast consisted mainly of a slice of quiche, which was really tasty.  It’s been served up for breakfast a few times now, not the same one … I’m guessing they make a new one every now and then.  But it’s really filling, with the density of a caramel slice, plus a garnish, comprising a a couple of twigs of a green plant and small bits of chopped tomato – just a little bit fancy really!

Now, I promised a long time ago that I wouldn’t turn this blog into a virtual food-show, but while I’m on the topic …  lunch was something of a disappointment.  In a sense, the hand writing on the bag should have put me on-notice that something was wrong.  At the time I didn’t read what the writing said, but the thought crossed my mind, “… oh look, they’ve started re-using bags … cool” 

The meal itself was in the usual plastic takeaway tub, but I’d barely got down one spoonful before I was at my fridge pulling out the ingredients to make a cheese, ham and tomato sandwich.  I’m sure there are some people out there who would have looked at it and thought … “Oh Yum … cold pumpkin and couscous, with flakes of bitter kale [or whatever it was] and chunks of broccoli, again!”  … but I’m not one of them. 

It’s funny, again, while I’m on a roll with food … tonight’s dinner did come at the same time as I was being escorted out for my walkies … and the nice bloke with the food trolley stacked up with brown paper bags said … “would you like me to bring it back in half an hour.  I’ll keep it warm” … which he did.  So when I finally got tonight’s tucker- bag, I saw that he’d written 1214 on the bag.  Sensible move I thought!  You won’t forget my room number

It’s then that I noticed the writing on the lunchtime bag.  I looked a bit closer and read … “1201 1x G.F.  No Lunch”             

Strange that a lunch-bag would have “No Lunch” written on it … but 1201 definitely isn’t my room, and G.F. certainly didn’t stand for “Great Food” … not even “Good Food”. 

So, at the moment, my working hypothesis is that … there’s an outside chance I got the wrong lunch-bag and that whoever is in room 1201 prefers a gluten free diet.  As for me, I tend to favour foods with the label … “NOW WITH MORE GLUTEN”. In addition, if the person in room 1201 ate my lunch by mistake, it might explain whatever adverse symptoms they are currently suffering.

It was fun to be able to mark the 12^th day off my wall-chart, which means there are only two sleeps to go. 

I refrained from watching too many YouTube videos today, resorting instead to watching the Lion King movie – in the middle of the day – on the big screen, in my room … of course it was in my room!  Where else.   Then, after the movie I fell asleep … like a tired baby Simba.  Such decadence!

Later this afternoon, there was still time to work on the computer, putting ideas together for the making of a short video on the Vanuatu tooth brushing program “Gudfala Tut”.  Of course an important part of this process, was looking online for examples of similar “promo” productions.  It’s not called plagiarizing … we prefer to think of it as “market research”. 

The message we are promoting with our Vanuatu partners, is the importance of a … “brushing of teeth in schools” program, to help address, chronic tooth decay and gum disease.  There’s every chance you’ve heard me talk about the work we are doing in Vanuatu, through Medical Sailing Ministries Inc, and the North Ringwood Uniting Church, again, in partnership with local Vanuatu partners, (including the Vanuatu Directorate of Public Health),  but if not, feel free to check it out here …

 Gudfala Tut Skul   

Anyway, while I was checking out “promotional videos”, doing market research, I came across a few absolutely fantastic videos.  Admittedly, the videos are NOT exactly what they seemed at first glance, and were produced by a bunch of whacky Norwegians to rightly highlight the dis-empowering effect of stereotypes.    Check them out, and maybe you’ll enjoy than as much as I did …

Saving Africa

Who Wants to be a Volunteer

Africa for Norway 

Africa Corp. Radi-Aid 2.0

As I mentioned, my dinner was dropped off at 6:30 tonight, at exactly the same time as my “minder” came to escort me out of the building for my fresh-air break.

Being my second run-off-the-leash, I kind of knew the routine and once we’d got to the hotel’s front mat, the “masked man” indicated to the right that I could walk as far as the end of the concourse, and as he indicated to the left I mentioned … “to the Polly Woodside?”

And it’s at this point that the ensuing “misunderstanding” probably originated.  Because I took his “yes” as meaning that I could walk as far as the Polly Woodside ship (and that rough vicinity) so long as I’m back in the allowed 10 minutes – like I had the other day … whereas, in his mind, he thought in that direction, but probably only about 200 metres; and no further.

As I blithely walked off, completely un-escorted and on my own, I turned and said … “what time is it?”, whereupon he showed me his phone and said, 6:30.  We’d already established I had 10 minutes, so off I wandered.

And let me say, it was cold outside tonight!!  I had a jumper on, but I’d only been gone a couple of minutes and the thought crossed my mind … “I’m not sure I need this much fresh air … I might go back inside”  … see what institutionalization does to you!?

I got to the Polly Woodside soon enough, took a few photos, then thought … “gotta get a few pictures from the other side of the foot-bridge”… which I did, as you can see below.

 

Returning at exactly 6:40pm, I started making my way back through the sliding front doors, when a couple of Green Hi-Vis blokes (who I took to be a higher rank than the orange Hi-Vis bloke who had initially brought me down in the lift) came from the other direction, calling out to me and looking a little agitated. 

“You are only supposed to stay in this area”, he snapped.  “But I told this guy I was going to the Polly Woodside, just like I did the other day.  And he said yes”, I replied, starting to pick up on their tension.

There were a few other exchanges back and forth which I don’t recall in detail, but I got the impression they’d been looking for me because my orange Hi-Vis guy (who I suspected had got into trouble) made the sheepish comment as we were returning across the hotel lobby, “we thought you’d escaped”. 

So apparently, I had unknowingly “transgressed the unwritten law” … to borrow a line from a certain Monty Python sketch.  (If you’ve got a second, look those four words up online – it was a classic) 

And I innocently thought that all I needed to do was be back within the allotted 10 minutes … not so.  You also need to remain within the Pan Pacific Playpen, bounded by the circular drive out front.

I suppose it’s a good thing I’m getting out in two days, cos I may have just scored a black mark against my name?!

Smooth seas, fair breeze and more fresh air

Rob Latimer

Pan Pacific Hotel, Rm 1214 (Melbourne)

Friday 8 May 2020

Before breakfast, or at least the delivery of my breakfast-meal-bag, I had the latest, Victorian Government’s Health & Human Services, “Coronavirus Newsletter” slipped under my door.  As before, it was full of questions in bold print I’d never thought of asking, with answers I hope I never have to negotiate.

Front and centre though, was the “Summary” at the top of the page, which read … “All returned travellers are being asked to complete voluntary testing for coronavirus (COVID-19) on approximately day 11 or 12 of their mandatory quarantine…”

Then the list of questions, with the accompanying answers:

“Why am I being asked to get a test if I don’t have symptoms?”

“Who is being asked to get a test?”

“What do I need to do?”

The questions continued, and I was chatting with Linda on the phone about this mid-morning and there was a knock at the door.  Nope, it can’t be lunch-time.  And morning tea with a couple of Tim Tams on the side would be too much to ask.  “I’ll catch you later Linda … someone at the door, gotta go, bye”   As you can appreciate, I don’t get many (any) visitors and I can call my wife anytime, so what was I to do … guys?

And who should be at the door but a group of nurses, at least three, but now I think about it, there might have been a fourth in the background, all dressed in the full-mask-and-suit-get-up. “Hello, we’re here to offer testing for the coronavirus.  It’s not compulsory, but would you like to have the test done?”

So that’s how I let a perfect stranger, dressed as a nurse, poke a long stick down my throat and up my nose. Same stick by the way – so it’s fortunate the symptoms of COVID-19 mostly exhibit above the shoulders.  If the symptoms were at both ends, I think I would have insisted on TWO sticks.

Makes me wonder what was with the rush on buying toilet paper a month ago??  Surely, if anything, there should have been a rush on boxes of tissues?!

Anyway, apart from a smarting upper nasal tract and watery eyes, that suddenly developed in response to the stick-up-the-nose-routine – (up as far up as my brain I’m guessing) all was good.  Not with the results, of course.   I won’t know them for a few days.  All finished, and just a few minutes later, I wished the nurses well, said my thank-yoos and shut my door. 

You’ll be pleased to know, ladies, that I called Linda back immediately, (as any dutiful husband would, right blokes?!) and reported everything blow by blow.

Having finished uploading all the photos from the Fiordland stage of the voyage, I moved onto other computer projects today.  As often happens, I got stuck on “MUST SEE” YouTube videos – not just kittens and baby goats in pyjamas, but also massive radio controlled model 747s and Concordes (plus baby pigs having their teeth brushed) – anyway, one of these videos was a very long interview from 10 years ago, with actor Sidney Poitier.

It was fascinating, and I watched to the end of it’s nearly 2-hour duration.  He’s an actor I have always admired and so I naturally looked up Wikipedia to find out a little more, such as when did he die … well, it turns out he’s NOT dead.  How about that?   If you’ve got a bit of spare time, and haven’t most of us, it’s one to put on your “to watch” list.  

Sidney Poitier 2009

I received a “how ya doing?” email around lunch time, from my younger sister, Rae-Ellen, which was nice.  Rae-Ellen and her husband Paul are both in “The Gideons” and she mentioned in passing that their society had recently received a donation from a woman who was in compulsory isolation – just like me – in the Crown Metropol hotel; which is just a few hundred metres from here, I can see their shining lights from here.

Apparently, the woman in isolation was so appreciative of the bible, that had been placed in the room by The Gideons, finding it … “a great comfort and inspiration”, that she made a $1,000 donation to the Gideons.  She also wrote a letter of thanks  to the Executive General Manager of the hotel to thank him/her for allowing the bibles to be placed in the room.

So naturally, Rae-Ellen was keen to know whether the Pan Pacific Hotel had bibles in their rooms, just like the Crown.

“Well, funny you should ask that Rae-Ellen”, I said … “because after a thorough scoping of my room/cell on arrival, I reported in my blog back  on Tuesday 28^th April, that there was NO Gideon’s bible in the room”   Where’s the Wally

Now I was curious.  Was it JUST room 1214, my room, that had no Gideons Bible, or was it every room in the hotel?  I had to know.  After all, it’s unlikely, but maybe the last occupant of this room stole the bible from the top draw…??  And all the other rooms still had their bible. Just putting it out there.

So, I called reception and asked the question.  “I’m not sure”, said the nice lady on the phone, “I’ll find out and get back to you”.  A short time later the phone rang, but only one ring sounded, so I missed picking it up.  I called reception back and it was a different person. They weren’t quite sure either, but informed me that a bible was being sent up and would be at my door in a few minutes.

Sure enough, true to her word, there was a knock at the door a few minutes later.  But when I drew back the door there was no one there.  I looked left, (just a masked man sitting on a chair – no Super Hero … disappointed?!) I looked right … and of course, just like feeding time, the instinct cut in … I looked down, and there it was, sitting on the doorstep at my feet. 

So, from all of that, I’m assuming each room does NOT have a Gideons Bible, but just like the hotel iron and ironing boards in the olden days … if you needed it in your room, you call reception. Here’s a photo as proof and I must remember to leave it in the room, along with the dressing gown and embroidered towels, when I leave. (Actually the towels aren’t embroidered, I made that up)

Returning briefly to a nautical theme. I read in the paper today that … “The Ruby Princess had just dropped anchor in Manilla Bay with 214 Filipino crew onboard”.  

Of course, the Ruby Princess is now known worldwide for all the wrong reasons, chief among them being linked to about 700 COVID-19 infections and 21 virus related deaths. Just tragic.  The article went on to say that the Ruby Princess joined about 15 other cruise ships in the same harbour, which together have around 5,300 Filipino crew – all of whom will naturally be tested for coronavirus infection. But won’t they all be overjoyed to be returning to their homes and families once again!!  

Reading the article, it got me thinking … “all those ships should show up on the Marine Traffic website”. And they did.  Have a look at the image below, which I took earlier today.  Talk about a cruise ship … and I nearly said graveyard … but what IS the collective noun for possibly $10 billion dollars’ worth of cruise ships, all anchored and idle together in the one place.    A “retirement” of cruise ships.  A “corona” of cruise ships … have to work on that one.  And get a load of the green dots… every one of them is a ship; mostly container ships, but general cargo as well. (The red dots are tankers)

And here’s a link to footage taken recently from a helicopter of the cruise ships …

Aerial (Helicopter) View of Cruise Ships in Manilla Bay

Back on the topic of the Bible … AND 1960s Pop music … which is an interesting combination.  But I was reading the said, Gideon’s Bible this afternoon and in the current “Coronavirus Reality” in which we find ourselves, I was naturally drawn to the book of Ecclesiastes.    

This is a book of “wisdom”, attributed to Solomon around 3,000 years ago, but I feel particularly close to this book because among my dad’s things when he died, I found a note to the effect … “this would be a good thing to read at my funeral”… with an accompanying Ecclesiastes passage.  Which I did.

It might not be so commonly known these days, but this king of ancient time, Solomon, had it all.  He was wise, rich, famous and powerful, you name it.  His quotes have endured and if he was alive today, he’d certainly be on the motivational speaker’s circuit and would put the likes of Elon Musk in the shade.  You could safely say that Solomon was the forerunner to Yoda, of Starwars fame, when it comes to the passing-on of wisdom … here’s a sample from Ecclesiastes:

“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”

“Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit— YOU choose.”

“Give me the gift of a listening heart.”

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

“The one who walks with the wise becomes wise .”

“Better the anger of a friend than the kiss of an enemy.”

“Knowledge is of more value than gold”

“The lesser of two evils is still evil.”

“Without vision a people perishes.”

“Being cheerful keeps you healthy”

“Whoever stubbornly refuses to accept criticism will suddenly be broken beyond repair.”

“A wise person will listen and take in more instruction.”

“As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.”

There are just so many brilliant Solomon quotes, even more than Winston Churchill … it’s hard to know where to stop. There’s lots more. (You can see why every hotel room always did, and always SHOULD have a Gideons Bible)

But in these very difficult, COVID-19, isolation-times, we can easily fall into the trap of thinking our current predicament is the new permanent reality; that the bad times will go on forever.  I know, back in my working days, it was always a challenge advising clients through “market crashes” – and we had a few over the 35 years I was in business. But of course, like winter gives way to spring, we’ve got to expect things will one day get better. 

Again, reading Solomon, we get more wise advice from Chapter 3 where we read … “There is a time for everything  and a season for every activity under the heavens”

Of course, you might recall a paraphrased version of this passage from the song “Turn Turn Turn” by Pete Seeger and sung by the Byrds in the 1960s.  Lifting the words straight out of the bible like that, I suppose Pete Seeger felt pretty safe ‘cos he knew the copyright had run out on the material.  

I’m sure everyone is very familiar with the song, but this particular link has over 16.5 million hits and more than 6,000 Comments; some very moving. As it turns out, many people have read from Ecclesiastes at a funerals!   Might be a good song for all of us to re-connect with, particularly at this time of global uncertainty, suffering and loss. 

If nothing else, it shows the words and sentiments are as relevant now as they were to Pete Seeger in the 1960s and in Solomon’s time back in 950BC – after all, there is nothing new under heaven.

The Byrds – Turn! Turn! Turn!

Smooth seas, fair breeze and testing time

Rob Latimer

Knock, knock … Who’s there … you mean what’s there … Dinner …

Pan Pacific Hotel, Rm 1214 (Melbourne)

Thursday 7 May 2020

Over the past few days, I’ve been uploading photos and captions to the earlier parts of this blog.  In particular, the first 14 days of March, just two months ago, when Linda, Matt and James came aboard Chimere at Bluff – at the very botton-end (I’m guessing the people who live in Bluff don’t describe it that way…) of the South Island. 

Our quest was to explore the rugged and remote fiords and sounds along the South West coast, the most well-known of these, undoubtedly being Milford Sound.

Most of my daily blogs from that time were up-loaded, minus the photos.  Not ideal.  But whilst Fiordland is known and appreciated for its near-pristine beauty, it is also known and perhaps, NOT appreciated, for its lack of internet and phone connections. 

Now, with lots of time on my hands and free WiFi, compliments of the Pan Pacific Hotel and the Australian taxpayers, I’ve been working through each day’s post and making amends.  It’s been a lot of fun, sorting through the many photos, taken by John, Linda, James, Matt and me – reading the blogs again and then adding captions to each photo as they’re uploaded.

To be sure, there’s been a bit of re-living all the magic times and moments.  Which I suppose, is all part of my purpose in recording the events in the first place.  It reminds me of a quote I recall from somewhere … and up until a few minutes ago, I never knew the source.  But after a quick web-search I’ve discovered that it’s actually attributed to a woman called Anais Nin; an American-Cuban-French essayist, who was born in 1903.   

The quote is … “We write to taste life twice, in the moment, and in retrospection.” 

Which is pretty deep when you think about it.  A good memory could probably achieve the same result, but to quote Homer Simpson … “every time I learn something new, it pushes something old out of my head…”   Well, maybe I’m not quite that bad.  But there’s something about writing … “in the moment” … to capture feelings, events and circumstances that can vividly be re-kindled months and years later .

When I think about it, the idea of “living in the moment” … is one of the things I like so much about sailing.  In a world (at least our reasonably comfortable western world) where most things are laid on and easily accessible – water, food, electricity, gas, communications, transport, security etc – we can drift along, turning taps, flicking switches, pumping petrol … doing lots of daily tasks, but rarely thinking hard, or going deeper into what holds it all together; or needing to take responsibility for it.  We assume so  much about the present and the future,  or it’s taken for granted.

No doubt the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on everyone’s daily life, in our community and the world, is forcing a re-think of many, once-certain aspects of life.  And of course, many of us now have time to reflect and really think differently about the here-and-now, as well as the future. 

“NOT just a time to DO, but a time to BE” …  which is a quote that should be attributed to Yoda, but I haven’t been able to find the reference.  Having mentioned Yoda, some of his other quotes are worthy pearls of wisdom, such as… (Not sure how to reproduce the distinctive voice in text)

“You must unlearn what you have learned.” … “Do or do not. There is no try.” … “That is why you fail.” … “Named must be your fear before banish it you can.” … “Fear is the path to the dark side.” … “The greatest teacher, failure is.”

That’s probably enough Yoda for one night.  (That’s not one of the quotes)

Looking back to Anais Nin, here was a woman who maintained a blog, they called them journals or diaries back then, and there are a few more quotes attributed to her that are worth taking on board … three in particular …

“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.”

“We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.”

“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”

Returning to … “living in the moment” … sailing, like so many other physical pursuits, requires you to first, plan ahead, then second, test yourself.  The testing, and the extent to which you succeed or fail, in large part, depends on your prior planning and of course your decision-making and endurance, throughout that time of testing. 

It’s at these times where you have no option but to live-in-the-moment, because the consequence of NOT, can result in what hospitals and the medical fraternity generally refer to as … “adverse outcomes”.

It’s probably why “sail training ships” are so beneficial, particularly for young people.  It builds resilience and confidence, plus the necessity of being relied upon and of working in a team; relying on others.

Isolation on a boat, might also help in preparation for something like … for example … isolation in a hotel room.  Just a hypothetical example of course?!

It got me thinking this afternoon of a young woman, Jane Cooper who in 1971 at the age of 17, ran away from her home in Canterbury, Melbourne in order to live on the extremely remote and rugged De Witt Island, off the SW coast of Tasmania.  (also known locally as “Big Witch”)

I was prompted to recall the story of Jane Cooper, because I received an email out of the blue from the UK two days ago.  It was a chap who wants to do some out-of-the-way trekking and exploring down that way in the future, and somehow found a link to me from last year’s “Freedom Sail” blog, which I did while sailing around Tassie.    

Jane Cooper’s story gives another dimension to what it is to be “isolated”.  For her, isolation was the inner sense of helplessness and desperation she felt in observing the war, racism, poverty and greed all around her; surrounded by others in suburbia.   Her desire was to have nothing whatsoever to do with it.  Whilst becoming a hermit on De Witt island might seem like ISOLATION to many, to Jane, it was a path to liberation from the mental and social isolation she felt in the “normal” world.

It’s probably much the same now – oe thousand “Friends” on Facebook but no one to talk with. Sadly, for many, “escape” can mean a destructive path of dependence on drugs and other things, but for Jane it was a real, physical escape to a place that is not quite the ends of the earth, but I’m sure if you were to climb the hill at the far end of the island you could see it from there.

Girl Friday Lives Hermit Existence (News Story, 1971)

I Go Further Under

Maybe you remember the story from the time.  I was busy trying to finish Primary School back then and only came upon the story much later in life, but it’s well worth having a look.   There’s even been a film made recently, loosely based on Jane’s experience – I Go Further Under.

Meanwhile, back in Room 1214, things are ticking away as expected.  Today marks 10 days down, 4 to go, which must mean I’m well and truly in the home straight.

Lunch today saw a return to just one butter sachet with my roll.  And so much for full-size chocolate bars, we’re back to mini-me bars … today is was a tiny, Cherry Ripe that did indeed say “NOT FOR INDIVIDUAL SALE” on the wrapper … I was able to defer eating it until just now, when I consumed it while having a video chat with a close friend.

Some people have asked about Room Service and access to other hotel services while I’m here.  Well, the key over-ride to everything is that no one will come in, and I’m not allowed out (except for the 10 minutes of “fresh air” two days ago, or was it three?)  The information sheet talks about leaving towels and sheets in a designated bag which must be “knotted at the top” and left outside my room for collection.  Likewise, rubbish can be left in a bag outside the door.  

But to date, I haven’t needed to make use of any of the above.  I bought a bottle of dish washing liquid in my Woolworths online order the other day and so I’ve cleaned all the food containers and plastic cutlery for future use in my potting shed at home.  (when I get out)  The chic, brown paper bags with raffia handles, are all neatly folded and will be re-birthed sometime – I’ve got an awful lot of them.  And as for the sheets and towels, well I don’t know about you, but I’m not sure I change my sheets every-other-day?!  Certainly on the boat it was more on a 4-5 week cycle, but maybe that’s a bad example …   

Thank you again everyone for your encouragement about the blog.  I’m glad you’ve enjoyed reading along because I enjoy musing away on the computer.  Not sure I would have said that when I was back in high school.  And not just because there were no computers then.  Back then I could barely scrape a Pass in writing essays and English assignments.  It might have been useful to have known exactly WHY my homework only scored 11 out of 20, when others in the class were regularly getting 18s and 19s.  I suppose we all have suppressed memories of “school days” that are best left … suppressed?!

Don’t forget to check out the blog-links below.  If you’ve read them before, then you’ll enjoy the photos and captions, and if you haven’t read the blog yet, then hopefully there’s a treat in store for you – it’s actually about sailing!

Smooth seas, fair breeze and re-living the voyage

Rob Latimer

A Day for Good-Byes

Saturday March 14, 2020, Deepwater Basin, Milford Sound

Rest Day At Milford

Friday March 13, 2020, Deepwater Basin, Milford Sound

There’s Only One Milford Sound

Thursday March 12, 2020, Deepwater Basin, Milford Sound

Another Day, Another Fiord

Wednesday March 11, 2020, Alice Falls Anchorage, George Sound

Nancy’s Foot Arm

Tuesday March 10, 2020, Toe Cove, Nancy Sound 

Rain Equals Waterfalls

Monday March 9, 2020, Beach Harbour, Breaksea Sound, Fiordland

Dusky Dreaming

Sunday March 8, 2020, Pickersgill Harbour, Dusky Sound, Fiordland 

A Day of Rest

Saturday March 7, 2020, Lake Cove, Chalky Sound, Fiordland 

Cook’s Legacy for Us All

Friday March 6, 2020, Lake Cove, Chalky Sound, Fiordland

Sounds of Majestic Grandeur

Thursday March 5, 2020, Cascade Basin, Long Sound, Fiordland 

A Big Day*!

Wednesday 4 March, 2020, Otago’s Retreat, Preservation Inlet, FIORDLAND ! 

Race to Beat the Gale

Tuesday 3 March 2020,  Port William, Stewart Island 

Now That Looks Tight

Monday 2 March, 2020, Lords River, Stewart Island

Weather or Not

Sunday 1 March, 2020, Faith, Hope & Charity Stewart Island

Family Fun Times Begin

Saturday 29 February, 2020, Bluff (Ferry Wharf)

Pan Pacific Hotel, Rm 1214 (Melbourne)

Wednesday 6 May 2020

I slept-in today.  Didn’t even hear the bang on the door and the words … actually, only one word … “BREAKFAST”

It was close to 8:00am by the time I was finally conscious enough to realise … “Breakfast!!”  And as I opened my door just wide enough for my arm to execute the … extend-and-retrieve manoeuvre … I excitedly returned to my table thinking … “how long have you been waiting out there for me my little brown paper bag of joy?”

Well, anyway, I won’t be doing that again.  

Let’s just put it down to personal preference.  Some people are really fond of white yoghurt, garnished with birdseed, passionfruit and walnuts … I suppose I’m just not one of them.    In a similar vein, eating a boiled egg, straight up, without something else to accompany it … is also not my thing. 

Boiled eggs to me are a bit like the triangle in an orchestra … in its place, it really enhances a performance of all the other instruments, but I wouldn’t sit up to hear just a triangle play a Mozart concerto.   (I’ve collected 7 eggs now and I haven’t got the heart to tell Igor none of them are going to hatch) 

On the other hand … the muesli bar and the sugar coated, choc-filled doughnut – together – are like a meal-made-in-one.  But still, I put them aside for morning tea and resorted to my Weet-Bix and Muesli, bought the other day in my Woolworths online delivery.  Great to have a fall-back position

Lunch, on the other hand held a surprise – two surprises in fact.  The vegetable and meatie soup wasn’t a surprise. After nine days – YES THAT’S RIGHT, 9 DAYS – I’ve got quite used to soup for lunch, no, the soup was no surprise. Maybe you can spot it in the photo … it’s not one, but TWO sachets of butter.  Can you believe it.  I know I couldn’t.  And the other day I got three paper sachets of salt and pepper.  Whoever uses that many?!

It might have had something to do with the large bread roll.  They might have looked at that and thought,  one butter sachet?!  Nah, give ‘im two … hang the expense.  

And can you see the other surprise?   Maybe it would help if I said that the other day, I received a mini choc bar, the sort that have printed on the wrapping … “Not for individual sale”, and tonight I received a single, individually wrapped Tim Tam.  That’s right, the second surprise is the Mars bar.  It’s a full sized, grown up, Mars bar.  Too much to eat all at once.  So I set it aside to be shared between afternoon tea and dessert tonight

Another small thing that I forgot to mention yesterday, was my preparation for going out on my 10 minute “walkies”.  I mean, no one cares that my hair is looking a bit “Crusty the Clown-ish”.  I know I don’t, and I’ve got to look at in the mirror each day. And after five days of not shaving, does anyone mind that I look like a vagrant – apart from Linda?  But for some reason, I felt compelled to have a shave and put on a clean shirt before going out.  I even put on some Old Spice (…scent of a man … ladies) and deodorant.  Who was I trying to impress?

Unsurprisingly, the Hi-Vis, mask-wearing security guard didn’t say … “you’re looking and smelling fine this evening Mr Latimer” …   And after all, I’d be back in my room after 15 minutes, so what was I thinking?   Ah well, just one of those things you do I suppose.

I’ve been keeping myself busy today by uploading photos to this NZ2020 blog, from the Fiordland stage.  I hadn’t done it earlier because it’s very time consuming and also needs a good internet connection. Looking at the photos and recalling the experiences that each one evoked, it was hard to believe that it was just two months ago we were sailing from one fiord to the next, gasping at the beauty of the place and enjoying the opportunity to share time together as a family.

The photos certainly add to each day’s Post of course, because there is only so much you can convey with words.  Without the photos and the captions, it just isn’t the same. Hopefully I’ll have finished it by tomorrow and can include links to the various days for you to have a look.  Even if you’ve been following along with the words, it’ll be worth returning to each day, just to see the pictures.

In contrasting the photos from two months ago, with those of the past few days, it really hit me just how much life has changed … for me, for you, for everyone.  It might be just 60 days, or so, in elapsed time, but it’s like we’re in a parallel universe.  So much is still the same, yet there’s so much that has been turned on its head.  That is radically different

So many, previously accepted, habits and expectations are now set aside, are no more. Anyway, I captured a few photos from then and now and combined them to highlight the change … I was going to use the word “juxtapose” … but really, it’s such a pretentious word?!

Oh, the phone has been running hot these past few days … two calls yesterday and now, two calls today.  Of course there was the usual “check-up”, call, but the second call was from a Government department somewhere whose role it was to … “facilitate my discharge”.  She asked a range of questions … was I from Melbourne, had I flown in from New Zealand, what was my address etc etc … all of the stuff I’m sure I wrote on an earlier form … but her job was to inform me of the process.

Apparently, they usually arrange for a taxi to drive me home, after Check Out.  The exact time of Check Out won’t be know until 24 hours before.  I mentioned that I was hoping to be able to walk 200 metres to the DFO outlet carpark, from where my wife might pick me up; knowing that family and friends weren’t permitted to come into the hotel.   

“We usually prefer to use a taxi.  You could be driven to the DFO carpark and be picked up from there.  But yes, I see, it’s only 200 metres away.  I don’t think they want you walking out of the hotel after Check Out, they’d rather you be picked up in a taxi … what would you prefer?”  

At this point we appeared to be at a bit of an impasse, so I asked … “Do have to write something on your form under the heading of Return Transport, do you?”    “Yes, that’s right”, she agreed   “Well why not just write … will walk 200 metres away from hotel,  to be picked up at DFO carpark by wife.  And if any questions get raised they’ll get back to me”.  “Yes, OK, we’ll do that”

It’s not that I’m paranoid, or trying to be difficult, it’s just that after 2 weeks in this room there’s a good chance I’ll be certifiably “virus free”.  And based on how careful Linda has been, I’d put money on her being clear as well.  So why would we want to introduce an “unknown factor” – as small a risk as that might be – in the form of a taxi ride. Whether that be for  200 metres to the DFO carpark, or 20 kilometers home to Ringwood North. 

After all, I wouldn’t like to be subjected to a further wife-imposed 14 days of isolation in the back shed when I get home, just because I got into taxi?!

Smooth seas, fair breeze and it’s the little things

Rob Latimer

Pan Pacific Hotel, Rm 1214 (Melbourne)

Tuesday 5 May 2020

Back in the 1960s it was artist Andy Warhol who suggested that … “In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes”.  Well, today I was happy with ten minutes … not of fame, but of fresh air and the chance to aimlessly wander the streets.

Not that you can wander many streets, or even one street very far, in ten minutes … but I gave it a good shot. I was given advanced notice of my impending time-off-the-leash, through a phone call this morning.  Which meant I had a total of two phone calls today.

But this was a special call and it came shortly before the regular, “…any-COVID-19-symptoms-today-Mr-Latimer” call.  As it was explained to me, the time had come for me to get some “fresh air” and that a hotel security guard will come around 5:30 and escort me outside for a walk.  I’d need to wear a mask, which would be provided if I didn’t have one, and apparently gloves were optional, but I needed to wash my hands thoroughly before and after.  Fair enough.

I’d heard a rumour of a “fresh air” break, but on the basis that it hadn’t happened in the first 7 days, it never entered my mind again.  But a friend, Carl, who did 14 days isolation in Queensland after returning to Australia from Vanuatu a few weeks ago sent me a text some time back … “wait until day 7” … .  At the time I didn’t think to inquire further as to exactly what he meant, but I’m thinking it might have something to do with being let out for a short “run”.

Of course, I use the term “run” figuratively, because having been escorted down in the lift, across the lobby and out through the front automatic opening doors, it’s amusing to consider exactly what my appointed Hi-Vis, mask wearing “guard” might have done if I had, indeed, literally RUN. Like a focused terrier on a scent, let off its lead and disappearing through the grass looking all the world like… “he’s coming back any time soon”.   

I know what would have happened to me, if I’d instantly started running-on-release … and it ranges from a pulled hamstring to a cardiac arrest … but I’m sure it would have taken “my man” by surprise, that’s for sure. Sufficient to possibly even have me featured in a “News Feed” on some platform or other. 

I can see the headline now … “Hotel Isolation-Man Makes Run For It” …  with the article explaining that I’m now resting in a hospital bed, under observation, suffering from muscle fatigue, severe sprains and over-exertion…     

But I can report that I was very well behaved, and didn’t betray the trust placed in me … to return in the allotted ten minutes.  I was also mindful of the sage advice given to me this morning by my boat-owning-partner Barry, who texted …  “… all we ask is that you don’t let your photo get into any of the newspapers”     

So, here I am back in my room, staring at my four walls again … content in the knowledge that life is really continuing on the outside, if not “normally”, then in a form I can still recollect.

The photos illustrate that I covered some ground … in particular I had a closer look at the Polly Woodside museum- ship and pedestrian bridge that sit beneath my 12^th floor window.  The near-full moon was also coming up and it looked rather special as it rose between a couple of tall buildings.  At least there was no dirty window to blur the view.

I even had a chance to take a photo on the other side of this building … out to the west.  And all things considered, I think I’ve got the better deal – there’s more activity on my side to keep a busy mind entertained.

I heard a plane fly over today.  I could tell it was a big plane and in the current environment, an unusual sound that really stood out, to be sure.  So I instantly jumped on the “Flight Radar” website www.flightradar24.com  and saw that it was a Cathay Pacific 747, flying from Sydney to Melbourne. 

I’m sure if I was a serious plane-spotter, I would definitely be putting this down as an “unusual occurrence”, because to the best of my knowledge Cathay Pacific do an international run.  Maybe it was a diversion-flight, to pick up a few stranded citizens, before heading north to Hong Kong later tonight.

Actually, it’s getting late as I write this and I heard another plane – smaller this time – fly over, and by the looks of its track, it’s just playing games up there?!

I received an email today from a sailing contact, Nick, who was actually booked-in to sail as crew with me around this time … if it hadn’t been for the coronavirus.  Anyway, Nick sent me a link to another Aussie yachtie’s blog who is in a far more dire situation than me.  On the plus side, it scored him over 6,000 Views on his recent Post … but I’m sure that would be small comfort given his circumstances. 

A link to his blog is here … make sure y’all come back now ya’ hear … but in essence, he’s been stuck 50 days at anchor in the Maldives with 11 other yachts, and is trying to find a way forward, taking into account … a). he may be required/requested to leave,  b). most international ports within reasonable sailing distance are closed  and  c). sailing back to Australia is against wind and currents and it’s going into cyclone season …    

https://www.sailingsteelsapphire.com/blog-1/2020/4/30/desperately-seeking-solutions

He makes the observation that Government and Consulate assistance is often unfamiliar with the dilemma’s faced by many yacht skippers … “Get the first flight home” they advise “what do I do with my boat?” you ask … “can’t you moor it somewhere?” …  “No”  …   “can’t you just sail home?” they ask … “It’s against the weather patterns at this time of the year and all ports are closed if I need to stop for assistance”   

In a very real sense everyone is sailing in uncharted waters, with the latest Australian Government advice for those travelling on “Yachts or Small Craft” being …

COVID-19: Travelling to Australia by yacht or small craft

If you’re planning to sail your yacht or small craft back to Australia, carefully consider the risks to your personal health and safety and that of your crew members from COVID-19 and related restrictions.

• Many countries have closed their borders, including Pacific island countries, and restricted access to their ports.
• You may not be able to refuel or restock your supplies en route.
• It is your responsibility to check on what arrangements will be in place for your arrival in any waters or ports. It is not the responsibility of the Australian Government to negotiate access on your behalf or facilitate your journey.
• If you do sail into Australian waters:
  • note that only Australian citizens, residents and immediate family members can enter Australia
  • all crew must be isolated in mandatory quarantine accommodation for 14 days on arrival
  • you must provide arrival information in advance.
    

At this time, we recommend you either moor your boat and stay where you are, or if you wish to come home and flights are available, store your boat and fly back to Australia. We do not know when other countries will reopen their borders and ease restrictions. Don’t take the risk by attempting to sail back – stay in place or fly home!

https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/before-you-go/getting-around/boat-travel

Tell me something I don’t know …

There’s always a secret sense of schadenfreude with these sorts of thing, which is most un-Christian to be sure.  But to clarify … it’s more a sense of … “I’m glad that’s not me” … rather than “I’m glad it’s him”  … because as the comments to his website show, everyone is extremely sympathetic and helpful with their suggestions and offers of assistance; in whatever way they can.  Still, I’m glad I got stuck in New Zealand … NOT the Maldives, or Mexico, or Colombia, Italy, Spain … there’s a very long list , based on the “boating-crew-finding-social-networking” I was doing just a few short weeks ago.  As Dorothy said … “there’s no place like home”

On the topic of trans-Tasman peace, harmony and brotherly (and let’s not forget sisterly) love … I read with interest today that both New Zealand and Australia are having discussions about the possibility of each coming under the one “Coronavirus-free Bubble” … thereby allowing citizens of each country to travel back and forth without having to endure 14 days of isolation each way. 

Mandatory isolation kind-of ruins the standard four-weeks of annual leave don’t you thing … ?

“Where’d you go for your holidays?” a friend asks …

“Went to New Zealand and spent 2 weeks in a hotel room on arrival, then caught a plane home and spent another 2 weeks in an Australian hotel room when we got back” … holiday for masochists.

Well, there’s a chance that closer cooperation between our two countries might overcome that dilemma; but in the latest news it seems we shouldn’t hold our breath for any lifting of Trans-Tasman travel restrictions any time soon.  

If it does come off, it’s also not likely to lead us down the once-dreamed path of New Zealand becoming the … “eighth state of Australia” … as envisaged at Federation in 1901.  And when I say “not likely”, that should really read “impossible and totally out of the question”. 

Fun fact …   On 1 July 1841 the islands of New Zealand were separated from the Colony of New South Wales and made a colony in their own right. This ended more than 50 years of confusion over the relationship between the islands and the Australian colony. 

I’ve been asked a little more about the topic of “FOOD” … during my stay here in the hotel.  And whilst there have been a couple of stand-out FAILS, even by my rather catholic culinary tastes …  overall, I can’t complain.  I sense there’s someone downstairs doing the best they can under the circumstances. 

Having to “plate-up” everything in plastic takeaway tubs … except perhaps for  bananas, muffins, bag of chips, bread rolls, Mars bars, tubs of yoghurt and boiled eggs … then have it delivered in a simple brown paper bag … must really suck the joy out being a “chef” in a 5-Star hotel.  And given there are few other “guests” in the building, what management is losing on low-occupancy they are no doubt trying to make up for in other ways.  That said, it was nice to have a curry-esque type thingy with rice tonight, rather than more pasta and macaroni.     

Smooth seas, fair breeze and 10 Minutes of Freedom

Rob Latimer

Pan Pacific Hotel, Rm 1214 (Melbourne)

Monday 4 May 2020

Is the glass full, or is the glass half empty … ? 

While the contents of a glass, (or the elapsed time in detention for that matter), at the 50% level, might be a provable fact, as we all know, this popular saying represents a way of thinking; a mindset.  Are we an optimistic Tigger or are we a downcast, pessimistic Eeyore?

Well today, or at least at midnight tonight, I clock over the half way point in my 14 day quarantine exercise … Yey!!  

Today is also the day on which I received the regular “Coronavirus (COVID-19) Mandatory Quarantine” newsletter – a bumper, 7-sided production today – full of up-to-date information for … “ … returned travellers nearing the end of their 14-day mandatory quarantine”

So there you have it.  It’s official.  I might be half way through by detention … but I’m … “nearing the end”, according to the latest official newsletter. 

Some of the things I need to know include –

“When will I be able to leave? – get the big one out of the way, right at the start! 

“What time is checkout”  – actually from 12:00pm on the day your detention notice expires – just a thought, have you ever checked out of a hotel at 12 midnight??!! – when it didn’t involve catching an international flight …

“What is a release notice?” – I need this to demonstrate I’ve done my time, so to speak.

Other important questions fall under the headings of … “Health Check” … “Start Planning Now” … “Restrictions”… “Mental Health” … “Transport” … you get the idea.

No mention of … “What if I want to stay longer?” … but I guess asking a question like that might fall under “Mental Health Check?!”

Before I forget, I should slip in an apology here to those in New Zealand who have been in the habit of reading this blog before they go to bed each night. I’ll blame it on the 2-hour time difference and the fact that when I was in New Zealand, I needed to upload each day’s post by around 11:00pm each night (mostly) – before I fell asleep. 

Now I’m in Australia, I’m maintaining the same habits, except when it’s 11:00pm here, it’s 1:00am the next day in New Zealand. Of course, whilst most feathered kiwis are just hitting their stride at 1:00am, most of the human kiwis are rightly tucked up in bed…  Maybe it needs to become a breakfast reading ritual. As we say in Vanuatu … Sori tumas

Speaking of New Zealand … I received an email from my ol’ Uni. flat-mate, Matt, today (Refer Picton to Akaroa leg and the co-owner of our university dinghy all those years ago). Anyway, Matt made the observation, from something he’d read, that was reflecting on the often-repeated phrase that “we are all in the same boat” when it comes to this pandemic “storm”, but in reality, that’s not really true.   

He went on to say how … we might all be going through the SAME pandemic storm, but we are each in different boats.  Which is such a powerful idea and vision.  Certainly one that I can relate to.  In fact anyone who’s travelled on a boat can relate to a situation where, when conditions turn a bit nasty, they might think … “Gee, I’m glad I’m on this BIG ship” … or conversely say, “I wish my boat was a little bigger”.  It all depends on your perspective, and the size of your boat I suppose.

Extending the analogy a little further … there is an obligation under the “Rules of the Sea” to render assistance where necessary, to those in distress, and I quote from the US Naval War College’s manual, titled, International Law Studies (not something I generally carry in my hand luggage) …

DUTY TO RENDER ASSISTANCE: Customary international law has long recognized the affirmative obligation of mariners to render assistance to persons in distress at sea to the extent they can do so without serious danger to their ship, crew, or passengers. This long-standing custom is codified in a number of international treaties adopted under the auspices of the IMO, as well as the 1958 Geneva Convention on the High Seas14 and the 1982 UNCLOS.15

Applying the rules of the sea to the, “rules of the land”, it therefore follows that there is an obligation to help everyone in need during this particular coronavirus “storm”.

This might seem an obvious approach to take, but it seems in some places around the world, there’s a surprising attitude emerging that goes along the lines of … And I quote from an article by Greg Sheridan in The Australian last Saturday, titled … Abandon the old? ‘Not on my watch’ – Australia rightly rejects immoral talk of sacrificing the elderly …

“… there is a new idea abroad. How dare we spend so much money, and subject the economy to so much difficulty, to save lives predominantly of people aged over 60? Although this sentiment has not informed government policy, certainly in Australia, it has featured heavily, and in some strangely unlikely sources, in the virus debate. While the virus can kill anybody, it will kill people at higher rates the older they are. Why are we spending so much money to save old folks when young folks will inherit the economic difficulties?

In relation to the Australian context, and New Zealand as well, Sheridan goes on to write …

In an early meeting, Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy was briefing Scott Morrison, Health Minister Greg Hunt and a few others on these issues, noting that some jurisdictions were operating a triage system that essentially ruled old people out of intensive care.

“That’s not happening here,”the Prime Minister said. “Not on my watch.”

“Not on my watch either!” Hunt emphatically agreed.

“I’m glad you said that,” Murphy replied, “because I didn’t want it to happen on my watch either.”

That meeting galvanised the determination to secure 7000 ventilators for when the virus might peak, to get enough intensive care beds.

Both Morrison and Hunt told me shortly afterwards that they were determined to fight for every life in Australia. When accused of overreacting to the virus, Morrison told a press conference: “Every Australian matters. It doesn’t matter whether they have just been born or are approaching the end of their lives — every Australian matters.”

Sheridan’s article uses the “Titanic-Abandon-Ship” scenario to illustrate his point.  It’s very powerful, and the cartoon (above) gets the message across well. 

But maybe you’re like me, and are still shocked by the idea that “the elderly” extends to cover those aged 60?!   I don’t know about that …?? 

Although, there must come a point when the doctor says, “Mr Latimer, your medical check-up is really good…” and then finishes the sentence off with: “… for a man of your age”  … DOH!!

I was looking again at my “Blog Site Stats” today, and number of “Views” for last Monday’s epistle titled … “Won’t Forget This Day in a Hurry” … are amazing. 

Given the average daily views are in the 20-odd range, Monday last week spiked at 145.  Certainly, an outlier statistical data point if ever there was one.  And the countries represented in the views include Australia and New Zealand of course, but also the UK, Canada, USA and Bangladesh. Just thought I’d share that with you.

Smooth seas, fair breeze and Half Way Down Or Half Way To Go

Rob Latimer