Hello from 43S

[yockman]

Hi,

Yockman here from Tasmania, small island state below the Australian mainland.

I've always wanted to do a sailing trip and thought one day I might be offered a trip to Sydney or perhaps if I was really lucky, all the way to new Zealand. A mate of 25 years has bought a yacht in Italy which he has been sailing there for the last few months. He's leaving Gibraltar soon to cross the Atlantic. This is where I get lucky.

He has asked me to join him in the Carribbean for a few months, to take the boat through Panama to Galapagos to Tahiti. I'll get off there and fly home.

The plan is to meet around Christmas on Martinique, and to be in Tahiti by late March. It's not really a problem if we only get to the Marquesas.

I have very little sailing experience but have spent 25 years in tough southern waters tuna fishing, so i understand rough, cold and wet. No experience in extended times at sea, no experience of tropical conditions apart from a bit of time in Darwin, about 11S.

The boat is a 43' aluminium job, which came up A1 on the survey.

I plan to fly to Miami, have a look round for a few days, then catch a flight to Martinique.

I guess I'll have a lot of questions in the coming weeks, about everything - what to take (and not), how to prepare, what to do before departing, etc, etc.

I look forward to hearing from you, and who knows, we might meet up somewhere along the way.

Cheers,
Yockman

[Sabbatical II]

G'day Yockman

There's plenty of Aussies on this forum and plenty of normal people as well. Good luck with the sailing plans.

Greg

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by yockman

Hi,
25 years in tough southern waters tuna fishing, so i understand rough, cold and wet.

Ummmmmmmmm your Caribbean - Galapagos trip will make you think we're all pussy.

Originally Posted by yockman

how to prepare, what to do before departing, etc, etc.

Rum. Train with it. I know its not a mans drink - its not Cascade - you'll have to force the first few litres down the hatch (hold the nose, look out lips, look out tongue, ready tum cos here it comes!)

Even the fish in the Caribbean don't look real! Like somone painted them!

Advice on flying into the USA, if you haven't been there before. A friend of mine is doing similar to meet up with me in January (if the American boarder police just don't arrest him for being ugly) he is flying into Orlando, Florida and renting a car to do Disney World and then going to Cape Canaveral and driving down to Miami. One way Car rentals are cheap in the US.
That sort of diversion doesnt cost much (sleep in the car) and Disney world is about the worlds best days value at $90 for a full day pass.

Weather for your whole trip is shorts and Tshirt stuff and a jumper for the Galapagos as its a bit cold there - not Tasmanian cold, but not equatorial either.


You'll love it


Mark

[yockman]

Thanks Greg and Mark. Aussies and normal people! Wouldn't want to be part of the latter group.

We'll see about thinking you're pussies up there. The constant heat could be a challenge. The pic shows our local conditions, although the hail doesn't show up too well.

Mark your suggestion about flying into Orlando and driving south sounds good. I need to book flights soon so I should sort this out soon. Which way to go - west to Tampa, then south and across to Miami, down the east coast or down the middle? I've googled this a few times and only found locals arguing over whether Celine Dion's house is a must-see for visitors. I'm more interested in flora and fauna than in cityscapes.

Cheers
Yockman

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by yockman

Mark your suggestion about flying into Orlando and driving south sounds good. I need to book flights soon so I should sort this out soon. Which way to go - west to Tampa, then south and across to Miami, down the east coast or down the middle?

If you go east from Orlando you hit Cape Canaveral where they sent the Apollo rockets to the moon and they still send the space shuttles up. Theres as old Saturn V rocket on the ground to have a look at and there’s a museum there -

NASA - Kennedy Space Center Home Page

Kennedy Space Center is like an Orlando-style space-travel theme park - only it's real! It's a great day out for the whole family, and only 45 minutes from Orlando. You'll need to plan on spending at least a full day to explore NASA's launch headquarters, located on a huge island wildlife refuge eight times the size of Manhattan.

And the drive along the beaches from there to Miami is nice. In a Gold Coast sort of way... kind of you gotta see it to believe it. LOL

[yockman]

Thanks Mark, sounds good.

Plans keep changing atm, thinking I might land a bit further afield eg Houston, maybe even NY,and take a longer drive.

Sailing plans still unchanged.

Rum. Mmmmmm

Yock

[Jim Cate]

G'Day Yockman,

Welcome to CF. This place is indeed populated by Aussies and other unusual fauna. Despite that, it's an interesting venue, so keep your eyes peeled.

Meanwhile, you are leaving Tassie and heading for the tropics, whilst Ann and I have left the tropics (CAirns) and are headed for Tassie. Maybe you've got the right idea, for it's been downright chilly here in Gladstone the past few evenings! We hope that you enjoy the milk run as much as we have... it will give you a new appreciation for SW Cape!

Cheers and enjoy it all

Jim and Ann s/v Insatiable II lying Gladstone Qld Oz, southbound

[yockman]

Thank you Jim and Ann

The milk run? So that's what they call it! Sounds great.

Can't say I've made it to SW Cape yet but have spent many a long day at the Raoul and the Pillar.

When do you expect to be in Tas and do yuo think you'll get to the Tasman Peninsula?

Yockman

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by yockman

Thank you Jim and Ann

The milk run? So that's what they call it! Sounds great.

Can't say I've made it to SW Cape yet but have spent many a long day at the Raoul and the Pillar.

When do you expect to be in Tas and do yuo think you'll get to the Tasman Peninsula?

Yockman

G'DAy again,

Our aim is to attend the Wooden Boat affair which is in early Feb, so we hope to be in Tassie long before that... early January would be nice. But we've got somewhere around 1300 miles to go and so far nothing but SE winds, so no real idea of our ETA. And we will almost certainly be in the Peninsula area at some time... Fortescue and Wedge Bay are a couple of our favorite anchorages.

Cheers,

Jim and Ann s/v Insatiable II lying Gladstone Qld Oz, southbound

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha and welcome aboard!
Please keep us posted on your progress.
kind regards,