Fate ?

[SurferShane]

Toward the end of an over 1100 km voyage last night I set anchor at Seal Rocks. This morning I continued to read Captain Joshua Slocum’s “Sailing Alone Around the World” (1900). After yesterday reading delightful passages about the joys of celestial navigation and the hospitality of Samoa this morning I read,

[I] arrived at Newcastle after a passage of forty-two days,…. I made land around Seal Rocks, beating back and forth but weathered them at last.

Coincidence or maybe even fate?

[sarafina]

small world, huh?

that's cool Shane...

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by SurferShane

Coincidence or maybe even fate?

We kept bumping into him all along the Australian coast!

In a couple of chapters time is some interesting stuff.
We were at Lizard Island and needed to get to Darwin quickly so were going to do the trip in one passage.
People told us it was impossible! CAN'T be done! Navigating the reef at night was unsafe!

Slocum in Chapter XV relates the exact same problem: "A skilled officer of the Royal Navy... advised.. sailing nights would jeopardize my vessel." Slocum then says: "the best Admiralty charts made it possible for me to keep sailing night and day."

So, of course if Slocum could do it so can we!

Its a wonderful book and it was truly a sad moment when we split from his route and turned left into Darwin. We had still been using his advice in the Arafura sea

It would be a great voyage to follow his frrom beginning to end... excluding the boat building!

Maybe it is fate for you, and you will have to keep following Slocum.



Mark

[Fast Forward]

Originally Posted by SurferShane

Toward the end of an over 1100 km voyage last night I set anchor at Seal Rocks. This morning I continued to read Captain Joshua Slocum’s “Sailing Alone Around the World” (1900). After yesterday reading delightful passages about the joys of celestial navigation and the hospitality of Samoa this morning I read,

[I] arrived at Newcastle after a passage of forty-two days,…. I made land around Seal Rocks, beating back and forth but weathered them at last.

Coincidence or maybe even fate?

.... pretty cool indeed! Enough to put a smile on your dial and spark a new topic of conversation for weeks to come!

[Starbuck]

Slocum's skill as a navigator shouldn't be under-appreciated, especially considering some of the rudimentary equipment he had at his disposal.

[James S]

I enjoyed ready Slocum, but just a note.....he was lost at sea!

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by James S

I enjoyed ready Slocum, but just a note.....he was lost at sea!

Yes, but that was near the Horn.

[s/v Beth]

Didn't Slocum leave a lot of important things undone on his boat before sailing off on his final voyage?It has been a while ago that I read about his last days, but I got the impression that he almost willed himself to go that way...

[GordMay]

Slocum disappeared, and was never seen after setting sail from Vineyard Haven on November 14, 1909.

He was believed to be heading for the Caribbean (his usual winter home), although he’d recently expressed an interest in exploring the Orinoco, Rio Negro, and Amazon Rivers.

It’s doubtful he died anywhere near the horn.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by GordMay

It’s doubtful he died anywhere near the horn.

Thank you Gord.


See, Nicolle, I am failable!


Mark

[FrankZ]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Thank you Gord.


See, Nicolle, I am failable!


Mark

Why do I think she had no doubts about that already.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by FrankZ

Why do I think she had no doubts about that already.

Mark

[SurferShane]

Thanks all

- I must have run into him again that day.

After a superb day on the water the northerly became fresh at night perfect to push me down to Newcastle. Despite this good fate my alternator was failing causing my voltage to drop and tiller pilot to malfunction. As a result I had to hand steer through the cold night too port. Instead of fretting as I looked across the classic lines of my little ketch at sea all I could think about was Captain Slocum’s admiration of the "Spray"; such a simple and seaworthy little boat!

[unbusted67]

He's still alive. marrying people in Vegas.

[Christian Van H]

I'm proud to live in New Jersey, the state Joshua Slocum was jailed in for exposing himself to a young girl... Actually, I'm not at all proud to live in New Jersey...

I want to see Gord prove THIS one wrong...