Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Journal Entry - May 28 & 29, 2008 - Heave To, One, Two, Three Times
Author: Pam
I am feeling much better today, thank goodness. I was able to function for most of the day, however it took a fair amount of energy as the wind and the seas have picked up and it was a bit wild today. We spent the afternoon making chili in the pressure cooker, it came close to qualifying for an Olympic event, but with a lot of precise management and four hands it was a very successful endeavor. The even better news was I felt like eating it for dinner. The conditions for using the BBQ were definitely short lived, it is amazing how quickly the sea state changes. It has also been cloudy with squalls all day.
The wind and waves continued to increase, making it a rough and long night. At 0500 while I was on watch we had a very unnerving encounter with the first ship we have seen since early Sunday. It drove directly at us, came within a half mile and then crossed our path. It felt very deliberate, as though they came to have a look at what probably showed up as a very small target on their radar out here in the middle of nowhere. We could see the starboard running light, which is a good thing because it means we were looking at the side of the beast, but Scott tacked away just to be safe. Definitely far too close for comfort.
It has been a very difficult two days. We have been in big, confused seas since early yesterday. We have had to heave to several times to deal with issues on deck. Scott has been on deck five times and for more than two and a half hours. That is five more times than either of us are comfortable with in these conditions, but it is often these conditions that cause the issues on deck that can not be ignored. One of the tasks was to rig the staysail, which we are now using because it is smaller and heavier than our head sail and it provides more stability in rough conditions. Scott is incredibly brave and without his bravery to that degree we could not do what we are doing.
We have been hammered by one huge wave after another on all sides of the boat. Each wave dumps gallons of water into the cockpit, some of which finds its way down into the forward or aft cabin. Water is dripping from everywhere and running down the mast onto the cabin floor. The entire boat is wet and so are we. While we were hove to I tried to clean up the interior of the boat and make it somewhat livable, it appears this is going to be an on-going challenge as long as we are being smacked by waves. I am also finding it takes a lot of energy to move from point A to B on the boat, I have a multitude of new bruises to show for this little torrent of 30 to 40 knots of wind and the waves that are coming with it.
We hove to again for three hours to just sit, try to recover from the day and to make dinner. In these conditions sometimes the best thing you can do is take a little time for you, especially when you are already making very slow progress. After dinner we had to get sailing again in order to wash the dishes, because if the boat is healed to port, sea water rushes up through the galley sink drain. Washing up turned into an Olympic event with clean and dirty dishes flying around the cabin, one plastic bowl committed suicide. Before I was finished we got hit by a wave and half the dirty dish water slopped out of the sink and down the front of me. However, when we were finished we agreed the effort was worth it for a hot meal, we hadn't eaten all day.
We finally got sailing again at 2200, already an hour late for our watch schedule to begin only to discover a new loud cracking noise somewhere on deck every time the boat was picked up by a wave and dropped again. We had to heave to AGAIN so Scott could go out on deck, this time in the dark and with white water raging past the boat to manage the fenders tied to the rail. They were the only possible thing we could see in the dark in the location of where the noise seemed to be coming from and they were being dragged by the sea to their possible peril. We got sailing again only to discover whatever the noise was, it wasn't the fenders. Bugger, there was nothing else we could do under the circumstances, we will have to deal with it in the morning. Needless to say it was a very rough night on top of an incredible day. According to the weather map it looks like the wind will begin to ease a bit tomorrow, I'll sign up for that.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Journal Entry - May 27, 2008 - What's the Tasman Cooking Up Today?
Author: Pam
Scott used to say to me "wind is our friend" when we would be walking into a strong head wind making our way down Van Ness Avenue in San Francisco. My concern then was the mess it was making of my hair. Today, the wind was our friend when it started to clock around at 0500 and gradually turned from SSW to SE putting us on a beam reach. Woo Hoo as Scott would also say! After two and half days of rocking, rolling, bouncing and listening to the cacophony of every creek, squeak, rattle, bump and bang (at times the noise came close to being in a Chinese torture chamber) on Starship the change from the wind being on our tale was enormously welcome. We have been on a beam reach since mid morning and it has felt like being back in the trade winds again, which was the best sailing we have experienced so far. We are also headed directly at Koumac, which means all most all miles we make are now in our favor, in sailors terminology this is Velocity Made Good (VMG).
I am probably especially relieved, because I have apparently been seasick for the first time ever in my life or possessed by an alien species and as Scott mentioned I have been a lumpasaurus since leaving. It certainly has been a bit of a rough start for me back on the high seas. Today I am feeling better and managed to get through the day with only one short nap, I basically can barely remember much about the last couple of days (hence why Scott had to write about them). However, I did make a gallant effort to keep my watch schedule, which seems a bit remarkable to me now.
The day was pretty mundane until after lunch we seemed to have a list that kept us busy right up until time to make dinner. After cutting short our time reading together more of Gipsy Moth Circles the World by Francis Chichester (a special gift to me before leaving Australia) to make the best of the remaining daylight we decided to heave to. As a reminder, "heaving to" is a sailing technique where you oppose the sails, which stops forward momentum of the boat. During the two hours we were hove to, Scott BBQ steaks for dinner. This marks the third time ever we have used the BBQ at sea and twice has been on the Tasman.
As Scott was preparing to BBQ I noticed a strange hissing sound coming from the galley. It is amazing how tuned in your ears are on a boat (I often wish I could tune out). We both went below and stood with our ear near the galley sink, which was throwing off some incredible heat (Scott had just been using very hot water). We turned the water pressure off and the incessant hissing stopped. I opened the cabinet door under the sink and steam poured out. It only took moving four bottles of cleaning products to discover a hose clamp had come loose and precious water was leaking out under the sink. Wow, it may be our first five minute problem. It took more time to take everything out to dry it off then it did for Scott to tighten the hose clamp. However it is worth noting, we were lucky it was only a five minute problem, these kinds of leaks undetected could empty your water tank and destroy your water pump. Phew!
Speaking of our precious commodity, today it was finally time to take a shower. Four days might have to be the limit and it was pushing it. It is always interesting to get back into a routine of how to get the maximum benefit from a little bit of water. For those of you who have been following the trip from the beginning, you may recall our beloved "bug shower", a three gallon insect sprayer that we added a kitchen sprayer hose to and used as our shower in the cockpit on Tournesol. Well, we left the bug shower in NZ and use the shower in the head on Starship. I'm considering adding showering to the list of Olympic events on the boat, washing dishes using the foot pump in big seas is definitely one. Today while I was standing on one leg attempting to shave my legs in the very small sink I was thinking three things. One, now would not be a good time to be hit by a wave. Two, I wonder if this is how a flamingo feels and three, I'm sure there is an easier way to do this (next time).
Tonight while eating our steak and roasted veggies for dinner we passed within one and a half miles of one of the waypoints on our trip from NZ toAustralia
Scott used to say to me "wind is our friend" when we would be walking into a strong head wind making our way down Van Ness Avenue in San Francisco. My concern then was the mess it was making of my hair. Today, the wind was our friend when it started to clock around at 0500 and gradually turned from SSW to SE putting us on a beam reach. Woo Hoo as Scott would also say! After two and half days of rocking, rolling, bouncing and listening to the cacophony of every creek, squeak, rattle, bump and bang (at times the noise came close to being in a Chinese torture chamber) on Starship the change from the wind being on our tale was enormously welcome. We have been on a beam reach since mid morning and it has felt like being back in the trade winds again, which was the best sailing we have experienced so far. We are also headed directly at Koumac, which means all most all miles we make are now in our favor, in sailors terminology this is Velocity Made Good (VMG).
I am probably especially relieved, because I have apparently been seasick for the first time ever in my life or possessed by an alien species and as Scott mentioned I have been a lumpasaurus since leaving. It certainly has been a bit of a rough start for me back on the high seas. Today I am feeling better and managed to get through the day with only one short nap, I basically can barely remember much about the last couple of days (hence why Scott had to write about them). However, I did make a gallant effort to keep my watch schedule, which seems a bit remarkable to me now.
The day was pretty mundane until after lunch we seemed to have a list that kept us busy right up until time to make dinner. After cutting short our time reading together more of Gipsy Moth Circles the World by Francis Chichester (a special gift to me before leaving Australia) to make the best of the remaining daylight we decided to heave to. As a reminder, "heaving to" is a sailing technique where you oppose the sails, which stops forward momentum of the boat. During the two hours we were hove to, Scott BBQ steaks for dinner. This marks the third time ever we have used the BBQ at sea and twice has been on the Tasman.
As Scott was preparing to BBQ I noticed a strange hissing sound coming from the galley. It is amazing how tuned in your ears are on a boat (I often wish I could tune out). We both went below and stood with our ear near the galley sink, which was throwing off some incredible heat (Scott had just been using very hot water). We turned the water pressure off and the incessant hissing stopped. I opened the cabinet door under the sink and steam poured out. It only took moving four bottles of cleaning products to discover a hose clamp had come loose and precious water was leaking out under the sink. Wow, it may be our first five minute problem. It took more time to take everything out to dry it off then it did for Scott to tighten the hose clamp. However it is worth noting, we were lucky it was only a five minute problem, these kinds of leaks undetected could empty your water tank and destroy your water pump. Phew!
Speaking of our precious commodity, today it was finally time to take a shower. Four days might have to be the limit and it was pushing it. It is always interesting to get back into a routine of how to get the maximum benefit from a little bit of water. For those of you who have been following the trip from the beginning, you may recall our beloved "bug shower", a three gallon insect sprayer that we added a kitchen sprayer hose to and used as our shower in the cockpit on Tournesol. Well, we left the bug shower in NZ and use the shower in the head on Starship. I'm considering adding showering to the list of Olympic events on the boat, washing dishes using the foot pump in big seas is definitely one. Today while I was standing on one leg attempting to shave my legs in the very small sink I was thinking three things. One, now would not be a good time to be hit by a wave. Two, I wonder if this is how a flamingo feels and three, I'm sure there is an easier way to do this (next time).
Tonight while eating our steak and roasted veggies for dinner we passed within one and a half miles of one of the waypoints on our trip from NZ to
Monday, May 26, 2008
Journal Entry - May 25 & 26, 2008 - Every Sea Dog Has Her Day
Author: Scott
It is said that even the most salty old sea dog can wake up one day and become seasick. Well yesterday one of Starship's salty dogs had their day. Immediately after our departure festivities had melted into the routine of our first blue water passage since arriving inAustralia
With Pam crook (as they say in Oz) I took on the first watch and covered a majority of the first night's watches. There was not much to report on for the first night, other than the freaky orange moon covered in my prior log-blog entry. The stars did come out for me. Sailing is almost the only time I can see starlight, and this mixed with the sound of the water rushing by is one of the most peaceful experiences I have had in my life. However, it's not all starlight and roses aboard a sailing vessel. With Pam down and months for every item aboard Starship to find a home to settle in, the boat became a sound scavenger hunt. Despite our best efforts to make the boat "sail-proof" we always find the forgotten battery rolling around in the nav station, or one of the few glass items on board manages to sneak off and find a solid metal item to pound itself upon, usually in the deepest darkest cupboard. Then there is the overall seaworthiness of the boat to assess. Much of my first night was spent crawling in the bilges, examining the engine room, trimming the sails, and with every new noise a new chore arose. I have often thought that sailing is truly a blind person's sport. Most issues aboard a boat present themselves to senses other than sight. For instance, if we have taken on water in the bilge, I can usually tell because the boat feels sluggish. If the wind has changed and the sails are out of trim, it is the sound of the flogging sail that sets me into action. Then of course if the dreaded engine makes even the slightest variance from its standard drone, every muscle tightens and I am on my way to the engine room. Pam and I are actually getting to the familiarity level where we can guess our current boat speed within .5 of a knot by just feeling the boats movement through the water. We are not always right, but we are usually very close.
Other than Pam's sudden attack of the sucky-yucky, the first night passed uneventfully. Most of the first two days maintained this pattern. On Sunday we were following a course of 085 True on a broad reach. This was not our ideal course but we were still entertaining the idea of making a "necessary maintenance stop" toLord Howe Island . We have heard so much about the island from our friend Tony that we very much wanted to give it a "sticky". However, when we asked the folks at Immigration about reentering an Australian territory with an expired visa, the answer that it would be "unlawful" was quite clear. Had we come up with a reason to conduct maintenance, we could have visited the island but with Pam under the weather, and the fear of incarceration, we eventually decided to sail on.
Thank god for Simon's pizza gift upon departure. We fed off the pizza for our first dinner, Sunday's lunch and a snack. Sunday dinner was also a windfall because Joyce had given Pam some pumpkin soup and we had squirreled it away for a convenient meal. By Sunday night pumpkin soup was even a stretch to consume for the patient. Pam was a trooper on Sunday night and kept up with the watch schedule. We had good wind on the starboard quarter and our second night passed peacefully.
Monday was more of the same. Pam slept and felt sick, while I kept up the boat maintenance, looked for new treats to eat, and tried to keep up with various voyage related projects. The Tasman was friendly to us and the sun was shining. I did manage to spend some time jamming to some tunes and catching some rays on the aft doghouse. I only mention this because people often think we lay around basking in the sun while at sea and this actually is a rarity. Today I basked! The highlight for the day was the wind shifting directions to the South allowing us to make a more northerly arc towardsNew Caledonia
Dinner was a yum-o-la stir-fry! It was gentle on Pam's tummy but still plenty tasty. PrecookedSingapore New Zealand
The only other item of note; on Monday night upon waking during a sleeping period I was completely unaware of my surroundings. 'Where am I?' Then it hit me! You are on Starship, in the middle of the "Terrible Tasman Sea", sailing around the world - WOW - WEIRD - AWESOME!
It is said that even the most salty old sea dog can wake up one day and become seasick. Well yesterday one of Starship's salty dogs had their day. Immediately after our departure festivities had melted into the routine of our first blue water passage since arriving in
With Pam crook (as they say in Oz) I took on the first watch and covered a majority of the first night's watches. There was not much to report on for the first night, other than the freaky orange moon covered in my prior log-blog entry. The stars did come out for me. Sailing is almost the only time I can see starlight, and this mixed with the sound of the water rushing by is one of the most peaceful experiences I have had in my life. However, it's not all starlight and roses aboard a sailing vessel. With Pam down and months for every item aboard Starship to find a home to settle in, the boat became a sound scavenger hunt. Despite our best efforts to make the boat "sail-proof" we always find the forgotten battery rolling around in the nav station, or one of the few glass items on board manages to sneak off and find a solid metal item to pound itself upon, usually in the deepest darkest cupboard. Then there is the overall seaworthiness of the boat to assess. Much of my first night was spent crawling in the bilges, examining the engine room, trimming the sails, and with every new noise a new chore arose. I have often thought that sailing is truly a blind person's sport. Most issues aboard a boat present themselves to senses other than sight. For instance, if we have taken on water in the bilge, I can usually tell because the boat feels sluggish. If the wind has changed and the sails are out of trim, it is the sound of the flogging sail that sets me into action. Then of course if the dreaded engine makes even the slightest variance from its standard drone, every muscle tightens and I am on my way to the engine room. Pam and I are actually getting to the familiarity level where we can guess our current boat speed within .5 of a knot by just feeling the boats movement through the water. We are not always right, but we are usually very close.
Other than Pam's sudden attack of the sucky-yucky, the first night passed uneventfully. Most of the first two days maintained this pattern. On Sunday we were following a course of 085 True on a broad reach. This was not our ideal course but we were still entertaining the idea of making a "necessary maintenance stop" to
Thank god for Simon's pizza gift upon departure. We fed off the pizza for our first dinner, Sunday's lunch and a snack. Sunday dinner was also a windfall because Joyce had given Pam some pumpkin soup and we had squirreled it away for a convenient meal. By Sunday night pumpkin soup was even a stretch to consume for the patient. Pam was a trooper on Sunday night and kept up with the watch schedule. We had good wind on the starboard quarter and our second night passed peacefully.
Monday was more of the same. Pam slept and felt sick, while I kept up the boat maintenance, looked for new treats to eat, and tried to keep up with various voyage related projects. The Tasman was friendly to us and the sun was shining. I did manage to spend some time jamming to some tunes and catching some rays on the aft doghouse. I only mention this because people often think we lay around basking in the sun while at sea and this actually is a rarity. Today I basked! The highlight for the day was the wind shifting directions to the South allowing us to make a more northerly arc towards
Dinner was a yum-o-la stir-fry! It was gentle on Pam's tummy but still plenty tasty. Precooked
The only other item of note; on Monday night upon waking during a sleeping period I was completely unaware of my surroundings. 'Where am I?' Then it hit me! You are on Starship, in the middle of the "Terrible Tasman Sea", sailing around the world - WOW - WEIRD - AWESOME!
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Journal Entry - May 25, 2008 - 364 Days in Australia
Author: Pam
We rocked up in Australia on May 25, 2007 for a three week stop in Sydney, 364 days later we left to continue this amazing adventure. I have said over the past few months, I could live in Australia and then in the next moment I added a correction, well actually I guess I do live in Australia. If you had said to me in October of 2004 that I would spend a year living on our boat and working in Oz, a country I had only dreamt about visiting I'm sure I wouldn't have said that would never happen, but it certainly was not part of the plan.
It turns out these kinds of not part of plan will probably be the most amazing part of the adventure in the end. There is no way I can begin to capture every aspect of my life over the past year and all of the wonderful people who are now in my heart and on my list of friends forever.
When Scott left to return to the US in October I was comfortably settled on the boat in the marina in Newcastle that was our/my home for ten months. We had already made some friends, so I knew I wouldn't be too lonely and I knew how to get to the grocery store, so I wouldn't go hungry. However, eating alone did become a bit of an issue. What I didn't have was a job. All I could say was I am determined and very motivated to find a job and experience working in another country.
It was actually very serendipitous how I found my job in the end. I was doing some research for a project I was working on and ended up on the Sailors With Disabilities in Sydney website. On the links page was a link to Northcott Disability Services, "an organization for people with disabilities." One of the job searching approaches I was taking was to look at job vacancies on non-profit websites, so I decided to have a look. First of all, there were about thirty job openings, but near the bottom of the list the Volunteer Coordinator position jumped out at me. There were only a few minor hurdles to consider. First of all the job was in Parramatta (a 2.5 hour train ride from Newcastle). It was also advertised until the end of June, I was sure that was due to funding, but I could only make a commitment until the beginning of May. But, it was for three days a week, which made it all seem doable, though I wasn't sure exactly how I would pull it off.
To make a long story short, they hired me as their very first Volunteer Coordinator to develop a more formal volunteer program for the organization. Everything fell into place perfectly. I took the train early Tuesday morning, a three hour commute door to door. Then stayed with our very good friends Tim and Georgia Tuesday and Wednesday night in Epping (a half hour bus ride to work) and took the train back to Newcastle on Thursday, a four and a half hour commute. Staying with Tim and Georgia was wonderful in so many ways. I got to develop a close friendship with them, it was two nights I didn't eat alone and it was even more of a bonus when Nick and Tom were home, their teenage sons. I got my animal fix from their two dogs, Sadie and Tash. And, there is nothing like learning about a culture then living with a family and working. Oh, and there was the pleasure of sleeping in a very comfy bed with three sides.
Northcott Disability Services is a 77 year old organization for people with disabilities providing services throughout New South Wales. They have utilized volunteers over the years, but in a very ad hoc manner. In four and half months I had the privilege of establishing a foundation for a more formal volunteer program and fostering a shift in the thinking and the culture amongst the staff on the value of volunteer resources. It was a fantastic experience and I will look forward to watching the program grow with the warm feeling in my heart that I left a little part of me at a non-profit that has an awesome staff, provides important services and has the beginning of a fantastic pool of volunteers.
I find the culture in Australia difficult to describe, there are many differences, but they are quite subtle. I'm sure that has something to do with the fact it is an English speaking county, albeit there are a lot of colloquialisms and vocabulary that often left me with the deer in the headlights quizzical look. There are some that have made it into my vocabulary and are probably here to stay. I can't say G'day, but I could ask you "how you going" or say "see how we go." I have often been "flat out" (busy) and consider saying "I reckon" instead of I think. Scott has commented on my pronunciation of the number six and I did start to get the hang of saying double anytime you spell a word, name or give a phone number with double letters or numbers. I did not get in the habit of adding an "o" or a "y" to any word possible. Australians reckon they are lazy, therefore shortening every other word saves time and energy. I will probably call a bell pepper a capsicum from now on and I may not be able to pronounce oregano, basil or aluminum. I never did quite wrap my brain comfortably around ordering in a restaurant. An entrée is an appetizer and what would be an entrée in the US is a Main, that made my head hurt.
When it comes to food, two staples are fresh pumpkin and beetroot (beets), they are on the weekly shopping list for most households. In the US we mostly see fresh pumpkins with faces carved in them and a candle burning for Halloween and in pie at Thanksgiving (and that is usually out of a can). We eat beets mostly in salads and as side dishes, in Australia beetroot will be included in the list of "salad" on almost every sandwich and burger. It was always a dead give-away that I was American when I asked for no beetroot.
I did eat kangaroo once in spaghetti bolognaise, but my friend didn't think to mention it until about a week later. I never warmed up to the meat pie, they were big in New Zealand as well, possibly more popular. I did of course warm up to the prawns, which seem to show up at all holiday and special events. I learned that Americans are not as efficient at eating with a knife and fork. I was asked one night at dinner "why I put my knife down after cutting my meat?" I had no idea what I had just done. Australians hold their fork in their left hand and therefore don't have to put it down after they have cut something on their plate. I was not able to adopt this technique, but perhaps it would be something to consider on the boat to avoid flying silverware. I observed that you are often are not given a serviette (napkin), even if you are eating something with your fingers. This was something I never figured out and though I shared my observation no one seemed surprised, but also didn't offer much of an explanation. Also, to my horror I observed on more than one occasion that many people don't rinse the soap off of the dishes when they are "washing up." I guess my Mom did a good job instilling in me that soap could make you sick, this does not seem to be a "worry" that made it to Oz.
I had an unfortunate accident in February while I was participating in a little running race with two young girls at the marina, which ended up being a rude way to be reminded I am not as young as I used to be. My left hamstring seized while I was running and my leg stopped participating causing me to fall with momentum flat on my face. The concrete won hands down, leaving me looking like I had been in the ring with Mohamed Ali and with three broken front teeth. After fourteen visits to the dentist and three visits to the lab that made my crowns I have a new Australian smile. I believe fourteen dental appointments in two and a half months may break a record. I am eternally grateful to my dentist Peter Wong and his staff at Newcastle Dental Laser Centre and Derek Tracey, owner of Aesthetic Prosthetics in Wallsend for their dedication and persistence in transforming me from snaggle tooth back to a smile that does not look like I am married to Bugs Bunny (that was the first set of permanent crowns). I am happy with the end result, now if my travel insurance truly does cover the expenses all will be fine. Fingers hugely crossed on that one, because though it may not be quite a million dollar smile it is close.
The night I fell was probably the longest loneliest night of my life, but the next day brought a blessing beyond imaginable. I called our friend Bev and told her what had happened and asked if I could come stay the night. She picked me up that afternoon when she finished work and I ended up staying a week. It was an unbelievable experience in the face of adversity. They welcomed me with open arms, Bev drove me to the dentist and several Dr. visits and they kept the humor ever present, which helped immensely. Scott offered to come back, which I really appreciated, but there really wasn't anything he could do. I just needed to heal and find a really good dentist, both of which I did. The blessings in my life seem to continue to over shadow the hard stuff and for that I will be forever grateful.
During some of my free time I volunteered for the Cancer Council in Newcastle where I helped them streamline their volunteer program on the regional level. It was another amazing experience, again because of the people. I instantly felt part of the team and besides being a very rewarding experience, the staff always provided wonderful comic relief. Actually, now is a good time to mention the concept of morning tea. That would be the morning break and at the Cancer Council it is a group activity where they read the astrological sign for each person present and attempt the trivia in the paper. It is hugely entertaining, usually hilarious and educational, because I almost never knew any of the answers. "Tea" is used as the description for a break and for dinner. If you are invited for "tea" at dinnertime, it is for a meal, not a "cuppa".
Leaving my job, my friends and the very special connections I made in Australia was very bittersweet, but it was time to go and continue our quest. I know I will go back and honestly you couldn't leave somewhere with a better feeling than that.
We rocked up in Australia on May 25, 2007 for a three week stop in Sydney, 364 days later we left to continue this amazing adventure. I have said over the past few months, I could live in Australia and then in the next moment I added a correction, well actually I guess I do live in Australia. If you had said to me in October of 2004 that I would spend a year living on our boat and working in Oz, a country I had only dreamt about visiting I'm sure I wouldn't have said that would never happen, but it certainly was not part of the plan.
It turns out these kinds of not part of plan will probably be the most amazing part of the adventure in the end. There is no way I can begin to capture every aspect of my life over the past year and all of the wonderful people who are now in my heart and on my list of friends forever.
When Scott left to return to the US in October I was comfortably settled on the boat in the marina in Newcastle that was our/my home for ten months. We had already made some friends, so I knew I wouldn't be too lonely and I knew how to get to the grocery store, so I wouldn't go hungry. However, eating alone did become a bit of an issue. What I didn't have was a job. All I could say was I am determined and very motivated to find a job and experience working in another country.
It was actually very serendipitous how I found my job in the end. I was doing some research for a project I was working on and ended up on the Sailors With Disabilities in Sydney website. On the links page was a link to Northcott Disability Services, "an organization for people with disabilities." One of the job searching approaches I was taking was to look at job vacancies on non-profit websites, so I decided to have a look. First of all, there were about thirty job openings, but near the bottom of the list the Volunteer Coordinator position jumped out at me. There were only a few minor hurdles to consider. First of all the job was in Parramatta (a 2.5 hour train ride from Newcastle). It was also advertised until the end of June, I was sure that was due to funding, but I could only make a commitment until the beginning of May. But, it was for three days a week, which made it all seem doable, though I wasn't sure exactly how I would pull it off.
To make a long story short, they hired me as their very first Volunteer Coordinator to develop a more formal volunteer program for the organization. Everything fell into place perfectly. I took the train early Tuesday morning, a three hour commute door to door. Then stayed with our very good friends Tim and Georgia Tuesday and Wednesday night in Epping (a half hour bus ride to work) and took the train back to Newcastle on Thursday, a four and a half hour commute. Staying with Tim and Georgia was wonderful in so many ways. I got to develop a close friendship with them, it was two nights I didn't eat alone and it was even more of a bonus when Nick and Tom were home, their teenage sons. I got my animal fix from their two dogs, Sadie and Tash. And, there is nothing like learning about a culture then living with a family and working. Oh, and there was the pleasure of sleeping in a very comfy bed with three sides.
Northcott Disability Services is a 77 year old organization for people with disabilities providing services throughout New South Wales. They have utilized volunteers over the years, but in a very ad hoc manner. In four and half months I had the privilege of establishing a foundation for a more formal volunteer program and fostering a shift in the thinking and the culture amongst the staff on the value of volunteer resources. It was a fantastic experience and I will look forward to watching the program grow with the warm feeling in my heart that I left a little part of me at a non-profit that has an awesome staff, provides important services and has the beginning of a fantastic pool of volunteers.
I find the culture in Australia difficult to describe, there are many differences, but they are quite subtle. I'm sure that has something to do with the fact it is an English speaking county, albeit there are a lot of colloquialisms and vocabulary that often left me with the deer in the headlights quizzical look. There are some that have made it into my vocabulary and are probably here to stay. I can't say G'day, but I could ask you "how you going" or say "see how we go." I have often been "flat out" (busy) and consider saying "I reckon" instead of I think. Scott has commented on my pronunciation of the number six and I did start to get the hang of saying double anytime you spell a word, name or give a phone number with double letters or numbers. I did not get in the habit of adding an "o" or a "y" to any word possible. Australians reckon they are lazy, therefore shortening every other word saves time and energy. I will probably call a bell pepper a capsicum from now on and I may not be able to pronounce oregano, basil or aluminum. I never did quite wrap my brain comfortably around ordering in a restaurant. An entrée is an appetizer and what would be an entrée in the US is a Main, that made my head hurt.
When it comes to food, two staples are fresh pumpkin and beetroot (beets), they are on the weekly shopping list for most households. In the US we mostly see fresh pumpkins with faces carved in them and a candle burning for Halloween and in pie at Thanksgiving (and that is usually out of a can). We eat beets mostly in salads and as side dishes, in Australia beetroot will be included in the list of "salad" on almost every sandwich and burger. It was always a dead give-away that I was American when I asked for no beetroot.
I did eat kangaroo once in spaghetti bolognaise, but my friend didn't think to mention it until about a week later. I never warmed up to the meat pie, they were big in New Zealand as well, possibly more popular. I did of course warm up to the prawns, which seem to show up at all holiday and special events. I learned that Americans are not as efficient at eating with a knife and fork. I was asked one night at dinner "why I put my knife down after cutting my meat?" I had no idea what I had just done. Australians hold their fork in their left hand and therefore don't have to put it down after they have cut something on their plate. I was not able to adopt this technique, but perhaps it would be something to consider on the boat to avoid flying silverware. I observed that you are often are not given a serviette (napkin), even if you are eating something with your fingers. This was something I never figured out and though I shared my observation no one seemed surprised, but also didn't offer much of an explanation. Also, to my horror I observed on more than one occasion that many people don't rinse the soap off of the dishes when they are "washing up." I guess my Mom did a good job instilling in me that soap could make you sick, this does not seem to be a "worry" that made it to Oz.
I had an unfortunate accident in February while I was participating in a little running race with two young girls at the marina, which ended up being a rude way to be reminded I am not as young as I used to be. My left hamstring seized while I was running and my leg stopped participating causing me to fall with momentum flat on my face. The concrete won hands down, leaving me looking like I had been in the ring with Mohamed Ali and with three broken front teeth. After fourteen visits to the dentist and three visits to the lab that made my crowns I have a new Australian smile. I believe fourteen dental appointments in two and a half months may break a record. I am eternally grateful to my dentist Peter Wong and his staff at Newcastle Dental Laser Centre and Derek Tracey, owner of Aesthetic Prosthetics in Wallsend for their dedication and persistence in transforming me from snaggle tooth back to a smile that does not look like I am married to Bugs Bunny (that was the first set of permanent crowns). I am happy with the end result, now if my travel insurance truly does cover the expenses all will be fine. Fingers hugely crossed on that one, because though it may not be quite a million dollar smile it is close.
The night I fell was probably the longest loneliest night of my life, but the next day brought a blessing beyond imaginable. I called our friend Bev and told her what had happened and asked if I could come stay the night. She picked me up that afternoon when she finished work and I ended up staying a week. It was an unbelievable experience in the face of adversity. They welcomed me with open arms, Bev drove me to the dentist and several Dr. visits and they kept the humor ever present, which helped immensely. Scott offered to come back, which I really appreciated, but there really wasn't anything he could do. I just needed to heal and find a really good dentist, both of which I did. The blessings in my life seem to continue to over shadow the hard stuff and for that I will be forever grateful.
During some of my free time I volunteered for the Cancer Council in Newcastle where I helped them streamline their volunteer program on the regional level. It was another amazing experience, again because of the people. I instantly felt part of the team and besides being a very rewarding experience, the staff always provided wonderful comic relief. Actually, now is a good time to mention the concept of morning tea. That would be the morning break and at the Cancer Council it is a group activity where they read the astrological sign for each person present and attempt the trivia in the paper. It is hugely entertaining, usually hilarious and educational, because I almost never knew any of the answers. "Tea" is used as the description for a break and for dinner. If you are invited for "tea" at dinnertime, it is for a meal, not a "cuppa".
Leaving my job, my friends and the very special connections I made in Australia was very bittersweet, but it was time to go and continue our quest. I know I will go back and honestly you couldn't leave somewhere with a better feeling than that.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Journal Entry - May 24, 2008 - Bad Moon on the Rise
Author: Scott
'Don't go out tonight. It's bound to take your life. There's a bad moon on the rise...' This is what played in my head when I realized that the big orange light shining low on the water was not actually a huge freighter bearing down on us. Pam and I were both in the cockpit and almost simultaneously asked, "What is that?" It was the moon rising of course, but this was no ordinary moon. This was a perfect black cat convention, Michael Meyer Halloween knife sharpening, sacrifice the virgins kind of moon. It was huge (even for our eyes), with creepy gray clouds silently slinking across the face, and orangey gold flecks of light caught in the inky black surface of the oily water. This was a spooky, with a capital S, kind of moon. It was sort of appropriate that I first thought the moon was a demon ship coming to take us down to Davy Jones' locker with CCR swimming around in my head.
Now despite the fact that you don't want 70's songs telling you to stay home tonight playing in your head on the first night you return to sea, after nearly a year, it was a glorious night at sea. We left the dock at almost exactly 1500, our planned departure time. Our minds were in meltdown mode after having just said goodbye to an unbelievable group of people, which over the past year have become our community and will remain our friends for life. It is all a blur for me now, those final minutes before throwing off the lines to our next destination. Just to mention a few, early in the day there was Grahme, Loretta and Harry the dog wishing us well. Rich and Paul from the Tiger Ragtime Jazz Band came out to serenade us on the dock with songs like "Anchors Away". There was big Tony telling me he wasn't good at goodbyes while this tough sailor had tears flowing down my cheeks. There was Simon handing us a load of pizza from his awesome Newcastle restaurant "Eight Ounce", and Bruce our neighbor on F Dock had his hand out with far too little time to thank him for the many ways he helped us. Belinda, Nathan and Mary-Ann just made me gush more with each hug. Joyce was hugging Pam like a daughter leaving home, and somewhere off in the distance Jimmy Buffet was finishing "Changes in Latitudes" our theme song for the voyage. It was time to go.
The one thing about leaving on a boat is that there are plenty of details to redirect your thinking. With the wheel in my hands, barking out requests to helpers on the dock, I was able to pull myself together and clearly see the crowd of people, a crowd of faces I could not recognize at this distance, but I knew them to be the wonderful collection of special mates that so greatly encompassed our experience in Australia. "Farwell our friends, we will see you again" was whispering from my lips as I thrust the throttle forward and spun Starship's bow into the channel. I blew a loud honk on the airhorn, almost killing Pam with fright on the spot, and our friends on the dock glided away from us.
This would not be the end of our departure, not by a long shot. All my concentration was now focused on avoiding a spectacular departure crash with the floating dock, and when I looked around us with that particular hazard in our wake, we were joined by one - two - three boats forming a protective escort around us. Each boat was loaded to the gunnels with friends calling to us, and the first thought that came to me was, 'How on earth did they get in the boats so quickly?' Our little flotilla headed down the channel with Bruce yelling over navigational directions. My driving must have been a little scattered because Bruce finally said "Hey mate why don't you put on the auto pilot?" This reminded me of a conversation I had just had with Bruce where we both admitted steering superiority to the mechanical beast that can put a perfectly straight, inhuman track on the chart plotter. With little chance for collision with the auto pilot engaged and our shield of surrounding vessels, Pam and I were free to be on deck, taking pictures, waving, and screaming thank you and goodbyes. As we approached the heads I thought that surely they would turn back once we passed the final buoy, but this was not to be. The two sailboats (Etosha & Taritabu) unfurled their headsails and taunted us to do the same, while the big sport fisher powerboat (Fortune of War) drove in circles around us all. Our friends would continue to sail us out well into the open ocean, yelling to us, laughing and crying the entire time. I will forever have a picture of our mate Tony standing on the bow of his boat, with the most serene look of pleasure about him. Now I love to sail, but Tony is probably the most natural and passionate sailor we will ever meet and he was completely in his element.
Miles out to sea, Tony finally yelled over that they would "let us have all the fun and get settled in". With that said they tacked away and disappeared in the distance, leaving Pam and I to continue the Blind Circumnavigation. There we stood watching Etosha slip away, both of us crying and numb from our incredible Australian experience.
Now here I sit alone on watch, the time when I get my best opportunity to blog. A good percentage of the gourmet pizza has been eaten, and Pam is down below for her first sleep period. If I stop and think for just a second, the past few days wash over me and there is a new shiny memory that materializes in my mind to add to the collage of what is sure to be one of the most touching and emotional experiences of our life.
There may be a "bad moon on the rise", but we are at it again, dancing on the wire, living every second, waiting to see what adventure will come our way.
'Don't go out tonight. It's bound to take your life. There's a bad moon on the rise...' This is what played in my head when I realized that the big orange light shining low on the water was not actually a huge freighter bearing down on us. Pam and I were both in the cockpit and almost simultaneously asked, "What is that?" It was the moon rising of course, but this was no ordinary moon. This was a perfect black cat convention, Michael Meyer Halloween knife sharpening, sacrifice the virgins kind of moon. It was huge (even for our eyes), with creepy gray clouds silently slinking across the face, and orangey gold flecks of light caught in the inky black surface of the oily water. This was a spooky, with a capital S, kind of moon. It was sort of appropriate that I first thought the moon was a demon ship coming to take us down to Davy Jones' locker with CCR swimming around in my head.
Now despite the fact that you don't want 70's songs telling you to stay home tonight playing in your head on the first night you return to sea, after nearly a year, it was a glorious night at sea. We left the dock at almost exactly 1500, our planned departure time. Our minds were in meltdown mode after having just said goodbye to an unbelievable group of people, which over the past year have become our community and will remain our friends for life. It is all a blur for me now, those final minutes before throwing off the lines to our next destination. Just to mention a few, early in the day there was Grahme, Loretta and Harry the dog wishing us well. Rich and Paul from the Tiger Ragtime Jazz Band came out to serenade us on the dock with songs like "Anchors Away". There was big Tony telling me he wasn't good at goodbyes while this tough sailor had tears flowing down my cheeks. There was Simon handing us a load of pizza from his awesome Newcastle restaurant "Eight Ounce", and Bruce our neighbor on F Dock had his hand out with far too little time to thank him for the many ways he helped us. Belinda, Nathan and Mary-Ann just made me gush more with each hug. Joyce was hugging Pam like a daughter leaving home, and somewhere off in the distance Jimmy Buffet was finishing "Changes in Latitudes" our theme song for the voyage. It was time to go.
The one thing about leaving on a boat is that there are plenty of details to redirect your thinking. With the wheel in my hands, barking out requests to helpers on the dock, I was able to pull myself together and clearly see the crowd of people, a crowd of faces I could not recognize at this distance, but I knew them to be the wonderful collection of special mates that so greatly encompassed our experience in Australia. "Farwell our friends, we will see you again" was whispering from my lips as I thrust the throttle forward and spun Starship's bow into the channel. I blew a loud honk on the airhorn, almost killing Pam with fright on the spot, and our friends on the dock glided away from us.
This would not be the end of our departure, not by a long shot. All my concentration was now focused on avoiding a spectacular departure crash with the floating dock, and when I looked around us with that particular hazard in our wake, we were joined by one - two - three boats forming a protective escort around us. Each boat was loaded to the gunnels with friends calling to us, and the first thought that came to me was, 'How on earth did they get in the boats so quickly?' Our little flotilla headed down the channel with Bruce yelling over navigational directions. My driving must have been a little scattered because Bruce finally said "Hey mate why don't you put on the auto pilot?" This reminded me of a conversation I had just had with Bruce where we both admitted steering superiority to the mechanical beast that can put a perfectly straight, inhuman track on the chart plotter. With little chance for collision with the auto pilot engaged and our shield of surrounding vessels, Pam and I were free to be on deck, taking pictures, waving, and screaming thank you and goodbyes. As we approached the heads I thought that surely they would turn back once we passed the final buoy, but this was not to be. The two sailboats (Etosha & Taritabu) unfurled their headsails and taunted us to do the same, while the big sport fisher powerboat (Fortune of War) drove in circles around us all. Our friends would continue to sail us out well into the open ocean, yelling to us, laughing and crying the entire time. I will forever have a picture of our mate Tony standing on the bow of his boat, with the most serene look of pleasure about him. Now I love to sail, but Tony is probably the most natural and passionate sailor we will ever meet and he was completely in his element.
Miles out to sea, Tony finally yelled over that they would "let us have all the fun and get settled in". With that said they tacked away and disappeared in the distance, leaving Pam and I to continue the Blind Circumnavigation. There we stood watching Etosha slip away, both of us crying and numb from our incredible Australian experience.
Now here I sit alone on watch, the time when I get my best opportunity to blog. A good percentage of the gourmet pizza has been eaten, and Pam is down below for her first sleep period. If I stop and think for just a second, the past few days wash over me and there is a new shiny memory that materializes in my mind to add to the collage of what is sure to be one of the most touching and emotional experiences of our life.
There may be a "bad moon on the rise", but we are at it again, dancing on the wire, living every second, waiting to see what adventure will come our way.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Journal Entry - May 23, 2008 - Our departure from Australia
*** Reminder: We love to get email at sea, so if you get a chance, send us a HELLO to: wdd4300@sailmail.com (no attachments on Sail Mail please) ***
Ahoy Blind Circumnavigation Friends and Supporters,
It is with great enthusiasm that we announce our departure from Australia. Don’t get us wrong, our departure is somewhat bittersweet because of the many friends that we have made in Australia, but we are so very excited to be continuing our voyage!
As you will probably recall, upon our arrival to Australia our diesel engine “stuffed up” as they would say in Oz. This led to the drama of replacing the engine with a rebuilt engine that also gave us much grief, and as a result we installed a brand spanking new Volvo-Penta engine on Starship. The installation of the NEW engine cost us a year and kept the boat in Australia during the South Pacific Cyclone Season. Oh well, “no worries mate” (they say that here as well) it is all part of the adventure.
During cyclone season Pam worked in Sydney and stayed each week with our dear friends Tim and Georgia allowing her to work three days a week away from Newcastle. Meanwhile, Scott worked for six months in Northern Virginia. For the most part our lives were routine during this time, with the exception of Pam’s accidental face-plant on the cement on the Newcastle Yacht Club’s waterfront, where she left most of three teeth and a good portion of her facial skin behind. After 14 trips to the dentist, Pam is thriving and is as feisty as ever. Ouch!!!
So here we are, three and a half years into a voyage that was going to take two and a half to three years to complete, and though we won’t win any speed records, we are accomplishing and experiencing so much! We have met and reached out to thousands of blind people around the world with our message of independence. We have had our hearts broken by a blind girl in Mexico. We have exchanged ideas and experiences with our good blind friend Rolland in Tahiti. We have felt our hearts soar in Australia while sailing with a group of blind children and young adults, just to name a few of our wonderful experiences. We are more determined than ever to complete this epic quest, but at the same time we are clear that the true adventure is in the voyage and not the final destination.
This year’s itinerary is very much like last year’s intended route. We will be sailing from Australia to New Caledonia, then to Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Darwin (Australia again), Indonesia, Malaysia, and finally Thailand for the Indian Ocean cyclone season. We will continue to reach out and meet blind people at every destination. This year promises to bring Starship to some of the most remote destinations that we will experience on the entire journey. Please stay tuned and we promise to keep it interesting!
Thank you all for your unwavering support and interest!
Cheers,
Scott and Pam
Monday, January 28, 2008
Journal Entry – January 28, 2008 Aussie Vocabulary
Author: Pam
After spending nine months in Kiwiland we were able to apply some of our learned vocabulary here in Oz since much of the vocabulary crosses both countries. However, the Aussies certainly do have their unique usage of the English language and colloquialisms. I would go as far to say some of the words and expressions have found their way into our everyday vocabulary and are probably here to stay. Again, most of the words are used everyday in the English language, they just have found a different meaning here down under. I do still find myself often asking, how do you say that here? Which strikes me funny as I am asking and being answered in English. However, also it does seem there is license to shorten any word and add “y” or sometimes “o” which especially includes people’s names or places. Scott has been Scotty since the day we arrived. Thankfully, there wasn’t as much of a tendency towards Pammy. It has been fun collecting a list to share, there is a short list our visually impaired blind cricket friends taught Scott that fall into the R rated category and can not be published on this family site.
On my resume and for work I have also changed how I spell words such as organization to organisation (this applies to most words ending in “zation”), center is centre, color and harbor are colour and harbour. English (Australia) is one of the options in the MS Word spelling language list. This is the setting I use on my computer at work, so I hopefully look like I know what I am doing.
Ok, put on your kangaroo hat and try your guess at the definition/s. The definitions are given below, once you have finished:
Magic
Pinch
Heaps
Flash
Crook
Bloody
Dunny
White Goods
Tucker
Esky
Mug
Chook
Wind Screen
Lounge
Bonnet
Petrol
Fisty Cuffs
Blind
Chips
Tomato Sauce
Takeaway
Pram
Blue
Bluey
G’Day
Reckon
Layby
Ute
Pissed
Brolly
Yum Cha
Mitty
Schooner
Alight
Slip
Sacked
Sparky
Drippy
Whnge or Whinging
Tinny
Push Bike
Bugger
Bush
Me
Pen
Hanging
Brekkie
Doona
Sticky or Sticky Beak
Bloke
Sheila
Sunnies
Bench or Benchtop
Sloppy Joe
Fringe
Flat White
Short Black
Long Black
Grog
Roo
Fair Dinkum
Dinkum
Footy
Cozzie
Macca’s
Snag
Sanger
Uni
School Leavers
Monday Week
Sydney Sider
How you going?
Blow the dogs off of their chain
Off like a bride’s nighty
Kangaroos in the top paddock
Flat out like a lizard drinking
You don’t know me from a bar of soap
Stone the crows
Starve the lizards
One Tick
Beyond the black stump
Flash as a rat with a gold tooth
Call a sickie
Holy snapping bats
If your kangaroo hat didn’t work, try your Aussie hat:
Magic – If it’s magic, it’s perfect, wonderful, extra special
Pinch – To take or steal something
Heaps - Lots
Flash – Gaudy
Crook - Sick
Bloody – Used in before a word to add emphasis, bloody good
Dunny – Outdoor Toilet
White Goods – Household Appliances, i.e.; washing machine
Tucker - Food
Esky – Ice Chest
Mug – Someone who is gullible
Chook – a live chicken
Wind Screen – Windshield of your car
Lounge – Living Room
Bonnet – The hood of your car
Petrol - Gasoline
Fisty Cuffs – A fight using your fists
Blind - Intoxicated
Chips – French Fries
Tomato Sauce – Ketchup
Takeaway – Food to Go
Pram – Baby Stroller
Blue – Red Headed Male, Argument, Mistake and many other meanings which are confusing
Bluey - Policeman, Traffic Ticket
G’Day - Hello
Reckon – Used like, I think, I guess, I figure
Layby – To put something on layaway at a store
Ute – A utility truck, pickup truck
Pissed - Intoxicated
Brolly - Umbrella
Yum Cha – Dim Sum
Mitty – Small glass of beer
Schooner – Large glass of beer
Alight – To depart
Slip – To take your boat out of the water
Sacked – To get fired from your job
Sparky – An Electrician
Drippy – A Plumber
Whinge or Whinging – Complain or Complaining
Tinny – Usually an aluminum boat
Push Bike – Bicycle
Bugger – Mild swear word for when something doesn’t go well or sometimes refers a person who did something bad
Bush – Going into the country, wilderness
Me – Often used instead of my, I need to get me boat fixed
Pen – Berth where you keep your boat
Hanging – If you are hanging for something, you are really in the mood, “Hanging for a coffee”
Brekkie – Breakfast, usually refers to the “big brekky”
Doona – Duvet or Comforter
Sticky or Sticky Beak – to have a look at something, i.e.; a house for sale
Bloke – Reference to a man
Sheila – Reference to a woman
Sunnies - Sunglasses
Bench or Benchtop – Kitchen Counter or Countertop
Sloppy Joe – Fleece Top
Fringe – Your hair bangs
Flat White – Espresso coffee with milk
Short Black – Espresso
Long Black – Black espresso coffee with water added
Grog – Alcohol
Roo – Kangaroo
Fair Dinkum – Genuine, Real
Dinkum – Honest, Sincere
Footy – Football, i.e. in this part of the world Rugby
Cozzie – Swimsuit (New South Wales)
Macca’s – McDonald’s
Snag – Sausage
Sanger – Sandwich
Uni – University
School Leavers – students that leave High School
Monday Week – A week from Monday
Sydney Sider – Someone who lives in Sydney
How you going? – How are you?
Blow the dogs off of their chain – Very windy
Off like a bride’s nighty – In a big hurry
Kangaroos in the top paddock – Crazy, Insane
Flat out like a lizard drinking – Really busy
You don’t know me from a bar of soap – A phrased used by someone you talk to for the first time
Stone the crows – Exclamation like “well I’ll be”
Starve the lizards – A phrase used for great exclamation!
One Tick – One minute
Beyond the black stump – In the middle of nowhere
Flash as a rat with a gold tooth – Very Flashy or Gaudy
Call a sickie – Call in to work sick, but not necessary because you are sick
Holy snapping bats – Holy Cow!
After spending nine months in Kiwiland we were able to apply some of our learned vocabulary here in Oz since much of the vocabulary crosses both countries. However, the Aussies certainly do have their unique usage of the English language and colloquialisms. I would go as far to say some of the words and expressions have found their way into our everyday vocabulary and are probably here to stay. Again, most of the words are used everyday in the English language, they just have found a different meaning here down under. I do still find myself often asking, how do you say that here? Which strikes me funny as I am asking and being answered in English. However, also it does seem there is license to shorten any word and add “y” or sometimes “o” which especially includes people’s names or places. Scott has been Scotty since the day we arrived. Thankfully, there wasn’t as much of a tendency towards Pammy. It has been fun collecting a list to share, there is a short list our visually impaired blind cricket friends taught Scott that fall into the R rated category and can not be published on this family site.
On my resume and for work I have also changed how I spell words such as organization to organisation (this applies to most words ending in “zation”), center is centre, color and harbor are colour and harbour. English (Australia) is one of the options in the MS Word spelling language list. This is the setting I use on my computer at work, so I hopefully look like I know what I am doing.
Ok, put on your kangaroo hat and try your guess at the definition/s. The definitions are given below, once you have finished:
Magic
Pinch
Heaps
Flash
Crook
Bloody
Dunny
White Goods
Tucker
Esky
Mug
Chook
Wind Screen
Lounge
Bonnet
Petrol
Fisty Cuffs
Blind
Chips
Tomato Sauce
Takeaway
Pram
Blue
Bluey
G’Day
Reckon
Layby
Ute
Pissed
Brolly
Yum Cha
Mitty
Schooner
Alight
Slip
Sacked
Sparky
Drippy
Whnge or Whinging
Tinny
Push Bike
Bugger
Bush
Me
Pen
Hanging
Brekkie
Doona
Sticky or Sticky Beak
Bloke
Sheila
Sunnies
Bench or Benchtop
Sloppy Joe
Fringe
Flat White
Short Black
Long Black
Grog
Roo
Fair Dinkum
Dinkum
Footy
Cozzie
Macca’s
Snag
Sanger
Uni
School Leavers
Monday Week
Sydney Sider
How you going?
Blow the dogs off of their chain
Off like a bride’s nighty
Kangaroos in the top paddock
Flat out like a lizard drinking
You don’t know me from a bar of soap
Stone the crows
Starve the lizards
One Tick
Beyond the black stump
Flash as a rat with a gold tooth
Call a sickie
Holy snapping bats
If your kangaroo hat didn’t work, try your Aussie hat:
Magic – If it’s magic, it’s perfect, wonderful, extra special
Pinch – To take or steal something
Heaps - Lots
Flash – Gaudy
Crook - Sick
Bloody – Used in before a word to add emphasis, bloody good
Dunny – Outdoor Toilet
White Goods – Household Appliances, i.e.; washing machine
Tucker - Food
Esky – Ice Chest
Mug – Someone who is gullible
Chook – a live chicken
Wind Screen – Windshield of your car
Lounge – Living Room
Bonnet – The hood of your car
Petrol - Gasoline
Fisty Cuffs – A fight using your fists
Blind - Intoxicated
Chips – French Fries
Tomato Sauce – Ketchup
Takeaway – Food to Go
Pram – Baby Stroller
Blue – Red Headed Male, Argument, Mistake and many other meanings which are confusing
Bluey - Policeman, Traffic Ticket
G’Day - Hello
Reckon – Used like, I think, I guess, I figure
Layby – To put something on layaway at a store
Ute – A utility truck, pickup truck
Pissed - Intoxicated
Brolly - Umbrella
Yum Cha – Dim Sum
Mitty – Small glass of beer
Schooner – Large glass of beer
Alight – To depart
Slip – To take your boat out of the water
Sacked – To get fired from your job
Sparky – An Electrician
Drippy – A Plumber
Whinge or Whinging – Complain or Complaining
Tinny – Usually an aluminum boat
Push Bike – Bicycle
Bugger – Mild swear word for when something doesn’t go well or sometimes refers a person who did something bad
Bush – Going into the country, wilderness
Me – Often used instead of my, I need to get me boat fixed
Pen – Berth where you keep your boat
Hanging – If you are hanging for something, you are really in the mood, “Hanging for a coffee”
Brekkie – Breakfast, usually refers to the “big brekky”
Doona – Duvet or Comforter
Sticky or Sticky Beak – to have a look at something, i.e.; a house for sale
Bloke – Reference to a man
Sheila – Reference to a woman
Sunnies - Sunglasses
Bench or Benchtop – Kitchen Counter or Countertop
Sloppy Joe – Fleece Top
Fringe – Your hair bangs
Flat White – Espresso coffee with milk
Short Black – Espresso
Long Black – Black espresso coffee with water added
Grog – Alcohol
Roo – Kangaroo
Fair Dinkum – Genuine, Real
Dinkum – Honest, Sincere
Footy – Football, i.e. in this part of the world Rugby
Cozzie – Swimsuit (New South Wales)
Macca’s – McDonald’s
Snag – Sausage
Sanger – Sandwich
Uni – University
School Leavers – students that leave High School
Monday Week – A week from Monday
Sydney Sider – Someone who lives in Sydney
How you going? – How are you?
Blow the dogs off of their chain – Very windy
Off like a bride’s nighty – In a big hurry
Kangaroos in the top paddock – Crazy, Insane
Flat out like a lizard drinking – Really busy
You don’t know me from a bar of soap – A phrased used by someone you talk to for the first time
Stone the crows – Exclamation like “well I’ll be”
Starve the lizards – A phrase used for great exclamation!
One Tick – One minute
Beyond the black stump – In the middle of nowhere
Flash as a rat with a gold tooth – Very Flashy or Gaudy
Call a sickie – Call in to work sick, but not necessary because you are sick
Holy snapping bats – Holy Cow!
Friday, November 16, 2007
Latest Email Update for our Friends and Supporters
Below is our latest email update sent out last week. If you would like to be added to this list and receive these updates via emai, just send a message through the website.
Ahoy to our Friends and Supporters!
Wow! What a cruising year it has been! In some ways it feels like wehave been running to stand still, but though we have put fewer milesunder our keel as we had planned, we have met so many wonderful peopleand had a fantastic experience in Australia.
As many of you know our engine died a severe and sudden death two daysoutside of Sydney prior to our arrival in Australia. We theninstalled a rebuilt engine to save a little money and everything waslooking good as we sailed out between the Sydney Heads.Unfortunately, various issues arose with the rebuilt engine on our wayto Pittwater, and though we thought we had the problems licked, thegremlins kept at the rebuilt engine giving us problems on our way toNewcastle. Once in Newcastle the engine problems outgrew our trust inthe rebuilt engine, and our mechanic and friend Bob kindly took backthe engine and gave us a full refund. At this point we decided toinvest in a new Volvo Penta engine (with a three year warranty), whichhas been completely installed and purrs like a kitten.
We now have the engine issues behind us but it is very late in thecruising season with the cyclone season looming. Therefore, we havemade the decision to keep Starship in Australia for the duration ofthe cyclone season (April 2008).
To fill the time while we wait out the cyclone season, we have set ourfocus on working to feed the ever hungry cruising kitty. Scott hasreturned to the states and is consulting in chilly Virginia and Pam isbeating the pavement looking for work in Newcastle. Scott will bereturning to Australia for the holidays and we hope to fit in somecoastal cruising in Australia's beautiful cruising grounds.
As for our plans next cruising season, they are somewhat similar toour plans for this year (before our engine demise). We will departAustralia sailing north-east making a quick stop in Kumac, NewCaledonia, and then it is off to Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands. Wewill then turn west stopping in Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Malaysiaand finally Thailand for the 2008/2009 Cyclone Season.
As always keep an eye on the website as we will make updates whenitems of interest arise and please continue to share our adventurewith us when we depart Australia in April to continue the BlindCircumnavigation.
Cheers,
Scott and Pam
Ahoy to our Friends and Supporters!
Wow! What a cruising year it has been! In some ways it feels like wehave been running to stand still, but though we have put fewer milesunder our keel as we had planned, we have met so many wonderful peopleand had a fantastic experience in Australia.
As many of you know our engine died a severe and sudden death two daysoutside of Sydney prior to our arrival in Australia. We theninstalled a rebuilt engine to save a little money and everything waslooking good as we sailed out between the Sydney Heads.Unfortunately, various issues arose with the rebuilt engine on our wayto Pittwater, and though we thought we had the problems licked, thegremlins kept at the rebuilt engine giving us problems on our way toNewcastle. Once in Newcastle the engine problems outgrew our trust inthe rebuilt engine, and our mechanic and friend Bob kindly took backthe engine and gave us a full refund. At this point we decided toinvest in a new Volvo Penta engine (with a three year warranty), whichhas been completely installed and purrs like a kitten.
We now have the engine issues behind us but it is very late in thecruising season with the cyclone season looming. Therefore, we havemade the decision to keep Starship in Australia for the duration ofthe cyclone season (April 2008).
To fill the time while we wait out the cyclone season, we have set ourfocus on working to feed the ever hungry cruising kitty. Scott hasreturned to the states and is consulting in chilly Virginia and Pam isbeating the pavement looking for work in Newcastle. Scott will bereturning to Australia for the holidays and we hope to fit in somecoastal cruising in Australia's beautiful cruising grounds.
As for our plans next cruising season, they are somewhat similar toour plans for this year (before our engine demise). We will departAustralia sailing north-east making a quick stop in Kumac, NewCaledonia, and then it is off to Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands. Wewill then turn west stopping in Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Malaysiaand finally Thailand for the 2008/2009 Cyclone Season.
As always keep an eye on the website as we will make updates whenitems of interest arise and please continue to share our adventurewith us when we depart Australia in April to continue the BlindCircumnavigation.
Cheers,
Scott and Pam
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
Journal Entry - November 6, 2007 Melbourne Cup Day, A National Passion
Author: Pam
On the first Tuesday of November each year, the entire country of Australia comes to an almost complete standstill and happily falls into Melbourne Cup fever. It turns into an unofficial holiday, except in Melbourne it is actually an observed holiday. I was in complete awe of the impact a horse race can have on an entire country and I quickly came to the conclusion there is no event that even comes close in the United States. It is an amazing unifying event, even children in pre-school postpone their afternoon nap to pick their favorite horse, unofficially of course. Many businesses close for the day or around noon. If they do stay open they very often provide lunch for their employees and there is definitely a TV for everyone to crowd around to cheer for their favorite horse.
I spent the day with our new friends in Wickham, Australia. The first order of business was to stop into the local pub, which is a TAB operator (Totalisator Agency Board) and assume the role of a “punter” popping in for a “flutter”, which translates into someone who places a bet. By the time the horses lined up at the barrier at Flemington Racecourse the TAB pool was up to five million dollars (it is Australia’s premier and richest horse race). I bet $12.00 in total and in the end won $9.00 on one of my trifectors when my horse came in second. The horse’s name was Purple Moon and my very scientific choice was based on purple being my favorite color. Melbourne Cup Day is often the only day of the year many Australians bet on the races.
After we placed our bets we went to Joyce’s house for lunch. Luncheons or picnic days are almost as big of an event as the race. The prawn population is seriously depleted on Melbourne Cup Day. We munched on prawns and champagne while we watched the horses and jockeys preparing for their big moment, as well as the speeches by people who had clearly already partaken of the bubbly.
At 3:00 sharp the race began and Joyce went into cheerleader mode. She didn’t really seem to have a particular favorite, she was even cheering for a horse that is legendary in the Melbourne Cup, but might actually be dead. Enthusiasm is a wonderful thing. This event that had caused the standstill of a nation was over in five minutes. The horses were exquisite and it was awesome to witness 24 champions pounding toward the finish line. I must say there is something to be said for the cream of the crop. The 2007 winning horse’s name was Efficient, which is a very apropos name for a winner.
The final important detail of Melbourne Cup Day is fashion. Many women spend months choosing a new dress and sport a fancy and in some cases elaborately decorated hat, especially the woman who attend the race. I was shopping before race day and there were definitely dresses and hats everywhere. There seems to be much more fashion flexibility amongst the men and hats do not cross genders.
On the first Tuesday of November each year, the entire country of Australia comes to an almost complete standstill and happily falls into Melbourne Cup fever. It turns into an unofficial holiday, except in Melbourne it is actually an observed holiday. I was in complete awe of the impact a horse race can have on an entire country and I quickly came to the conclusion there is no event that even comes close in the United States. It is an amazing unifying event, even children in pre-school postpone their afternoon nap to pick their favorite horse, unofficially of course. Many businesses close for the day or around noon. If they do stay open they very often provide lunch for their employees and there is definitely a TV for everyone to crowd around to cheer for their favorite horse.
I spent the day with our new friends in Wickham, Australia. The first order of business was to stop into the local pub, which is a TAB operator (Totalisator Agency Board) and assume the role of a “punter” popping in for a “flutter”, which translates into someone who places a bet. By the time the horses lined up at the barrier at Flemington Racecourse the TAB pool was up to five million dollars (it is Australia’s premier and richest horse race). I bet $12.00 in total and in the end won $9.00 on one of my trifectors when my horse came in second. The horse’s name was Purple Moon and my very scientific choice was based on purple being my favorite color. Melbourne Cup Day is often the only day of the year many Australians bet on the races.
After we placed our bets we went to Joyce’s house for lunch. Luncheons or picnic days are almost as big of an event as the race. The prawn population is seriously depleted on Melbourne Cup Day. We munched on prawns and champagne while we watched the horses and jockeys preparing for their big moment, as well as the speeches by people who had clearly already partaken of the bubbly.
At 3:00 sharp the race began and Joyce went into cheerleader mode. She didn’t really seem to have a particular favorite, she was even cheering for a horse that is legendary in the Melbourne Cup, but might actually be dead. Enthusiasm is a wonderful thing. This event that had caused the standstill of a nation was over in five minutes. The horses were exquisite and it was awesome to witness 24 champions pounding toward the finish line. I must say there is something to be said for the cream of the crop. The 2007 winning horse’s name was Efficient, which is a very apropos name for a winner.
The final important detail of Melbourne Cup Day is fashion. Many women spend months choosing a new dress and sport a fancy and in some cases elaborately decorated hat, especially the woman who attend the race. I was shopping before race day and there were definitely dresses and hats everywhere. There seems to be much more fashion flexibility amongst the men and hats do not cross genders.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Journal Entry – August 16, 2007 Battling the God Forsaken Gremlins
Author: Scott
This is a quick update to keep our website followers up to date. We have been extremely busy trying to sort out our engine issues. Although we have not made recent postings we have kept extensive notes and we will soon fill the gap between entries.
The ten second version:
Our engine died just outside the Sydney Heads. We tried to save some coconuts and bought a rebuilt engine. It took FOREVER to install the rebuilt engine, and then the rebuilt engine kept having problems until we finally sent the sucker back. We just got our coconuts back and put them towards a band spanking new engine that will be installed over the next 2 -3 weeks, and most importantly it has a WARRANTY! Now it is late in the cruising season with cyclones breathing down our necks, and we are trying to revise our lives to something that resembles a plan. Never fear, a little engine disaster or two won’t slow us down - the circumnavigation will go on!
The more blabbericious version:
As you are probably aware from our Log-Blog, we experienced a catastrophic engine failure two days outside of Sydney Australia. We were given the name of a mechanic who came highly recommended and we decided to install a rebuilt Perkins 67 horsepower engine to replace “Big Red”, Starship’s failed 40 horsepower Westerbeke engine. After a lengthy installation process, hampered by “the worst winter in 40 years” we were finally ready to depart from Sydney. Our first destination was Pittwater, twenty-five miles north up the Australian coast. Upon reaching Pittwater we were to have our engine serviced by Bill Lacey the person who actually rebuilt the new engine, however upon reaching Pittwater we learned that Bill had hurt his back and would be unable to service the engine. We also found an oil leak that led to three days of engine work.
Discouraged with our new engine, but willing to continue we headed to Newcastle. We were guaranteed that the engine issues were all sorted out. This did not turn out to be the case. Upon reaching Newcastle the oil leak persisted. To make matters worse, while recharging our batteries one evening, I was astonished to hear the engine alarm sound to find the engine seriously overheated. It turns out that the hose connected to the header tank was never properly clamped on and the pipe fitting was also not correctly fitted. As a result, all of the engine’s coolant drained from the engine within seconds disabling the engine’s temperature alarm until the engine was seriously overheated. At this point we had reached the end of our patience and considered returning the engine.
After consulting the mechanic we agreed to allow him to rebuild the engine again to look for problems that may have resulted from the engine’s overheating, with the stipulation that the engine would then be dynamometer tested to give us assurance that the engine was up to the task of blue water cruising. At this point the engine was removed from Starship and I assisted with the rebuild of the engine. Unfortunately after rebuilding the engine our mechanic was unable to find a suitable testing facility and our willingness to reinstall the engine evaporated.
So today brought a conclusion to the chapter of Starship’s newly rebuilt engine. I met with the mechanic and received a full refund for the engine. Over the past two weeks we have researched and agreed upon terms to have a completely new engine (with a three year warranty) installed on Starship. Over the next two to three weeks we will have a Volvo Penta D2-40, 40 horsepower engine, with new gearbox and three bladed folding prop installed on Starship. This new engine should provide us with the reliability and peace of mind that we need to take Starship offshore.
It is now very late in the cruising season and the southern cyclone season is looming. We are now weighing all of our possible options for the remainder of the season. Please check in on our Log-Blog over the coming week as we will fill in the gap in our journal. Despite our engine saga, we continue to have an incredible Australian experience. We will also provide an update on our next move, just as soon as we figure it out. Rest assured the Blind Circumnavigation will continue. We won’t let a little engine drama stand in the way of our goal.
This is a quick update to keep our website followers up to date. We have been extremely busy trying to sort out our engine issues. Although we have not made recent postings we have kept extensive notes and we will soon fill the gap between entries.
The ten second version:
Our engine died just outside the Sydney Heads. We tried to save some coconuts and bought a rebuilt engine. It took FOREVER to install the rebuilt engine, and then the rebuilt engine kept having problems until we finally sent the sucker back. We just got our coconuts back and put them towards a band spanking new engine that will be installed over the next 2 -3 weeks, and most importantly it has a WARRANTY! Now it is late in the cruising season with cyclones breathing down our necks, and we are trying to revise our lives to something that resembles a plan. Never fear, a little engine disaster or two won’t slow us down - the circumnavigation will go on!
The more blabbericious version:
As you are probably aware from our Log-Blog, we experienced a catastrophic engine failure two days outside of Sydney Australia. We were given the name of a mechanic who came highly recommended and we decided to install a rebuilt Perkins 67 horsepower engine to replace “Big Red”, Starship’s failed 40 horsepower Westerbeke engine. After a lengthy installation process, hampered by “the worst winter in 40 years” we were finally ready to depart from Sydney. Our first destination was Pittwater, twenty-five miles north up the Australian coast. Upon reaching Pittwater we were to have our engine serviced by Bill Lacey the person who actually rebuilt the new engine, however upon reaching Pittwater we learned that Bill had hurt his back and would be unable to service the engine. We also found an oil leak that led to three days of engine work.
Discouraged with our new engine, but willing to continue we headed to Newcastle. We were guaranteed that the engine issues were all sorted out. This did not turn out to be the case. Upon reaching Newcastle the oil leak persisted. To make matters worse, while recharging our batteries one evening, I was astonished to hear the engine alarm sound to find the engine seriously overheated. It turns out that the hose connected to the header tank was never properly clamped on and the pipe fitting was also not correctly fitted. As a result, all of the engine’s coolant drained from the engine within seconds disabling the engine’s temperature alarm until the engine was seriously overheated. At this point we had reached the end of our patience and considered returning the engine.
After consulting the mechanic we agreed to allow him to rebuild the engine again to look for problems that may have resulted from the engine’s overheating, with the stipulation that the engine would then be dynamometer tested to give us assurance that the engine was up to the task of blue water cruising. At this point the engine was removed from Starship and I assisted with the rebuild of the engine. Unfortunately after rebuilding the engine our mechanic was unable to find a suitable testing facility and our willingness to reinstall the engine evaporated.
So today brought a conclusion to the chapter of Starship’s newly rebuilt engine. I met with the mechanic and received a full refund for the engine. Over the past two weeks we have researched and agreed upon terms to have a completely new engine (with a three year warranty) installed on Starship. Over the next two to three weeks we will have a Volvo Penta D2-40, 40 horsepower engine, with new gearbox and three bladed folding prop installed on Starship. This new engine should provide us with the reliability and peace of mind that we need to take Starship offshore.
It is now very late in the cruising season and the southern cyclone season is looming. We are now weighing all of our possible options for the remainder of the season. Please check in on our Log-Blog over the coming week as we will fill in the gap in our journal. Despite our engine saga, we continue to have an incredible Australian experience. We will also provide an update on our next move, just as soon as we figure it out. Rest assured the Blind Circumnavigation will continue. We won’t let a little engine drama stand in the way of our goal.
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