Presents, Captain Cook and nice hats.

Apologies for the lack of updates… But I must admit nothing of any real interest has been happening of late. A lot of sitting at my computer working, and staring at my maps table thinking that I really should practice my tidal vectors.

I’ve also been spreadsheeting and pondering about the impossibility of it all… It seems I can work to make the money I need, but will not have spent sufficient time practicing, and may invariably end up killing myself along the way. Or, I can spend time practicing and not be able to buy the equipment to bring Constellation up to true ocean going ability, therefore letting Constellation become another ‘dream boat’ sitting on poles… I’m sure every prospective sailor has found themselves in exactly the same position, and as far as I can tell, there is not a lot you can do, except work hard and plan well… I’m trying.

I’ve noticed a pattern in these posts - First it is the dismal and the dreary ‘poor me, boating is so hard’ rubbish, and then comes the good news. Well, who would I be if I didn’t have a pattern? So, the good news is, Peter, another Australian who is stuck in Europe (metaphorically of course :), sent me a really really nice postcard:

That’s Captain James Cook - I hear he’s a pretty good sailor, and might know a thing or two about tidal vectors. So Peter from Oxford sent me this postcard to wish me luck, and I guess also to warn me not to pick fights with Hawaiin’s.

Peter from Oxford wasn’t the only metaphorically stuck Australian who sent me presents this week though - He also wasn’t the only one named Peter with a kind heart! Pete & Jade from London sent some cash my way, so I could eat fresh vegetables (limes of course) this month, and keep up the good fight to paddle off this continent back down to Paradise Island. They just got married, which means Pete is also broke and may have had to forego Vegemite and Fosters rations for the next 12 months. Thanks Pete & Jade, you guys are really generous.

So, with the excitement of presents still stuck in my mind, I must get back to work, stoke the coal fire, drink a lime on the rocks and search eBay for a hat like Cook’s.

nick.