Sailing: It's not always cookies, cream and fine aged scotch...;

Sometimes its hard work. It was a long hard slog to Buol, my friends. Damn near lost my mind sometimes. Sailed for 7 days and nights, either against the wind, or no wind at all, for the most part. We had to motor a fair bit. The no wind times are the worst. Sitting there it the still, humid heat, bobbing like a rubber ducky. Quite often going backwards with the current. Been getting some serious cabin fever also. Things are very tense a lot of the time between me and the skipper. He treats me like a kid, never listens or gives me any respect and constantly hassles me. I never back down, either. We're both at fault, though and under a lot of stress. These things are bound to happen when stuck in a boat with someone so different for so long, under such conditions, I suppose. Learning a thing or two about patience, respect and self-control.

My time at the wheel on these stretches is long. I spend at least 18 hours/24 average at the helm over the compass, around the clock. Averaging about 1-3 hours sleep. And never in my life have I eaten so many 2 minute noodles. not even at uni! Tea consumption is also at unprecedented levels.

We saw our fair share of dangers out there too. Ran into a big mooring drum late one night that could well have done alot of damage to a fiberglass catamaran, but gold ol' steel-frame Olza was unscathed. On night four, about midnight big thunderclouds began building in all directions around us, surrounding us. Slowly but surely they converged upon us, leaving a gauntlet in front like a corridor between the storms. It was like being on Gladiators in the gauntlet, except with Odin, Thor and Zeus as the gladiators. Still the stars were above as we sailed into the eye of the storm. Then all was still, with chaos all around. Suddenly the sky closed over and everything was black. So, so black. Lightning started to hit very close to us in all directions every 3 minutes or so. The wind howled, the rain poured down and the whole Sky Trembled and roared with power. Moments like these really put the Fear of God into a man. The whole experience lasted for a good 2 hours. Truly terrifying at first, but after a while you get used to it, the feeling that you could well die, and just go for it. Really exciting stuff, friends. Was singing "Riders on the storm" real loud and enjoying myself. Give me danger and stormy weather over midday heat waiting for wind any day.
 Night six I was out on appointment with the red bucket, when I saw a black shape very near our course. It turned out to be a boat moored to a bouy. No lights, nothing. Were very luck to have missed it. Lucky I heeded the call of the wild and saw it, surely would have ended in disaster.

But, here we are, alive and kicking. Getting some Diesel, food and things before we begin our last Indonesian run towards Nunukan in Indonesian Borneo. From there we say selamat jalan Indonesia, and Apa kabar Malaysia. Going to be a long stretch one feels between here and there. I'm thinking around 2 weeks. Looking at the geography of the stretch too, I reckon winds and currents could be strong coming out of the Makassar straight, but anyways... Over and out gang stay safe and ill be in touch from Nunukan soon enough.

Drink up me hearties, Yo-ho

Crossing live to Manado, its Ron Burgundy; Post Shower. "Hello Bitches"

Ohhhh shit. Well Here I am in Manado. We have crossed the halfway mark of our voyage, the westward stretch to Borneo. Halfway there, livin on a prayer, unions on strike but fuck them. It took us 5 days to cross the Maluku Sea, the stretch of open water between Ternate and Sulawesi. We were constantly being pushed Northwards and East, as opposed to west, due to southwesterly winds and a constant current to match. Tricky sailing. But it was no biggie for The Skipper and I, the mangy bearded sea-dogs that we be, as you can see.
The old sea-legs played havoc with me upon landing the dinghy ashore, as i fell on my face and grazed the shit out of my knee on my first step on land. Impressive. This inspired a few local fisher-gents just bringing in their catch at 7.30am to invite me to join them for a glass of their home grown whiskey. Boys were fully on it. Pre-breakfast bingefest singalong. What a job! Fresh stuff. Lose one, win one.
After we spent the whole first day searching for and battling the fascist beauracracy of customs, immigration etc, I checked into a hotel last night in the name of humanity. Had my 2nd through 4th showers since I left Australian shores, and my first shave. (My beard and I definately weren't friends, in the end. I looked like the dude from Burzum after he got out of jail) Slept in a bed, went out in town and got drunk. So awesome. These things might sound pretty ho-hum and mundane to all you LAND LUBBERS out there, but believe me, I feel like Troy Mclure after all that good stuff. Fully legit.
So we leave wednesday, on our blazing trail of nautical decimation towrds Borneo, where I plan to make friends with a wild orangutan, and spend a night in the bat cave getting shat on. Actually I dont plan on doing that. Anywho..... I'm getting a tatoo tomorrow. Only reason I'm not getting it TODAY is because the place is shut sundays. Miss ya Dad.

Live from the base of the volcano: Ternate Indonesia, yo!

Ah salam gang, alive and well I be. Another 2 week stretch on the boat, north from Ambon, through the Maluku Islands in Indonesia, to Ternate, a city at the base of a volcano that last blew its top in 94. These dudes really do live on the edge haha. So heres how it panned out. We sailed from Ambon on the 7th, and dropped anchor the next afternoon out the front of a small village called Kelang. You should see this place hey. Tiny villages on the most incredible islands. Huge islands rising straight from the sea, covered in the best thickest rainforest. So remote too. That afternoon I saw A whale, breached like 20m from the boat. Absolutely epic. Also a mackerel at least 2m long jumping out of the water about 5 foot chasing a barracuda. The marine life here is so good.
The next day, some locals came out in one of their traditional longboats and gave me a ride into their village. A cool, isolated islamic community. About 300 people, and they all came around to have a look at me, I was quite popular. I got invited to the head-of-towns place, and we had a coffee and a few local smokes. Apparently, from what little Bahasa Indonesian I can understand, I was the first westerner to visit there in over 20 years. Really cool. Sailing is the way to travel, man.
Stopped at a few similar places on the way up here to Ternate. Along the way, some of the sights I have seen have blown my mind. Sailfish, dolphins that jump huge heights out of the air, volcanoes,  Real deal tropical thunderstorms, monkeys, albatross, fireflies lighting up the forest, sunrises, sunsets. Man I could go on forever. Sometimes my skipper gives me the shits, but hes a pretty good bloke. Cabin fever sometimes though haha.
Finally after 2 weeks we made it here to Ternate, the last of four perfect huge volcanoes in a row. The city here is at the base of it, 1720meters of smoldering fury that last blew chunks in 1994. 106,000 people living in no fear. The city is awesome. Heavily Muslim, the chants and prayers are constantly pumping on the loudspeakers. Really does feel like another world. You really do have to respect their devotion ay. Forget the extremist bullshit, the people here in Indo are really, really friendly and helpful. Islam is alright by me.
But anyways, I'm having the sickest time. Those of you waiting for photos are in for a wait, as my digi is flat as of aaaages ago and i cant charge it on the boat. Shot a shitload of film though, and as soon as I buy a mini laptop in Malaysia and a film scanner ill set to work in Canada.
Going to be here for a few more days then its off west to Manado on our way across the top of Sulawesi towards Borneo, Malaysia and finally Brunei Before i get off the boat, and head off solo.
Livin the dream, baby. Livin' the dream.

Hectic

10 days on the Indian Ocean. The hardest, scariest, most challenging, wildest thing I've done so far. Left from Darwin on the24th of July,arrived here yesterday,2nd of August. Average speed of 3.5/5 knots. I spent most of my time at the helm (steering wheel). Long hours, and hour of sleep here and there, nearly lost my mind at times, staring at a compass for hours and hours on end on a 24 hour shift basis with my skipper Ted. Beautiful at times,sunsets,sunrises, dolphins and all that. The ocean is a surreal place. Beautiful, eerie, uncompromising, timeless. At night in the blackness it is truly terrifying. You can definitely hear the voices of the lost souls out there,i am not even shitting you. The whole experience was the biggest test of endurance i have ever known. I wasnt always up to it. Lost my nerve at times, but I'm a better man for it. Brought me down to earth. Awesome experience, though. I made it. Andnow here Isit in sunny Amahusu, Ambon Indonesia. Its really fuckin cool here,sort of looks like south america here in tropical mountainous forest by the sea, the place is so chaotic and wild. Rabid dogs everywhere, people saying "mister, Mister!", cool people, fuckin bedlam. All  i can hear is roosters and constant car/motorbikes and horns beeping. I love it. Staying here for a few days then making the slow ocean crawl to Bali, via a few islands on the way. Exciting times!

Belike 'n' Bedamned, Pyrate's life it be.

So I'm finally hitting the old dusty trail and leaving Oz. Made the decision to go sailing through Indo, Malaysia, towards Brunei and Borneo. Going with an old Czech expat named Ted Wanta aboard his good ship Olza. Cruising around and generally just loitering and being heaps stoked on how cool everything is for a couple of months, then I'm bailing in Brunei before Ted goes to the Phillipines and picks up his wife, and heading ashore for a while and checking Vietnam and shit out before tracks lead to Canada. Ill just have enough money hopefully, but money is for pussies anyway. Leaving first light Saturday morning, sailing for the first point of call, Ambon, Indonesia, in approx. 1 week. They have internet there so I'll keep you all posted on all the cool shit thats happened, such as giant squid attacks, whirpools, albatrosses curses, pleisiosaurs, mega-sharks, the galleons of spain, mutiny and Port Royal tobacco. See yas all later!

Crossroads.

Well I stand now at a pretty big decision. On one hand, I go back to work, earn another 5 or 6 grand, and travel good and proper. On the other, the Darwin-Ambon Sailing rally beckons, leaving next saturday for bare knuckle adventure, which was my original plan, though with not nearly as much money as I'd like. The pro's and con's for either option are evenly stacked, and as soon as I think I'm going one way, I sway to the other. God has thrown me a flipper, and right now I feel like Darryl Cullinan. I have the weekend to decide my fate. Both options are very, very lucrative. The question is, will I stay or will I go?

woo.

July begins with me signing a new job contract with Paspaley Pearls. First thing sunday morning I will be flying on a Mallard water plane bound for the coast off the Kimberlies in West Oz for a month of straight work (No Weekends) on the pearl farms out there. It will be a welcome change from the labouring work I have been doing at the shipyards here in Darwin, although that work was actually pretty good. Good crew of blokes and lasses I'm going out with too, so my nuts are pumped. 12 hour hard-workin, He-Man days, but the fishing is amazing apparently, and there is a distinct possibilty of getting eaten by sharks or giant  crocodiles, or killed by box jellyfish. Can't wait! May be out of contact for a month, mabe not, will keep you posted. Oh by the way I am going to be mega rich after 2 months of this. Oprah rich, yo. Cant wait to buy a motorbike in asia and a plane ticket to Bali. And one to Canada. Look out world, here she comes.