Season’s Greetings…

ENJOY THE HOLIDAYS – Take an excursion in NATURE

Here’s a Cheery Hello on Christmas Day
to let you know that we safely reached our journey’s end
and are now on board Banyandah in Strahan, Tasmania.

Changing Hats 2021

Life – A Perilous Journey
As we navigate across states rampant with the new, easily-spread Omicron variant, we stop to reflect on the tragic loss of six young lives in Tasmania. Lives that were ended by an explosion of Nature striking while they were celebrating the completion of a milestone. Sweeping the children up  higher than a building on a powerful gust—then gravity took away their youthful lives.

I have lived when classmates died around me, and after the pain passed, I found a greater will to survive along with a heightened awareness of danger. 

Sailors know the power and danger of Nature. Our challenge is to harness Nature’s strength–using our wits, balance and muscles, while protecting our health and wellbeing of our ship. Many in our profession have experienced explosive encounters with Nature and one we’ll always remember flicked Banyandah upside down in ginormous winter seas. Sails shredded, windows shattered, and half the dodger top torn away. Every sailor has frightening moments, that’s why we know—It’s best to be cautious than battling to save lives.

Stepping on board Banyandah after six months a landlubber,
the touch of bare feet against cockpit sole launched images of white breaking seas attacking the quarter and a bulk-tanker blocking stars astern, the southern cross bright amongst an infinite black sky pricked by shimmering starlight. This sharpened into my job working with Nature and that brought a wondrous feeling of power and freedom. All of a sudden, my body yearned for the work, the physical activity. Turning the helm, the rudder moved easily since last touched months ago, and that fired up thoughts of adventures within reach. And then felt gratitude to be at journey’s end, safe, Covid free, with wilderness all around.

Next to me, Jude spun around like a schoolgirl given a lolly. Arms outstretched, so elated by the results of her setting out charcoal briquettes that stopped mould growing on her curtains. Both of us laughed. Hooray for Sailors. Among the very fortunate connected to Earth and Nature and humanity.  

Jack and Jude sincerely hope your Christmas is wonderful and that the coming New Year finds humanity going forward embracing the Natural world.