Meeting Matthew
Nakesa
Tue 20 Nov 2012 01:45
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S22 15 E 171 22
Meeting
Matthew
Imagine my suprise when 250 miles from anywhere I
sight a great, green, towering volcanic Island.
It is just off the port beam now (left hand side
you lubbers!) and in dead calm and bright sunshine I am scouring cruising guides
to find out something about it.
Only two even acknowledge its existence at all and
then only as a small dot on the chart...a dot that disappears when you zoom out
very far on an electronic chart..which is one of their drawbacks for ocean
sailing! I learnt this on the Atlantic crossing in 2010 when , 1000nm out and
5miles deep, we passed a charted reef claimed to be 2.8m. As these thigs are the
result sometimes of a single report I somehow disbelieve it ..but I wasnt so
sure as to go looking for it either! Since then I now have a chart plotter on
a 10 mile range for such things and the other showing start and finish, in
this case zoomed out to 1800nm, Fiji to Sydney.
Of the two books that show Matthew Island neither
say a word about it. I believe it is a part of Vanuatu. It has a brother 40nm to
the south called 'Hunter' The chart says of this...'overfalls, floating
light coloured foam and sulpherous vapour' ...and you were wondering
where to next go on holiday?? As for Matthew it looks beautiful, just a wisp of
smoke coming from the top, I have just taken a picture for when I am next on
Facebook. I actually feel very privelidged, I bet very few people have ever seen
Matthew..one day I may come back and claim it..create a new Nation. I will
be the President and Foreign Minister, I will sail for the Matthew Island
Olympic Team and I will certainly be the best in the country at just about
everything!
We will make fair and happy nation where the
resident go about their business in a meaningful and happy way. there will be no
religion and no politicians..we will not invade the Middle East for oil or any
other reason and there will certainly be no..reality shows, parking tickets,
dentists, lawyers, definitely no lawyers but then as everyone will be reasonable
a fair minded, none will be necessary.
I am getting quite excited, I will choose a Michael
Jackson song as the National Anthem and the national dress will be DJ's for men
and very skimpy bikinis for women (notionally you understand as there are none.
Prince Charles will NOT be welcome on his way back from NZ but Harry can
helicopter in if he wants for a rave!
I will spend a few hours writing the constitution I
think..now what was that good bit in the other one, pursuit of
happiness..liberty and justice for all and then I can just borrow from rap
songs for the rest.
Ah well, I must now set my mind on more immediate
matters, getting to Sydney in a 6 knot wind making only 2.9 knots with 1271nm to
go
Love to you all
from
His Majesty the Right Royal King of Matthew
Island
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