Capt. Bligh Reenactment

[Get-a-Life]

Cust saw on the news that a bunch od guys have just re-enacted Capatain Bilghs voyage across the Pacific in an open boat the same as Blighs.

They were so serious that they did not use modern navigation equipment or even take toilet paper.

It took them just 6 hours longer to sail the course than Capt. Bligh just goes to show how good Bligh was.

Incidentally, one of the men was Don McIntyre, the owner of Jessica Watsons boat, also the guy that sailed down to Antartica with his wife and lived there for a year.

Reckless or lucky? Not a bad fellow to have on your team, JW.

[chrome dome]

that should read "almost the same as Blighs"..
it wasn't an exact copy..
dunno what is more impressive, the trip or going without dunny paper for months

[Doodles]

Wonder what the public response would have been if they had had to be rescued?

[Get-a-Life]

The point is, they didn't need to be rescued!

Maybe because they planned the trip properly and had the right boat, or then again it could be that they weren't in the Southern Ocean in winter.

Luck only plays a small part were there is skill involved.

Cheers

[Doodles]

Don't get me wrong, I'm not questioning what they did or anything. Actually, I think its pretty cool.

Just that after all the Abby S. debate, I was wondering if some folks might classify this as a "stunt", something to make money on (write a book?), etc. They certainly were not "prepared" for an ocean voyage and could have gotten in trouble and needed rescuing costing taxpayers money.

Again, I have no problem with the reenactment, even applaud it. Just seemed a bit ironic with the other debate that still going on.

[Richard Harper]

Not a true reenactment unless someone gets eaten.

[justwaiting]

advance planning trip by the pit crew for the next teenager???

[Get-a-Life]

Could be.

12 year old girl from USA in open 14ft racing skiff.

Expecting that it is her right to go and be rescued no doubt.

[mintyspilot]

Originally Posted by Doodles

Just that after all the Abby S. debate, I was wondering if some folks might classify this as a "stunt", something to make money on (write a book?), etc. They certainly were not "prepared" for an ocean voyage and could have gotten in trouble and needed rescuing costing taxpayers money.

Yep! I'd call it a stunt. Bligh did it because he had no choice. It was get into the boat or be killed by the mutineers.

Reckless? I don't know. How different was their boat from Bligh's? They had 4 crew, Bligh had 19. One big difference from Jessica, Abby, Zac, et al. was that everyone on board was 18 or older. They are adults. They can risk their neck if they want to. They made a decision and put themselves at risk, unlike the parents of these teeangers who allow their kids to bear the risk.

[Doodles]

Originally Posted by mintyspilot

Yep! I'd call it a stunt. Bligh did it because he had no choice. It was get into the boat or be killed by the mutineers.

Reckless? I don't know. How different was their boat from Bligh's? They had 4 crew, Bligh had 19. One big difference from Jessica, Abby, Zac, et al. was that everyone on board was 18 or older. They are adults. They can risk their neck if they want to. They made a decision and put themselves at risk, unlike the parents of these teeangers who allow their kids to bear the risk.

Would you have advocated sending them the bill if they had had to be rescued?

[mintyspilot]

Originally Posted by Doodles

Would you have advocated sending them the bill if they had had to be rescued?

That is a different and, in my opinion, a trickier issue.

Countries run rescue services as part of their social infrastructure and the people in those rescue services get paid whether they sit in the office or dangle from helicopters. Admittedly there are extra costs like fuel or equipment used in a rescue, but it is not an all or nothing game.

So the cost argument is not totally clear. From the rescue services point of view I worry more about the safety of the rescuers, but they are grown ups who want to do it and know the risks they are running.

In other areas of life we often ask people doing unusually risky activities to insure themselves against mishap and I would say that wanting to sail 3000 miles in a open boat with minimal food or water is unusually risky, but at the same time if they do get into difficulties they'll probably sink without trace so rescuing them might not be an issue.

I think, on balance, it is the mark of a civilised society that we try to help those in need regardless of how the need arose. The problem with insurance is do we ask for a certificate before we winch them up? If they didn't have one, would you zoom off and leave them to their fate or pull them up and jail them?

I don't know. What do you think?

[Spirit28]

Don McIntyre - not your average sailor. In addition to owning Ellas Pink Lady as mentioned, he has also been in a single handed round the world race as well as sailing back and forth to Antarctica numerous times. He even spent a winter down at Mawson’s Hut at Commonwealth Bay with only his wife as company.

The boat was not an exact replica of Bligh’s boat and is about 1m shorter. The boat apparently is closer to the "Caird" that was used in the rescue of the crew of the Endurance stranded in the Antartic. The Endurance became trapped in Ice and was eventually crushed and sunk leaving the crew with what they could salvage from the ship (including the "Caird").

McIntyre is thinking about recreating Shackleton’s voyage from Antarctica to Sth Georgia (dig out a chart and see where this is!!) once he recovers from the one just completed - that will be one to watch!! I highly recommend Alfred Lansing’s book titled "Endurance" that recounts the 1915 ordeal.

I think McIntyre lives here in Tasmania these days - during his voyage he would call (by sat phone) one of the local radio stations each Sunday to give an update. Made for very interesting listening.

[Get-a-Life]

Yes, Don lives just up the road from me in Tasmania.

He is quite a character and knowing Don if had been in need of rescuing, then it would have been by his own people, because he would have had a team on standby somewhere ready for any problems or emergencies at his own expense.

The point being, he did not need rescuing and to ask hypothetical questions like "What would we feel like if he needed rescueing?" is plain dumb. It's a bit like asking what if any succesful venture had needed rescuing?

My guess also, and it is only a guess, the boat probably had lots of sealed bouyancy chambers and there was no hope of it ever sinking.

[Spirit28]

Oh - by the way... The voyage was also a fund raiser for research into Motor Neurone Disease. He is aiming to raise around $250K for the cause. The voyage maybe a stunt maybe - but very worthwhile!

[justwaiting]

Originally Posted by mintyspilot

That is a different and, in my opinion, a trickier issue.

Countries run rescue services as part of their social infrastructure and the people in those rescue services get paid whether they sit in the office or dangle from helicopters. Admittedly there are extra costs like fuel or equipment used in a rescue, but it is not an all or nothing game.

So the cost argument is not totally clear. From the rescue services point of view I worry more about the safety of the rescuers, but they are grown ups who want to do it and know the risks they are running.

Please make your arguments baised on facts. Most rescue and emergency server personal in this country do not get paid. Often rescuse are carried out by non emergency personal and none of them ask people to take risks to give them a purpose in life. Prehaps the link below may assist you to get a more realist perspective. If i break down off the coast i will get a bill for the assistance in addition to the contribution that i have already made through licences. Sorry but thats the way it is.

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