Final Leg Final Blog

Farr Gone Blog
Stuart Cannon
Thu 11 Aug 2011 00:30
Sadly this will be the last entry before Farr Gone reaches the shores of Oz. Without a laptop it's not possible to connect so I hope to write some stuff on the way, save it as drafts and upload it when I get in to Bundy. Thank heavens for the iPad. I'm surprised how much I miss the phone with all the apps for conversions and navigational assistance. Definitely getting another when I get back. I've lost quite a few photos that were on the phone and laptop which saddens.
The boat has received some serious tlc over the last couple of days. The bilges are spotless, floorboards polished and the salt removed from the insides. The stove still has clogged burners but they are resisting my attempts to fix them. I've got one burner going at about a candle power so if you're patient a cup of coffee is possible. The fridge works on a couple of hours a day basis which is fine if it's left closed but if you want something then there's a problem. Apart from those issues all else seems in great shape. Oh, the wind instruments I'm ignoring as I plan on replacing them on my return. And besides, who needs them? The wind is either good or bad and I can tell easily enough where it's coming from. My mattress is still a bit damp. It needs a week in an air-conditioned room unless someone out there has a great tip for drying them. The weather here is too humid to get things really dry and it's not easy to get the mattress in the sun when it's out.
Vanuatu does seem lovely and in general the people are very friendly. There is a plethora of quite unattractive tourists here with very loud voices but they are quite easy to avoid. My arrival and subsequent robbery have tainted my view of the place unfairly I'm sure. That and the fact that it's been very difficult to get everything back on track. It took three days to get the dinghy to stay inflated and when that was finally achieved the motor was no good. I'm still waiting on that to come back so the old arms are getting a workout rowing miles each day. Guess that's not doing me any harm though. If the outboard comes back today I'll do some provisioning and get the piles of laundry back on the boat and it should be possible to do the checkout tomorrow. Fingers crossed that happens and the weather is favorable.
Thanks profoundly are due to those who have been so supportive throughout the trip and especially the recent past. It has made the life of a solo sailor not feel lonely. I've met so many great people, many of whom I hope will become lifelong friends and I've had happy coincidences, meeting people who I had things in common with. While Jack was playing pool in Apia, yes a fifteen year old in a bar, (he won by the way with the help of his partner) I was chatting to an archeologist who was in Samoa on a convention. He was based at Lae university. When I told him I had worked there he wanted to know all the details. It turns out the structure I had built had become very important to the future of the bird of paradise and he was thrilled to meet me. I didn't have to buy a drink all night and was made to feel just great. I was also treated to a highly detailed explanation of how the pacific was settled by humans. Very interesting stuff. These sorts of happenstances seem to keep happening and they are very enjoyable. The people I met at the start of the trip and in Mexico are still in touch and it's always a delight to hear from them. A great group of people.
The next leg of the sail has more navigational interest in it than the entire previous part of the trip. Some time has been spent on plotting a course between the reefs that dot the route into Australia just so that there are no unfortunate surprises. It will mean that sleep will have to be more controlled than ever but hey, it's only a week right?
Ah well, time to go and prepare. Thanks once again to all those who have been such a great help, and to those who just read the blog and have let me know. It's all been quite uplifting and the trip has been so much more memorable because of it. Thanks especially to Warren and Will for their ever-present support and weather guidance. Couldn't have done it without them. It would also be remiss to not thank Tracey for her tireless organizing of details without which I couldn't have enjoyed this indulgence.


Sent from my iPad