Month: February 2015

Lessons Learned Living on a Boat in Northern Europe

So far, as I learn something new every day;  I’m sure to keep on learning and  even on my last day on Earth,  I know I’ll learn something new;  like how I die!

Having kicked the cans down the road of Greece and the Ukraine, we can now talk about boats again.

So, what have I learned up to now living on Dauntless in Northern Europe:

Waterford has turned out to far exceed my expectations and at this point, it is hard to think that I could find a better place anywhere in Europe for next year.  I have 10 minute walk to the bus that whisks me to the airport in Dublin for only 20 Euros.  In NYC, it takes 90 minutes to go 12 miles and that includes three train changes, which means many staircases, up and down. (We got a man to the moon 50 years ago, but NYC still cannot keep an escalator running more than a day or two before it breaks down for three months).

The Waterford City Marina, being right downtown, has given me the best of all worlds.  On one hand, I am five minutes from downtown and only a 15 min walk to my favorite bakery and butcher.  Yet the dock itself is very secure with a gate that is electronically activated, but it also has a chain and lock, making it really secure.  The first few times I left Dauntless for any length of time, I was really nervous, but now only a little bit.

The people in Ireland are very nice, like Midwesterners, but with a NY attitude, meaning they are loud,  talk fast and curse a lot, and really nice in doing it and helpful all the time.

Having Julie in NY, Dublin is only a 6 hour plane ride away and the tickets are about 60% of the cost of flying to the continent.  So it’s terribly convenient and already, while I like exploring new places, for our next and last winter in Europe, I will be hard pressed to find someplace that has all that Waterford and Ireland offer.

I’m fluent in the language, for the most part.  There have been a few times, that not understanding something and having them repeat it three times, I am still clueless and just hope for the best at that point.  The first time this happened, one of the passengers on the bus could tell that I did not understand and explained in words I could understand.

I haven’t gotten run over yet crossing the street, only because I look in both directions three, that’s 3 times, before I step off the curb.  And every time I do, I think of all of those who thought crossing the Atlantic was dangerous.  I’m far more likely to die crossing the street here.

The Lexan storm windows that Julie, Richard and I made and installed in the last days and hours in Rhode Island, have really made a difference.  While on the ocean they gave us peace of mind, since I have been here, I am so pleased that they really insulate the boat.  Dauntless is far warmer, having the double pane up.  In addition, I so not have any condensation problems, as the glass windows stay just warm enough.  Two of the storm windows in the pilot house are 4 inches short, and it that one spot, I do get some condensation on really cold days.  Well, I did, but have not seen any in two months.

Even without the Wallas heater, this Krogen stays warm and dry.  I have been using a little 2000 watt electric heater when I am on the boat.  But I have been so pleased that I do not have the dampness and condensation problems I have read about by many who live on their boats in the winter.

I have like 10 lines on the boat, all 5/8” thick.   The Fastnet boat docked behind me, a steel boat used to ferry crew to the oil platforms, about the same size as Dauntless, has 4 lines, and they are not even ½”, probably 3/8”.

I suppose that’s the difference between docking a boat that is also our home and a work boat.

 

 

Dauntless in Horta in the Winter 2015 Kadey Krogen journal, Waypoints

Let’s get back to rocking and rolling on Dauntless.

Dauntless an Pico on the one day of the year, the moon rises over the peak
Dauntless an Pico on the one day of the year, the moon rises over the peak

I am posting the link to a nice article of our trip that was just published in the Kadey Krogen journal, Waypoints.

If you can’t tell, it’s the most recent one, with Dauntless docked in Horta along the famous wall with the Volcano Pico in the background.

 

Waypoints Magazine

 

Moon Rising over Pico
Moon Rising over Pico

The View From NATO’s Russian Front

I have removed this morning’s post, Sudetenland and Eastern Ukraine for two reasons:

  1. Today’s, 7 February 2015, Wall Street Journal just happens to have a wonderful, candid interview with our Commander of USA Europe, General   Frederick B. Hodges, who is far closer to the front and also is far more articulate than i could ever be. and
  2. I will strive to keep Dauntless at Sea related to our travels and adventures and boating, and Kadey Krogens

So, if interested, please go to RichardBost.Wordpress.com where I will post those things of interest, not related to Dauntless and where I have posted today’s interview: The View From NATO’s Russian Front

 The Army commander in Europe on Putin’s new way of war, Russia’s growing arsenal, and coping with U.S. military budget cuts. Frederick B. Hodges

A Perspective

Yesterday evening, the 5th of February 2015, as I gazed out the window watching the traffic flow along the quay of Waterford the realization struck me as to how much has changed in just one year.

Looking out the Salon Window onto the Quay of Waterford, Ireland
Looking out the Salon Window onto the Quay of Waterford, Ireland

Last year at this time, I had just returned from the Bahamas, had crossed the dreaded Gulf Stream, this time alone and was docked at my friend’s Paul house.

Now I had set up Paul and Chantal, my crewmate, as they seemed a very good match.  The problem was I lost a reliable crewmate and as it turned out, Paul got weirder and weirder and I still not understand what happened.

But Dauntless was in Miami to have a lot of work done in preparation of the upcoming Atlantic Passage coming up in July.  I had thought I had found a rigger and fabricator who would do the paravane stabilization system and I was waiting in very nervous anticipation for that work to start, as it was something that had to be done before our passage and they had given me a price I could afford, though I still had to manage my meager resources well.

So it’s early February, I had no help and all this work (buy, make, install) had to be done on the boat before we left and time was running out:

  1. Fabricate and install the paravanes,
  2. Replace current fridge and freezer with 12 volt system,
  3. Solar panels,
  4. Water maker,
  5. Replace the depth sounder,
  6. 12 v boat computer and 12v monitors,
  7. New navigation system and chart plotter,
  8. AIS transceiver,
  9. Replace one VHF antenna repair the other
  10. Get a life raft,
  11. Maretron system for environmental and navigation data,
  12. European, Canadian and Atlantic charts,
  13. Spare engine parts, alternator, injection pipes, water pump,
  14. 15 Lexan storm windows to make and install,
  15. Replace 112 bungs in the teak deck,
  16. Paint the cap rail, sand the rub rail,
  17. Get a bicycle,
  18. New Anchor
  19. Get my Captain’s license (handy in Europe)

 

Miami, behind Hopkins-Carter
Miami, behind Hopkins-Carter

And I knew even once all of this was done, we still had to cross 3,000 miles of the North Atlantic.

Now, I had been reading, reading and reading, asking folks stuff on Trawler Forum, but the hard part was actually deciding on this versus that.  Why that life raft and not this one.  As the time crunch got crunchier, it became easier only because it was time to shit or get off the pot, as my mother would say.

But even now, I look at that list in amazement and also proud that I, we, got it done.  It would not have happened without the help and support of some new friends.

In March, Richard (not me, another Richard), who I had met in the marina in Providence, came down from Rhode Island and spent a month with me doing a lot of different jobs.  I so appreciated his company and work and Dauntless still shows his efforts.  He also helped to get me focused and on track.

I had also moved the boat to a little pontoon just behind Park’s store, Hopkins-Carter Marine.  This also turned out to be a Godsend in that, when the paravanes were finally being built, I had a store one minute away that had all the extra things I needed every hour.

Finally the paravanes were done and I hightailed it to Ft. Pierce, where David spent two weeks installing the fridge, freezer, solar panels and water maker.

The rest of the work was done in the coming months as I returned to Providence, where in the last days before departure, Richard again came to the rescue and got my Lexan cut to size and then, finally, only three hours before departure, Julie and I finished installed the Lexan storm windows.

And the rest is history.

So, as I sit here in a warm cozy Kadey Krogen a year later, I’m in Europe, our goal of the last 7 years, the worst problem I seem to have is that in sorting and cataloging spare parts and reorganizing everything, I’ve discovered that I have 4 soldering irons.

Even though we have a few more oceans to cross and many miles to go; it’s all downhill from here.

Life is Good.

 

 

A Higher Call by Adam Makos – A Book that Lives Up to the Hype

Book Cover
Book Cover

I was skeptical at first, the hype being a bit over the top, but the book looked interesting, so I gave it a try.

What I liked immediately was that seldom do you get to read about World War II from opposite perspectives.  I’ve read a number of books by Germans and Americans, but this was really the first that juxtaposed the two adversaries over the shared incident.

Having lived in Germany for 4 years, and still having some dear friends there, I was interested in seeing it from the German Air Force (Luftwaffe) perspective.  Interestingly enough, this is one aspect that Hollywood depicted rather well in the Great Escape, which highlights the conflict between the Luftwaffe and the SS and Gestapo.  I think Stalag 17, did also, but I frankly don’t remember it as well.

Speaking of movies, two other must see WWII bomber films are Twelve O’clock High and Command Decision, both great movies that deal with both the aircrews and the commanders who must keep them going no matter what. If you have not seen those three movies, shame on you.  Since you (and I) did not live through it, it helps put our lives and our freedom in perspective.  Nothing valuable comes cheaply. I wonder if President Obama has seen them??

Moving on.

I liked the detail and it was clear that the writer, Adam Makos, did a massive amount of research for this book.  He has managed to write an engrossing story that is hard to put down.  You felt the fear and terror the aircrews went through.

In one gripping scene, our American pilot, only 20 years old and the Aircraft Commander, Charlie Brown, is taxiing his B-17 on a very foggy, dark morning, there are still two B-17’s in front of him, taking off at intervals of 30 seconds. As he gets close to the runway, they can hear the first bomber speeding down the runway, when all of a sudden they see this large yellow glow at the end of the runway and then hear the explosion.  Realizing that the plane just crashed and exploded on takeoff, they wait in stunned silence for instructions.  Within seconds, the word comes over the radio to continue takeoffs.  As they continue to taxi they see the yellow glow again of an explosion, this time higher in the sky, a midair collision.  One of the planes that just took off collided with another plane in the dense fog.  Within 2 minutes, three bombers and 30 aircrew are gone, just like that.

You’ll have to read the book for the rest of the story, but suffice it to say, you will not be bored and maybe you too will come away inspired and thankful.

 

Reflections on a Sunny Sunday, a Book and a Korean Drama

First the Drama.  I just finished the 30 episode Korean drama, King of Baking, Kim Tak Goo.

Why I liked it:  It has the typical themes, which I really admire:  team work, loyalty and hard work. The ubiquitous, but trite romantic triangle and an ending, which frankly, in trying to be different, was just plain stupid.

But in spite of the ending, I liked this drama because of its constant theme about teamwork, not holding grudges and most of all, being positive no matter what, really touched me.  I have never been much of a grudge holder.  I’ve always forgotten over slights and insults quickly (I usually forget) and most importantly, I strive to never have negative thoughts.

And I realized that I have always tried to live my life that way, without negative thoughts.  Just knowing that I always strived to do the right thing for those I was responsible for.

So when your life is wonderful, there is no point in holding grudges against those who have wronged you.  A lesson well learned and this drama is an enjoyable way to remind yourself of that goal.

http://www.dramaload.ch/korean-drama-krtvs-king-of-baking-kim-tak-goo/

 

 

I’ve talked about this book before,  but much like the Korean Drama above, the real lesson about looking forward and being positive.

Steady As She Goes by John Malloy

Why I liked it:  His descriptive detail of the maritime industry and world trade of the late 50’s.

I felt I was going back in a time machine, it’s that well written.  Starting out as a young 18 year apprentice we see him grow through storms, exotic ports and romance.  We see the world of the late 1950’s and into 1960 with the election of the first Irish President, JFK.

Counties as varied as England, Malaysia, Japan, India and the South Pacific, we see a world far removed from today.  11,000 tons of ore being loaded by hand, families spending weeks onboard to unload or load a ship full of grain or iron ore one bucket at a time.

It’s a wonderful snapshot of the world 50 years ago.  His detail of the US Deep South, the Irish crew’s reaction to Jim Crow and his growing admiration for the people and culture of Japan.

Lastly, It’s a love story:  with the sea, his comrades and the love of his life.

http://www.amazon.com/Steady-She-Goes-John-Molloy-ebook/dp/B00KB2A3UO/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1422800444&sr=1-1&keywords=steady+as+she+goes