Let’s get back to rocking and rolling on Dauntless.
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.
I have removed this morning’s post, Sudetenland and Eastern Ukraine for two reasons:
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
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.
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:
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.
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.
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.
Why am I so sad that I am going to miss this big NYC Blizzard?
I do like snow. Why else would I have spent so much time in Alaska!
As a child, I remember waking up and listening to the traffic on West Street below our third floor window. West Street was still cobblestones in those days and full of truck traffic, as the elevated West Side Highway kept most cars off the surface street.
Every once in a while, especially during January and February, I would awake to silence. The snow muffling the noise of the tires on the cobblestones.
During one particularity heavy snow that occurred on a Sunday, my father had planned go to New Hope, PA, where his friend, the Sculptress Selma Burke, had a house and some land. I loved going there. It was always an adventure, with a little stream that had grass growing on the bottom that I was absolutely terrified of.
Selma, not our father, actually taught my brother (Peter, two years younger) and I to hunt. We ate what we shot, the total haul being one woodchuck and one duck, but I felt sad for the duck’s partner and it was the last animal I ever killed.
But on this windy, snowy day, NYC had maybe 12” to 18” inches of snow and I declined going to New Hope, deciding instead to make my own adventure by taking the 10th Ave bus up to Riverside Park with my sled. I did that, walking the mile to 14th to catch the bus that finally came and an OK day sledding.
When my brother and father got home that night, my brother regaled me with tales of blasting through large snow drifts and I was disappointed that I had missed out. A bit strange that I did not go, in that I was the one who accompanied my father on all sorts of trips, in the city and out, never being too bored (sometimes my job was simply to sit in the car, while it was double parked, as my father found various electronic parts he needed). My brother often found much of this time boring, and while at times I did also, I felt it was part of my responsibility in helping my father in any way I could and I liked seeing different things, going to new places.
There was only one other time, that my brother accompanied my father without me, and that was during the summer of 1972. I had decided to stay in Seattle at the UW to attend this oceanography class that actually had us out on Puget Sound doing stuff. But that summer, our father, G. Lee Bost, was working on the last of his three Shaft movies, Shaft in Africa, so my brother got to go on location for a month, while I collected seaweed in Washington. I was not as envious that time. Africa did not sound that appealing to me. Neither did our father by the way, who remarked that he was grateful to be born in the USA no matter how his ancestors got there.
Sadly, our father died in 1992, when I was 41 and it wasn’t until my forties that I started to see how similar I was to my father, in both good and bad ways. A gentle soul, loyal to his friends until the end of time.
But 20+ of snow is always fun in the City. It’s especially interesting watching the MTA put those cable chains on the Articulated buses 24 hours in advance, so the cable are well worn or broken by the time the snow actually arrives.
Then the buses prompt get stuck after the first few inches in any case.
Articulated buses are only good to reduce the number of drivers and the quality of service. Not much else.
But I digress.
I am truly sorry I am not there. Had I been reading the forecast discussions like I used to, I would have had an inkling a few days ago and may have even flown home for the event. Oh well, next time.
Nowadays, I look at the Atlantic Surface Analysis every day. I like getting a feel for the weather and how it changes over time. It will be during the winter that we will follow in Columbus’ tracks and take the Northeast Trade Winds back to the New World.
I did pull out Jimmy Cornell’s World Cruising Routes last night.
So many places to go and people to see.
I wrote this over the last two days.
I have a 12v heating pad on my bed and it is probably the only thing keeping me from becoming a frozen board by morning. During the last few days I have come to understand that the current for this heating pad is not going through my Victron Battery Monitor. I figured this out by watching the current draw and the voltage, as I turn on the heating pad. The current does not change, but the voltage does.
That’s bad. My initial reaction was to do nothing, but this morning, after stirring the pot a bit on Cruisers Forum, I decided I should do something about it.
Why? Inquiring minds want to know? Because I used a positive lead that also powered this red light that is under my bed stand and over the fluxgate compass. So now, what bothered me even more was that if the heat pad was not going thru the Victron Battery Monitor,(it tells me how much power is left in the batteries and how much I am using at any given time)
It meant that the supply line was not coming from the main distribution panel, which could also mean that it is not going thru any circuit breaker. That’s a problem. While I put fuses on most things I add, I want everything to go thru at least one of the distribution panels and its respective circuit breaker.
That also allows me to know that when I turn everything off, everything is actually off and with no power going to it. Critical when I leave the boats for longer periods of time.
Now as to why there is a red light, in a 2 ft. by 1 ft. night stand is a good question. The most likely reason I can come up with, is that the first owner saw the need to put the little people down there to navigate and provide better information for the fluxgate compass, as it surely needed it.
I guessing the little people escaped once I got to Ireland, because I have never seen them.
But that’s clearly a whole other story.
So, I decided, how hard can it be? I crossed the Atlantic; this shouldn’t take more than a half hour. Whenever you think something shouldn’t take more than a half hour, pack a lunch and probably a dinner too.
Now, 5 hours later, I’m done. I’ll just give you the highlights, which included:
So after all that, but now, I turn on the heating pad and it’s not clear that I have corrected the problem.
It’s not clear because even though it is raining and of course cloudy, the solar panels still put about a quarter amp into the batteries and I have no easy way to turn that off.
Tonight, we shall see what we shall see.
Nothing Changed!
Once it was dark, by 16:30, it was clear that absolutely nothing had changed. No current being registered on the Victron.
I decided to start watching a new Korean Drama.
So this morning, after my tasty breakfast of lemon meringue pie and coffee, I decided to tackle the elusive heating pad again.
I realized that I had just changed the load source and not the ground and the Victron was measuring through the ground. Duh
This time it only took me an hour. But I sure am glad I had made that larger hole yesterday, otherwise I’d still be f..ing around with it.
Now, I wish I would have thought to wire in an indicator light.
I really wrote this for the folks on Trawler Forum, but thought some of you may like. Please tell me one way or another.
Richard
I was feeling sorry for myself last night.
As I laid myself down in bed, this intense loneliness came over me. Hadn’t talked to any friends in a few days, and was reminded again that so far the only down side of this boating, moving home life, is being seemingly cut off from those close to me at times.
And as I’ve lamented before, even those close to me seem fewer, are fewer.
But then as I write this, being objective, I am forced to remember the wonderful times I just had in Italy: an abundance of time, connecting with those whom I have known more than half of my entire life, the true intimacy of friendship. People I can be so open with, because they have truly seen the good, the bad and the ugly in my life. But I wasn’t thinking of that last night.
No, last night, I had a terrible headache and just thinking about why seemed to make it worse, as it usually does. Especially since I knew it was due to drinking red wine and eating dark chocolate.
Then finally I said enough of the pity party.
I’ve just a wonderfully hot shower, I lying in a warm, cozy bed and I have enough fuel to go 2300 nm, 4000 km, that’s all the way to Nova Scotia, or north of the Yuzhny Island (Banana Island for those in the know), or the Cape Verde Islands, or the west coast of Africa.
The world is my oyster and I only have to open it.
So, give yourself a pat on the back and go to sleep.
I did.
And this morning the Lyric FM, a wonderful Irish classical music station,
And instead of looking at the same old T&A, (it never gets old; yes, it does), I spend a lot of time on the cruising, sailing and trawler forums. A lot of time.
I have for the past few years and have learned so much. And much like T&A it does start to get repetitive, but the gems are still out there and unlike T&A, those gems may save our lives.
I was on Sailnet reading this discussion about fore reaching, trying to understand what it was and how to do it in a motor vessel (http://www.sailnet.com/forums/seamanship-navigation/71266-forereaching-3.html. When I came upon this gem, hidden in the advertorial about these Jordan Services drogues. http://www.jordanseriesdrogue.com/D_10.htm quoted in part:
“A final misconception is the belief that a breaking wave “strikes” the boat and that the moving water in the crest does the damage. Actually, the boat is lifted by the forward face of the wave with no impact. When it reaches the breaking crest the boat velocity is close to the wave velocity. The crest water is aerated and has little damage potential. Damage to the boat is incurred when the boat is thrown ahead of the wave and impacts the green water in the trough. The leeward side and the deck are struck. A careful reading of “Fastnet Force Ten” and “Fatal Storm” will confirm this conclusion.”
Now this explanation is describing waves three to four times bigger than what I encountered. But it helps me understand the movement of Dauntless that I was feeling during that last 6 hours of the big storm on August 28th.
It was dark, I was lying on the pilot house bench in large part not to lose my footing and because there was nothing else I could really do. The ComNav Autopilot, (I need to write those people) was doing a fine job, better than I could do myself. I was tired and sick of bouncing around. For the previous 25 days, I had laid a course that mitigated the waves and winds. Now, in this last 24 hours of our trip, I just wanted the trip to end, as soon as possible. That meant no more detours; a direct line to Castletownbere or bust.
So as I lay there, rocking and rolling, about every minute or two, I would feel the boat sliding down the wave front on its beam, hit the trough with a large thump. Now we were sliding only a few feet, unlike the boats that got destroyed during the Fastnet Race, but enough to cause the thump, but nothing more. The lee side cap rail within a foot of the water, a big rush of white water that I realize from reading the above, was caused by the boat hitting the trough. Then in this hesitation that felt far longer, but a most was only a few seconds, Dauntless would linger about 30 to 40° heeled over, as I felt the wave pass under the boat. Only once, the day before, did the rail actually go under water by about a foot. At the time I had thought that we were pooped meaning a wave came over the stern in a following sea, but later I realized water had come over the lee side cap rail.
just a few days earlier,I had realized that the paravane stabilizers actually were least effective with a following sea and most effective with the sea and waves on the beam. The problem with beam seas is that it is also more dangerous in case of a big wave. But big is a relative term and while I knew it was uncomfortable, I also knew that the boat was built for this and there was certainly no danger.
So understanding the how and why is very important for me. Ignorance causes fear and the journey of Dauntless is just beginning, so we still have much to learn.
2015 starts for me like a blast from the past. Meaning, for the first time in a very long time, I don’t have this tremendous weight pressing on me. The challenges of the last 15 years have been overcome, and the fact that I am writing this while in Ireland, on Dauntless, means we have been successful.
Only in the last week however has this really sunk in, though maybe sunk is not the best term.
Since the end of our Atlantic Passage, the last four months have been a blur of activity. Since September, I have traveled to and around:
And I’m not even a Medallion on Delta Airlines anymore for the first time in 25 years!
Finally, by the third week in Italy, under the loving care of long of friends wo are more than even family, I was able to decompress and appreciate just how much we have done in the past few years.
And even take a breath. Getting back to Dauntless this past Saturday at 3:30 a.m. and finding her in the exact same mess I left her in so suddenly weeks earlier, was a relief. Just as I tried not to worry about the consequence of an engine failure in the middle of the Atlantic, I also tried not to worry about the Boat, while I was thousands of miles away and there was nothing to be done in any case.
It worked, but as the Dublin to Waterford bus got ever closer in a windy, rain storm, my imagination did start to become hyper active. So it was with great relief to find her, all as I left her, with no vagrants living aboard, still afloat and the lights still on (signifying the fridge and freezer were getting power).
As I was flogging my little rental car driving from Budoia to Bergamo for my late evening flight, I thought about the last months and all we have accomplished. A real feeling of contentment came over me. Knowing that even getting all of the traveling done this past fall, now allows me to concentrate on the projects that need to get done in the coming months. Maybe I’ll even put away the crap that has been in the second cabin since before we left the U.S.! That’s the real reason we have guests on board, it forces me to clean and organize.
It’s now Monday morning, 12 January 2015, and as I write this one of my projects is already done. I replaced my 120v radio with an automotive one of 12 volts. This stereo system was the last thing that was demanding I run the power inverter, to turn my 12 volt battery power to 120 v household current. Since the radio only used about 1 amp, but the inverter used 3 amps, it constantly irked my sense of efficiency.
And with every project completion, I learn a little more about the boat and every time I think I understand something, I learn a bit more. I have become a far more resourceful person in the last few years. In large part due to the Trawler Forum and Cruisers Forum; on Trawler Forum in particular, I have learned so much, but one of the most important lessons is there is seldom one right answer. If I were to ask an innocuous question like, “While tied to the dock this winter, should I start the engine periodically?” The answers would range from: “What, you have an engine” to “What, you turned off your engine?” But this range of responses is helpful in helping me see there are always many solutions to any particular issue. It helps my open minded brain be even more open minded.
But I still find I do many things two or even three times before getting it just right. For example, yesterday, I pulled two cables thru the boat, from the engine room to the pilot house, quite pleased with myself, until I realized that I had a three wire cable I should have used. So after ruminating about that for an hour, I decided to replace one of the wires with the new one, and leave the one unused for now. Finally getting into my cozy bed at midnight, I realized that I needed to change the on/off power source, which I did promptly this morning, but not before moving the wrong wire at first and wondering why nothing was working.
I’m quite entertaining at times.
You have to marvel at a culture that while is one of the hearts of Christianity, celebrates such a pagan custom in such a big way, Pan e Vin, as it is called in the Veneto. This was one of probably 5,000 fires (falò) last night throughout Northern Italy.
It’s what I’ve always loved about Italy and the Italians, their ability to bow to the institutions, while living their lives as they see fit. Thus the lowest birth rate in Europe.
As America becomes ever more about rules, the fight to whom writes those rules and intolerance for those who break them, Europe and Italy in particular, are still about life. Life as we have always lived it, for thousands of years, well before the church or various political institutions came into being and decided they know better how we should live. They tolerate those institutions and yes, even give respect to the new gods, yet know better than to clutter their lives with the minutiae of this and that, and understand that just as the old gods were replaced, so will be the new.
This tolerance is what first attracted me to Italy almost 40 years ago and as America has become more intolerant to virtually everything, except for lawyers, Italy and Europe continue living life as they have always, and thus the witch got burned last night, so we are safe for another year.
Already the plan has changed; not significantly, but it will give me more time in Ireland.
I’ve realized that it makes more sense not to depart Ireland, until I’m ready for the Schengen clock to start (my 3 months out of every 6). Therefore, we will use April and May to explore Ireland. Julie only has the 10 days Easter break during that time, so actual cruising will depend up who is aboard.
To that end, I’ve also put a posting on Cruiser’s Forum, for a Crewmate/roommate/conversation mate for winter and spring. We’ll see, the winter months I don’t have much to offer, but April and May could be nice. I have a number of projects that need to get done this winter and realize I just work better, more efficiently, with someone to bounce ideas off, help pull wires and just be around to help.
I have a few friends who have expressed interest in leaving Ireland with me in June as we start our odyssey on the continent. We’ll see. Dauntless is pretty well booked for the high summer months of July and August, but by September 1st, I expect to be back west, in Denmark and will need someone to help me get the boat back to Ireland, via Norway, the Shetlands, the Orkneys, Scotland and finally Ireland by month’s end.
As I am in Italy for another few days this holiday period, today, the 4th, Befana starts. Every town had built a big bonfire, 30 feet wide, 40 to 50 feet high, that will be burned tonight to symbolize the burning of the witch. Even small towns. One of the pagan rituals that has survived Christianity. I wish I could see a satellite shot. Maybe I can find an IR satellite picture tonight, but it would probably need the resolution of a polar orbiting satellite, not the ubiquitous GOES.
But the real point of this story is that I get so excited talking about our future plans with Dauntless, 2015, but also 2016 and 2017. This is where I must manage my expectations, so that I do not take away from the present Baltic trip, because I am thinking of the Pacific crossing. On the positive side, by having a plan in the back of my mind, it allows me to refine and think of contingencies well before we ever execute it.
Tugboat related issues, comments, and opinion.
My life as an airline pilot
Exploring America with our four border collies.
Voyages of Richard on a Kadey Krogen 42
A Modern Adventure
Dauntless at Sea 