25 May Misery
Misery
There are no pictures. I could only think of one that would do my mood justice I could not figure out how to take it. The picture I would have added here would have been something akin to me with my head in the head, one hand banging the seat continuously on my bald pate and the other hand working the flushing handle furiously.
To put it mildly, I was miserable and miserably unhappy. The only thing worse than the weather was my mood and the only thing more foul than the seas tossing, heaving, rolling, and throwing us around was my temper.
The trough, supposed to have long since left, stopped when we stopped and continued East when we went East. Only now, we were embedded with severe thunderstorms. John had warned me about the possibility of storm cells the evening before. I slowed down and reefed down when I saw the northern horizon lit by lightening. That night we had showers and gusts to 30+ knots but thankfully no thunderstorms.
Turns out they were simply playing possum.
Yet again Northerly gales. Yet again sustained gusts of 40+ knots. Yet again close reaching and beating the boat to bits. Yet again giving up gains made North. But now, now I had invoked the fury of the Gods. Rain became torrential. Gusts vicious. The sea a chaotic heap of dump-truck sized mounds coming from everywhere and nowhere all at once.
As the sea smoked with the rain blistering the surface, I raged at the world and everything it contained. My world is small so that didn’t take long. I broadened scope and fumed at the past, present, and future. I cursed and swore at all I knew and finally, once I has exhausted all earthly matters, I hurled insult and innuendo at God himself. Thou shalt tempt thy God Charlton Heston would have us know but I was beyond caring and reason. I wanted here to give an account of His doing. And I wanted desperately to give Him an accounting of my own.
What more could we do? How much longer would this trough and weather stalk us? How could any one or any boat do better? Whose camels had I stolen in some precious life to have made the Universe so mad at me? What else could possibly be dredged up to make my life any more miserable?
There seemed no end to the abuse. No light at the end of the tunnel and it was too dark to see any coconuts floating by. Abject misery. The worst day in 200 days. The worst day I could ever remember on any boat.
Beaten down I remained on deck all day and into the night. There was no reason to go below. I would only be brought back by another gust. Or calm. Or shift in the wind. Or Or Or.
I simply figured I could outlast it. John was adamant the trough would move on. The models were forecasting the same. I would wait it out and dare it to come back. I know the difference between mad and angry. I was mad and mad made me want to pick a fight.
At 0030 local, after a deluge of rain hurled horizontal by a shrieking gust, the winds fell silent and then shifted abruptly from North to South. In 30 more minutes, the sky overhead had cleared off in the eastern distance the entire horizon was constantly lit by lightning. The sea, still confused no longer threatened. I, neither miserable nor mad, smiled thinking surely good things come to those that wait. And after nearly 5 days of this, surely I had waited long enough.
Just to be sure, I waited another hour before one long, last profane tirade. Just for good measure. My parting thoughts to the retreating trough from ‘H’ ‘E’ double hockey sticks.
Follow my tracks in real-time:
https://bit.ly/svseaburban
BT
Posted at 10:41h, 02 JulyBert, you are amazing! Following you progress and posts with great admiration for you courage and wishing / willing you success. You are on the downhill run now. All the best from an Aussie follower BT ( 2 degrees of separation from your Uncle Joe).
Sandi Lyon
Posted at 03:20h, 06 JulyThat looks about right. When it’s hot out in the ocean, its foggy and wet on the Wet Coast. That means you’re on the right track, heading the right direction. Finally. Woohoo.
Anita Kuntz
Posted at 00:10h, 08 JulyFollowing you journey and am truly amazed.
Suzan Persons
Posted at 15:43h, 09 JulyWhat an amazing journey!!
Karin Hill
Posted at 15:27h, 13 JulyBeen following you for a couple of months now. What an amazing journey! Your blog is insightful and humorous. Almost home. Safe travels!
MountainJack
Posted at 19:52h, 14 JulyHas to be an amazing feeling to be so near home, Bert.
Have spent months at sea “steaming”, not sailing, gaining my sea legs with the constant motion just became second nature. Getting back to a stable platform at dockside or over on the beach left me wobbly for a day or two. Cannot imagine how you’ll feel after a year of hardly ever being stable. There is that other thing having been on your own for that long; the familiarity of constant aloneness , the feeling of approach avoidance, being forced back into humanity. Might feel as though you could just extend a little bit more and savor the experience just a little longer…naw, probably not.
Welcome back home, Bert. You’ve completed one heck of a feat.
Arthur Oliver
Posted at 04:33h, 15 JulyGetting oh so close. What’s the ETA?
estelle C whiddon
Posted at 02:58h, 16 JulyBert, your homecoming Saturday will be a joyous occasion! I have followed the voyage daily and hope your arrival home brings much joy.
Peter Jungschaffer
Posted at 07:19h, 18 JulyThis has been so great. Thank you!!!
BT
Posted at 09:50h, 18 JulyHi Bert, you are just a few hours away from home. We are cheering for your most successful journey. We are especially amazed at the sailing conditions below Australia and New Zealand, as we can have some very big polar blasts hit us at this time of the year. Cannot imagine what it was like to sail through that type of weather. Can only take of hats off to you I amazement. Hope that you make it to Oz for a visit. What a wonderful achievement you have accomplished. /bt
Antonio Corbelletta
Posted at 16:15h, 18 JulyCongratulations! What an adventure! Well done. I have enjoyed tracking your voyage everyday just wish I would have know about it earlier, from the beginning.
Suzan
Posted at 18:13h, 18 JulyYeahhhhhhhhh Bert!!! You have done it!!!
Happy Homecoming – And stay safe!!!
It isn’t the same world that you left!!
I’m going to miss reading your travels and your adventures!! But thrilled that you’re home (almost) safe and sound!!
Next trip around the world, hope that you’ll stop along the way and post your photos of the locals and the ports!!
Raegan Elford
Posted at 19:23h, 18 JulySoldier who has logged more sea time than this Navy sailor.
What an incredible accomplishment (the journey vice logging more sea time than I)
BZ
Marianne Scott
Posted at 18:25h, 19 JulyCongratulations on your accomplishment! I guess we will have to put up a plaque commemorating your voyage on the Victoria Harbour wall.
Hope to see you this week.
Marianne Scott
Tom Cory
Posted at 07:40h, 23 JulyCongradulations Bert from Annapolis MD. A Great Adventure.
Mark
Posted at 12:24h, 29 JulyI don’t think that anyone that attended Estevan Junior High could have imagined that this was in the future for one of it’s students. I checked in at different legs of the journey and was fascinated every time. Congrats!