Unfortunate turn!

[Starbuck]

Um, these guys are about to face the most demanding part of their journey. If their luck runs out and they end in disaster, it will wind up being a rather morbid bet. I don't think any of us would enjoy betting against them and winning.

[Alan Wheeler]

No Jeff, it's the Kiwi sense of humour. I wasn't seriuose.

[craigc]

C'mon are you guys really serious??!!

You all seem to offer doom and gloom scenarios to what Pat and Ali are *actually* doing.
They have made it from the US to Aus without any *real* dramas, and have coped with what has been thrown at them (by whatever means) period.
You have, no doubt, read some of the cruising books they have read and, are indeed offered as recommended reading by any cruising site on the net *and* would you be so bold as to suggest that any of the authors advised that any cruise would be incident free ?

Indeed all the authors probably relayed the little and larger problems that plagued their cruise with frustrating monoteny.
Isnt the irony of repairs and problems the constant of cruising aka repairing a SV in exotic locales?

Myself and my wife are also young(ish) and are about to set off on a similar voyage.
Did we wait until we retired,,, nah.
Did I wait until my future was clear and secure and we had a clear retirement plan? ... nah.
Did we work our arses off for 6 years to make it happen.... yeah.
Does that mean we had rich daddies?... yeah we wish.
Did we adhere to the societel rule of the JOB (just over broke) until you you retire then somehow exist on some crap government pension..... no.
There you go, all your preconceptions about Pat and Ali just went out the window, *anyone* can do it *if* they want to and have the drive. Period.

We, like Pat and Ali took life by the horns and made it what we wanted, it was hard, 7 days a week for 6 years, but hey, we are there now and in another 18 months you tossers will probably be saying the same about our website.... I hope so...:-)

So to all those who are critical, and indeed I feel like going back thru the thread and hauling you all out, let us see your logs, lay bare the threads of your circumnavigation, those whose words we should hold in the highest esteem.
Hmm somehow I think I am not going to see to many site links following, funny that...........*sigh*........

[CSY Man]

Hmm somehow I think I am not going to see to many site links following, funny that...........*sigh*........

Sorry, don't have a site or a link.

Too busy sailing and fixing my boat to write goofy artciles about
my blunders.
Is that the future of crusing: Rush from one internet cafe to another just to write about the previous passage, oil-change or dinner..????

Decided to not have a lap-top or e-mail on the boat, trying to get away from that stuff instead of bringing it aboard.


Plenty of sailing logs however and also a circumnavigation or two
(As a paid hand)

Not everybody is waiting for retirement to go cruising...Where did ya get that idea...?

[craigc]

CSY Man once whispered in the wind:
Sorry, don't have a site or a link.

Too busy sailing and fixing my boat to write goofy artciles about
my blunders.
Is that the future of crusing: Rush from one internet cafe to another just to write about the previous passage, oil-change or dinner..????

Decided to not have a lap-top or e-mail on the boat, trying to get away from that stuff instead of bringing it aboard.


Plenty of sailing logs however and also a circumnavigation or two
(As a paid hand)

Not everybody is waiting for retirement to go cruising...Where did ya get that idea...?

Sorry but don't know if a lap or two as a paid hand really counts in comparision to what Pat and Ali are doing.
That being said you have have rounded so you have more miles under your belt than I, presumably.
Roll your eyes all you like but doing a trip as a job and buy a boat and doing *your thing* rate a little differently.
Now I,m not sure CSY if you were/are one of the critics but I think I should dump the thread and go back thru it just to see who are and aren't.
Guess we'll see then... later...

[CSY Man]

Sorry but don't know if a lap or two as a paid hand really counts in comparision to what Pat and Ali are doing.

Never claimed that it compared either...In fact I have never mentioed it untill you asked.

Roll your eyes all you like but doing a trip as a job and buy a boat and doing *your thing* rate a little differently.

Relax man, I have also owned my own sailboats and been full time live aboard and all that..No need to explain the difference.
Not going to splash my entire resume on these here pages just to prove a point..(Not sure which or what point), but I have sailed a few years and also made a living as a yacht captain.

I Certainly respect young folks that wants to break out of the mold and do something entirely different than their fathers or mothers...(I did), but to do it without brains or common sense seems a bit silly....No?

[craigc]

CSY Man once whispered in the wind:
but to do it without brains or common sense seems a bit silly....No?

So you have *obviously* never met Pat or Ali and yet you *assume*....
I guess on your paid trips all was sweet then..... and you are loaded with brains and commom sense...
Hmm common sense dictates if that were the case then you would be doing what Pat and Ali are doing ......
Oh I'm seeing Catch 22 and Dejvu all at once here... time for bed....
Craig

[CSY Man]

So you have *obviously* never met Pat or Ali and yet you *assume*....

Well, not really assuming anything, just reading their blog.
To head for various countries without researching visa requirements seems to indicate a lack of common sense.

guess on your paid trips all was sweet then..... and you are loaded with brains and commom sense...

My paid trips were usually hard work, as in manual labor, can't call 'em sweet.

Not loaded with brains, but try to use common sense.

Hmm common sense dictates if that were the case then you would be doing what Pat and Ali are doing ......

Not sure of your logic on this one...Perhaps the other way around?

Oh I'm seeing Catch 22 and Dejvu all at once here...

I don't, but we are all different.

[Mario]

This is getting more interesting every day.

So you say you don't have time nor the will to do a website or keep a laptop or email on your boat, but you take the time to come here everyday to criticise the sites that others, with hard work, created especially for their families and also for us curious or fellow cruisers. Can't really see any logic here, but then again, you tell us.

I have told already that most of the websites are good, some are excelent, but not all them are fun. Pat and Ali's is fun.

I will write here the links of the websites I follow, which I think are good:

Bumfuzzle: www.bumfuzzle.com

Billabong: http://www.neoscape.com/billabong/index.htm

Sail Whisper: http://www.sailwhisper.com/index.html

JASP: http://www.yachtjasp.com/

Hacking family: http://www.hackingfamily.com/

These are all good websites, with young and not so young people, travelling the same destinations (more or less) and providing different kinds of information.

It's great that they take some time to do these websites, sharing experiences, motivating others like me for doing it in the future, and also for some fun reading.

Why don't you do it? Well, I'll just tell you that if everyone who has done something great in their lives was selfish enough not to share it with others, the world would be poorer.

And besides, we younger guys were almost born with internet, so emails and websites are a part of or beings. Maybe this generation clash is showing itself.

[CSY Man]

So you say you don't have time nor the will to do a website or keep a laptop or email on your boat, but you take the time to come here everyday to criticise the sites that others, with hard work, created especially for their families and also for us curious or fellow cruisers. Can't really see any logic here, but then again, you tell us.

Yeah, I do spend too much time on the internet.
Right now because the boat is in the yard and I can't sail.

Can't say I have been critiziing the sites of others..?

I have qustioned some of the actions and lack of preparations we are discussing here, but that being said, I take my hat off to anybody that wants to break loose and go sailing.

Can't see any logic..?

Sorry, can't help ya with that one.

It's great that they take some time to do these websites, sharing experiences, motivating others like me for doing it in the future, and also for some fun reading

Good for you and others who "follow" the travels and adventures of others....I don't.
Prefer instead to put the anchor down and read a good book, but that of course is a personal choice and neither choice is "good" or "bad".

Why don't you do it? Well, I'll just tell you that if everyone who has done something great in their lives was selfish enough not to share it with others, the world would be poorer.

Perhaps I am selfish, OR I have not done anything great enough to share on the internet?

Enjoy sitting down with good friends and telling stories and having good converstations instead....Again, personal choices...No
sure that is selfish?

And besides, we younger guys were almost born with internet, so emails and websites are a part of or beings. Maybe this generation clash is showing itself.

Generation clash?

Dunno about that, I was on the internet pretty early on, but find it a bit boring to spend too much time here.
(And I have spent way too time in the past glued to the 'computer monitor)
1/2 hour a day is plenty for entertainment, then some 'net time for work and business.


Would rather be sailing however, but have a choice between a divorce or full time cruising....If I was selfish I would be out there in the islands right now and leave a broken family behind.
Not a good choice.

[Mario]

Hey listen
Well I don't intend to make it personal.

I just think there are many problems in our world far more important to deal with than two guys that set out like they did.

To me, it's more important to deal with global warming and these weather patterns changes we're seeing (not to mention all the wars that kill so many innocent people) than being worried or even discuss two guys for their actions.

If you think about all those thousands of african kids that will die of hunger before they even get to understand what being alive is, come on, then we know we are previliged people, discussing our hobbies and don't giving a damn about what really matters.

I see to many sh*t everyday while driving or even watching the news that what we're discussing here, although many of you have a point, and even I wouldn't do it like they did, I just feel that it's their problem. If they have problems, they are the ones that will have to deal with them.

As for the concern about the ones that would eventually have to rescue them, well, that's their job, and they will do it whether it's them or you. They'll face the consequences afterwards, if that should be the case.

As I have always said, for me what's important in relation to this is that I have a good time reading their logs, and that they have a great time.

The same applies for the rest of you guys.

Apart from that, I just hope your life takes a positive turn and that you'll reconsider and go sailing again and make a good site for us to follow. Unfortunately I don't have the means to do the same, for now, but it makes me glad that some of those who can just go out and do it. One day it will be my turn!

[boredinthecity]

Mario

a web site for you to have a look at

http://www.vmraq.org.au/ourhistory.asp

in part these reads

Air Sea Rescue Association was first formalised in 1977, and effected it? name change to VOLUNTEER MARINE RESCUE ASSOCIATION QLD. INC. in January of 1990.
Whilst Marine Rescue is not new (Since Man Built Ships), Units were first formalised in 1965 at Point Danger and Mackay, followed shortly by Southport.
This development of Units then continued throughout the State, generally based on perceived needs by local communities. These Volunteer services are provided by people from all walks of life.

Its not their JOB it is a service that they provide to the community

[boredinthecity]

Mario

Another set of people that do rescues here
http://www.coastguard.com.au/main.htm

Is it their job to rescue peole who think that saftey is a joke

[boredinthecity]

Mario

I understand your concerns about unnecessary suffering, this is a crusing forum lets get back to water

Drowning
In 2000 an estimated 450,000 people drowned, making it the second leading cause of unintentional injury death globally after road traffic injuries.

97% of all drowning deaths occurred in low and middle-income countries. The Western Pacific and South East Asia regions account for 60% of the mortality and DALYs (disability adjusted life years).
source
http://www.developmentgateway.com.au...ng/en/pid/1179

Is this funny

[Alan Wheeler]

Wow up here guy's. Now one thing this site ain't going to become is a mud slinging site. I have stated that before and I know Gord and the creater of this place ain't going to let it happen either.
OK, SO BOTH SIDE'S of this argument are at fault. Me included. Lets tone all this down.
NO ONE here needs to justify or be justified as to their carreers of boating, nor to their computer abilities with a site or whatever.
EVERYONE is included here, no matter what skills, what experiance what age, what ever. ALSO,
PAT AND ALI ARE NOT THE TARGETS HERE. They just happend to make themselves famouse, infamouse, whatever, by making their site a public domain. IT is NOT them personally that is being targeted. It is the nievity to experiance that is.
Now I am not belittling ANYONE here, but Mario and CraigC, honestly, can you answer this? What do you do when faced with 50kts and 50ft sea's. Have you ever experianced that? Just come and sail through our Cookstraight or Oz's Bass straight in what would be 75% the norm of weather down here. And before you ask, yes I have. But first time as crew. I needed to be taught by someone with experiance on what and how to do it, before I attempted it myself. I feel a little more bullit proof with my 45fter, but I have a cousing that sails this stretch with his family, at night in a trailer sailer. He has done so for years, is very experianced and they all love it, especially when it does get ruff.
I am sorry guy's, but you just simply can not ever understand the danger you place yourselves and rescuers in, untill you experiance such conditions. BUT maybe your do, and I am NOT questioning your abilities. BUT, Pat and Ali have left themselves wide open for critisim when Pat does such and inconcievable thing such as camaflouge a rescue Item. It leaves me dumbfounded. It's so stupid, I am at the point of wondering if infact all they write is real, or just a series of writeings to envoke comment.

Now, LETS ALL calm down here and learn from each other. I for one still have LOTS to learn and I can learn it from everyone that participates here, no matter what their experiance. So instead of arguing, how bout we all add some positive bent towards this thread.
I am darned if I am going to let this place, that I have made my Home page, become nasty like one other site that was once famouse as a BB. It is all but destroyed now and it is sad. And the reason? because ones started blaming others for things that never actually happend. It was softeware related.

Gord, if you like, please comment on my Post. Am I out of line here???