B-log ~ September 2013

September 2013                                 Aug 2013 >>
Blog of Jack and Jude
explorers, authors, photographers & videographers

Carnarvon on a busted leg

My lady is a superwoman. No matter that she has broken her leg, she still takes her watch, midnight till dawn, and withstands the jarring, pounding that 30 knot headwinds produce.

We have just completed our hardest voyage since her accident, Dampier to Carnarvon past Northwest Cape filled with oil rigs and dark ships bigger than some cities. Now we are at the top end of fabled Shark Bay. No swell, in calm water, the most amazing wildlife – WE ARE ON HOLIDAY!!

Black Kingfish

In Western Australia this beautiful fish is called a Cobia, otherwise known as a Black Kingfish. Succulent and juicy, cooks up lovely steaks, this fellow felt like 20 kilos – anyone want to come for dinner?

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1986 Rapa Nui (Easter Island) -Rainbow Beach, La Perouse Bay

Easter Island style BBQ for the Four J’s of the sailing yacht Banyandah by Orlando Paoa – arms outstretched, and his son Benji. The crew of Chilean airlines also there after their plane was holed by a forklift !

Jack has written a short story on their Rapa Nui Adventure – To the Navel of the World.

The News is not so good

Note: large gap on outside

Note: large gap on outside

It took 7 hours at the Nickol Bay Hospital to hear that Judith has a compression fracture of her left tibial plateau. This was caused when she stepped off a ledge into a hole trapping her leg, and then she fell forward. Her left leg took all her weight and momentum. The side ligaments did not snap, they did their job holding her knee together, causing the femur to crush the top of her shin bone. Jude is sixty-eight and naturally has some osteoporosis or soft bones. The depression measures approximately 1 cm, meaning her left leg is unstable. Surgery is not an option at this time.

We were advised to allow the fracture to fully heal, taking about another two months and then see whether the pain eases or hopefully goes away. Her wilderness trekking would seem to be over on that knee. Whether she can manage the jostling of a sailboat in rough seas will have to be seen. Later down the track, a partial rebuild of the joint, or a complete knee replacement are indicated. Both of those options have a long lead time.

We are seeking further advice before moving on with Banyandah. But storing our beloved vessel here in Dampier would not wise. Nor is going back home to face a very long delay when it may not achieve anything more than what could be done later. Jude is quite happy. The pain isn’t too great, we both have developed a high threshold in our adventurous lives. In fact she, and I, are eager to get on and overcome this hiccup. But first we want to explore all our options. And since it is suppose to blow strongly from ahead during the next few days, we have time. Orthopedic surgeons please feel free to comment.

Big Thank You
Thank you to the many who have wished us well either here, on Facebook and messages. Judith has been delighted by so many caring for her well being and wants everyone to know that she’s on the mend and going forward. Yesterday, she walked for the first time in five weeks as she now has the use of crutches. More as it develops


Pleased to announce that the good ship Banyandah has made the port of Dampier in Western Australia after a rather slow 560 nautical mile (1000km) sail up wind or with no wind. Tomorrow Jude goes to hospital to have her leg checked out. Hope it’s just a bad sprain, not ligament damage, a fracture would be better. heals faster.


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Dreams and Disaster

Dreams can build empires and send men into space. They are the mortar bonding Jack and Jude. Without one, instead of admiring the other’s strengths we notice each other’s faults. But with a dream we meld into a team that will sacrifice comfort and take risks in a quest for the meaning of life. But what happens when a dream is shattered like a precious stained glass window hit by hailstone?

We are now adrift in the windless, hot, lonely part of northern Australia, nevertheless we anticipate being in range of a mobile phone tower any day, so while our ship has silky smooth motion I’m writing to report that disaster has struck our Kimberley Adventure.

After leaving our homeport we had sailed so many miles in so short a time that during a walk to find our land legs, Jude took a tumble that has now become something of a nightmare. Because after two weeks of bed rest, she’s still unable to stand, and now we are attempting to reach help by the only means available, sail power.

Our voyage into this wilderness went smoothly enough with a non-event three day crossing of the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf from Darwin that landed us at Gallery Bay, a tiny notch in the rocky red Kimberley coastline impossible to discern until metres from its rocky headland that blends into the mêlée. In 2007 we had explored inland from this nick after hearing of ancient rock art hidden up its tiny inlet, and found rock towers adorned with Bradshaw Art thought to be the oldest art form. We also discovered Gallery Bay has another precious commodity in this vast dry land – freshwater. Only a trickle, but clear and sweet.

Gallery Bay

Gallery Bay

 

It was finding water that later gave birth to our dream. When back home remembering our Kimberley experience, the heat, sandflies and inability to enter croc infested water featured highly, but the Bradshaw Art we discovered overpowered all those nasties. They were special moments to cherish. So, in planning this journey, we thought we’d take that to a new level. We had learnt that the ancient ones had commanded the ground between the King George East Arm, which also had fabulous paintings, and Gallery Bay, six kilometres across a ridgeline. The King George offered secure anchoring for Banyandah, and a dream formed where if both had potable water then we could explore that area for as long as we wanted. Who knows what mysteries we’d discover amongst the dry creeks and rock towers?

Gallery Bay Inlet

Gallery Bay Inlet

 

Within an hour of entering Gallery Bay and planting our new BOSS anchor into Kimberley mud, we were boarding Little Red, eager to find water after the poor wet season followed by a severe dry. On croc alert in our tiny tinny, snapshots of this ancient place flashed through our heads as we rounded the inlet, when again we were gob-smacked by rock towers honeycombed with caves and overhangs, once the home for the ancient people. Such strangely coloured stones, we expected Fred Flintstone and Barney to pop out any moment. In the tranquillity of late afternoon the melodious tunes of unseen birds echoed off the silent water until our movements set a colony of bats into flight from the mangroves, their backlit wings paper-thin, their bones an ink drawing. As we approached the familiar landing place the same flat ledge received our transport, then stepping ashore my eyes automatically rose to an overhang where again I beheld three maroon red angels painted upon hard rock thirty millennia ago.

Then with speed we rock hopped and tramped thorny vegetation up the creek, our ears straining for the first sounds of running water while our eyes noted dry pools coated with hard scum that had our minds wondering whether our adventure would go ahead. With this thought in my head I rushed ahead, first finding a stagnant pool, and then to my great relief I heard the faint sound of a trickle under the black rocks. Climbing up another level and pushing through thick bushes revealed a tiny water hole shaded by lush green Pandanus, their barbed fronds littering the rocks. There was further joy when I found a sandy patch suitable for a camp, and as Jude pushed her way through to join in my elation, I entered a waypoint into our Etrex GPS, giving us a mark to aim for from the King George anchorage.

map King George

Dawn two days later, on a tide showing less than knee depth under our keel, Banyandah crept across the sandbank that bars entry into the King George River and its famous twin falls. The tide cycle there is unusual with sometimes four tides each day, sometimes two, as it would be for the next few weeks. Therefore, we’d either be inside for two weeks or have to chance a dark night exit.

King George River

King George River

Jude had felt giddy during our Gallery Bay walk – “Haven’t found my land legs yet,” she had laughed. So before we hefted heavy packs and headed overland, we thought a day’s march up and around the top of King George Falls would sharpen our balance.

That very same afternoon, from beneath the falls we climbed the steep rocky slope to gain a magnificent view down upon the red rock gorge with Banyandah a blue water beetle, the only keelboat amongst three multihulls.

King George Falls anchorage

King George Falls anchorage

path up to King George falls

It was past noon on a hot windless day when we reached the wide, flat rock riverbed that backs away from the falls edge. Stained black by eons of wet and dry, the watercourse radiated heat like a sauna. Severe dry after a poor wet had all but evaporated every drop of water, so the twin falls released only a fine angels’ mist, and the pools we had swum in last time were coated with dry slime cracked and peeled like baked skin. Sweat poured from our bodies. Our two litres of freshwater soon went, so we trekked upstream more than a kilometre before finding a delicious deep pool of untainted water. Surrounded by harsh Nature, we stripped and swam, drank and then hid from the sun while reminiscing past adventures and making plans for the present one.

In all our travels to the furthest lands and faraway seas, we have never ever called for help. We are explorers who pride ourselves, like the “Scouts,” on being prepared. That’s not to say we haven’t the gear to shout for assistance. Even on this day walk, we carried a personal location beacon (PLB) that can send a MAYDAY with traceable GPS position. On board Banyandah, there is a similar, larger device that floats, plus a Yellowbrick tracker that can send personalized alerts. All utilize the satellite network so they are always online. We are cognizant of the expense and danger to others when one of these devices is set off, but far more importantly, for this lifestyle to be safe and successful, quintessentially you must look after yourselves.

Off away from the river we noted flowering Kapok, their bright yellow petals odd among the sea of black and red, so we packed up to explore once more. Jude has always been a shutterbug, and digital photography has increased her shot rate dramatically. I run a video, and admit to being smitten in the same fashion, and we spent a few hours capturing the flowering bright orange grevillea, honey yellow acacias, cool green cacti and of course Kapok, bare of leaf, their green pods fluttering with what could have been yellow honeyeaters, all while the lowering sun’s lengthening shadows turned on beautiful Earthy tones.

The lowering sun also brought a cooling breeze, so in high spirits we snapped and filmed Kimberley’s magic while proceeding towards home, a much-desired cold beer high in my thoughts. Reaching the falls, the changed light and long shadows demanded more filming and leaving my partner behind -“I’ll just rush to the edge for a final shot,” I turned my back. Seconds later, Jude’s shrieks of pain followed by an anguished sob, “I’ve broken my leg,” turned me around to find her in a heap, wrapped in thorny bushes at the base of a rock ledge. She was clutching her leg, writhing in pain. Swarming out the bushes and onto her blouse were angry green ants. “Look,” I said, “I’ve got to get you out in the open, hold tightly.” And then dragged her ever so slowly away from those nasty biting creatures while she told me that she’d stepped off the rock edge and into a hole covered by vegetation then had fallen forward. “I heard something snap,” she said between clinched teeth, her face ashen white.

Looking west, only two fingers spanned the distance between sun and ridgeline. In an instant, our dream had been shattered, a nightmare had begun.

Straightaway I dug out three pain relief tablets and Jude took them with 1/2 litre of water while I examined her leg. To our immediate relief, it look all in place, no broken bones sticking out from a bloody wound, and I started hoping she’d just twisted her ankle. But that didn’t solve the dilemma of getting her across the river flats and down the steep slope before darkness overtook us.

Would sending a MAYDAY be wise or necessary for what might be a sprained ankle? The rescue helicopter probably would be called out from Darwin, a flight taking several hours. In fact, the rescue might be delayed until first light. And then what? Banyandah left alone at the base of the King George Falls. Better to test her leg with me taking her weight. So, after bandaging her knee, I hefted Jude up on her good right leg then put an arm around her while she slung her left arm over my shoulder.

Our first step was awkward. The second saw us almost tumble to ground. And the third brought Jude to the offending rock ledge upon which I lowered her while my eye measured the fall of the sun.

“Look, we’ll be out here all night unless we can get our timing right. I’ll call out the steps. You put your weight on me and do your best.”

Our eyes meet and hers seemed to ask, “Can we do this?” So I nodded and she gave me a strained smile.

“Step.” We hobbled one step forward. Pointing to an open spot in front of her good leg I called “step” once again.

We’ve had our fair share of scary dramas – more than most in a life exploring Earth, and these have galvanised our partnership into a “we can do this” mentality. Part of that is Jude is super strong for her years, and tough, especially when facing a night hurt in the open. So, by true grit we took the next step, and then another, and then more across the bushy land separating the two falls where I plopped her down to reconnoitre. We had to negotiate a person’s height down onto the flat riverbed.

flat riverbed in full sunlight

flat riverbed in full sunlight

 

The black rock was much cooler now that the sun had fallen below the ridgeline, and its flat surface made for fast passage until confronted by the bushy rise on the other side. It was awkward in many places where bigger boulders or stouter trees stopped two people abreast, but somehow we managed until reaching the rocky slope down to the river.

By this time I was pretty knackered and when we tried going down, me ahead with her hands on my shoulders, in a clumsy moment we both almost toppled down the slope. Reading the haggard concern on my face, she said, “I’ll go down on my bottom.” Which she did, rock by rock, some nearly her height. Those she slid down.

Jude and busted leg going downhill

on her bottom - rock by rock

In last light, she hoisted herself aboard Little Red then demanded to row us home. That bravado was short lived. Getting her up onto our deck proved difficult and I toyed with the idea of slinging her up on a halyard. Instead she pulled her weight up gripping the handrails then hopped her good leg onto the thwart before pulling herself up backwards with some assistance.

Painkillers big time came next, the prescription ones, and then off to bed after a big slug of water.

Now alone with my thoughts, I thank our maker for sparing her, then got a bit giddy on red wine with one vision recurring, Jude springing from bed in the morning, wearing nothing but a sheepish grin and showing her thanks, then asking for a day’s rest before we start our grand trek. Optimism runs deeply within me. Alas, reality is not always so fine.

In the morning, Judith couldn’t move her leg. It was yellow and blue, puffed up, skin stretched tightly, her knee hugely swollen, and her ankle one great puffball. The good news was she could wiggle her toes and just move her ankle. We started her on a course of anti-inflammatory drugs and she spent the day in bed. By nightfall she could flex her knee joint and we celebrated.

After three days with little improvement, when the cruise ship True North eased past us to reach the falls, I called to ask if they had a doctor on board and explained Jude’s injury.

Miraculously within thirty minutes a workboat came alongside carrying a doctor on holiday from NZ, a bright cheery lady who just happened to be an orthopaedic surgeon! After an examination in our cockpit, the doctor told us she could not rule out a fracture of the tibia or ligament damage, but felt both were unlikely because Judith had mobility and had recovered so quickly. Then we discussed our options. Considering our remote location, she said no further damage would be done if Jude continued to rest, and when improved, she agreed we could sail to a location for x-rays and ultrasounds. Jude, thinking the doctor came from a small country, mentioned that further treatment might be four, even six weeks away. The doctor reassured us, “If it’s fractured and not set right, it can always be reset later.” Her visit gave us both peace of mind and information to make a decision. Thank you Margaret and thank you True North.

Doctor's most unique housecall

Doctor’s most unique house call -Thank you Margaret and thank you True North.

 

We were two weeks dormant in the King George. I moved Banyandah several times to change the scenery and in an effort to find the least midges. Jude read, or sat in the cockpit painting while I edited Coral Sea video. Banyandah is our home, office, and place of recreation, so we were fine.

In that period I had one great adventure. The Sydney yacht Zeehaen arrived with a couple we had met in Tasmania and over sundowners we discovered a mutual love for the bush. Rob had been an active rock climber and so had Louise, so I mentioned the rock art up the East Arm and quickly we put together an outing. Alas, Jude had to stay behind. But we three had a grand day. We scaled the waterfall sans running water, skirted the giants pool, then I lead them inland. It was superb to once again gaze upon the precious Bradshaw rock art. And in a whirlwind tour I got them to where Jude and I had once camped, and beyond to our furthest point of discovery. I shot the whole adventure in high definition video with much better sound equipment and two willing actors, so I had a blast. Then I spent the next three days reliving the trip while editing the footage, Jude rapt to see it too.

Kimberley Rock Art Revisited

Lou and Rob sailed on their way west leaving us the run of the King George for nearly a week, till the tide had come around to being high in the morning again. All this time it was windless.

As if on cue, the mechanical weather forecaster uttered those magical words, “Strengthening east winds in the north Kimberley.” And we departed. Jude still unable to walk, her ankle still inflated, her knee unable to take weight. We wondered how she would survive the jostling of Banyandah. And how I would manage the ship without her? We’d not be stopping. Once clear of the islands and reefs entrapping us, our plan was to keep going even if we drifted. I mean, what couldn’t we do floating in a bug free ocean that we did when anchored amongst crocs and midges?

Besides, Jude’s condition worries me. Best we find out exactly what’s wrong with that leg of hers. Stay tuned. Next newsletter may have the answers. Oh, for those that have heard I can’t cook or wash up – best reconsider!

Jack and Jude

Jack and Jude at King George

Jack and Jude at King George


Comments

B-log ~ September 2013 — 14 Comments

  1. g,day jack and jude,been following your adventures for some time with great interest and what you have achieved has been fantastic. It’s a bit off bugger Jude hurting her leg. I hope it gets better soon,
    all the best lance sv rifftide

  2. Jack & Judith

    Saddened to hear of Judith’s leg injury, lets hope it does not slow her adventures down too much. We all get warnings on our health, Jack, appoint her marketing manager.

    Harry Krause, 13 Sept 2013, P.S. Hell its Black Friday.

  3. Hi Jack and Jude
    I haven’t read your blog of late, so was unaware of your fall Jude. Pretty big effort getting “out” and back to Banyandah injured. Have been there with rock-climbing falls/injuries. I am thinking of you both and wishing you a speedy recovery … at least to be better than you are now. You have such strength of spirit. Comes with the territory huh?!
    I am living in the Blue Mountains and have just finished up studying. Have just gained my Master 5 skippers ticket. I didn’t go to the high latitudes this year. We did 6,000 miles from Nova Scotia to Newfoundland to Greenland and on through the North West Passage to Alaska…. June – Oct 2012.
    I will follow you more regularly now and hope to catch you at some stage for sure.
    With love
    Gerry (Marr)

    Cap’n jack says you certainly would understand the effort of getting down racing the sun, and you know Jude’s immense strength to recover for more explorations. You’ve had a few adventures of late. Looking forward to sharing a glass of red wine and hearing your stories…. Big hugs from us

  4. Sorry to hear of Judes’ misfortune, I hope she mends quickly under the best of care I know you will provide Jack. Can’t keep a good woman down and I’m sure it won’t be long before you both are out enjoying the sailing adventures once more.
    Cheers
    Colin
    Kettering TAS

    Cap’n Jack says thanks for your encouragement, Jude will bounce back no doubt. In fact we’re off sailing south this weekend. Can’t pass up a beam reach where we’re at!

  5. Just read this blog entry. The dream is not busted, you’ll both be back for more. Depending on and caring for each other keeps the dream alive. Just a patch of rough seas in your voyage. Says a lot about you both for not pushing the panic button and tending to your own needs. Adventure sailing to remote locations includes risk. Your actions show you accept that risk and manage it well. Hope this comment finds Jude much improved. Look forward to your new video.

    Best from Annapolis, MD USA

  6. Hi Jack and Jude,

    Great to see you still living the AWSOME ADVENTURE!
    You two are an inspiration….keep up the good work!

    Matt Bryan

  7. ‘Ahoy there me hearties’….. Sorry to read about your fall Jude but in true style you got yourself back to your boat with the support of Captain Jack!! Awesome story with a happy ending. The Kimberly coast looks amazing and I hope your not in too much discomfort to enjoy the sailing, we are certainly following you both with keen interest. Sending much love.. Trish xxx

  8. Hey Jude – what are we women to do? Our bones are subject to earlier deterioration than our blokes; part of being female I suppose Grrrrr. I hope you are handling this setback OK – remember me eight months ago Xmas 2012, 25 people for lunch, family from the mainland coming to stay for two weeks – and I broke my leg 3 days before Xmas day. Can’t say I handled it that well but looking back, even though I was like a grumpy bear with a sore head, I got through it with ‘a little help from my friends’ e.g. you et al; luv ya and get well soon. Wendy X – PS. Big hug from Barry too.

  9. Hi Jack & Jude, Hope Jude is OK. This is not what cruising should be. Safe journey


    Cap’n Jack says Hi Michael, thank you for your well wishes. What cruising should be is safe, but when pushing the boundaries, being prepared helps minimizes the damage. Jude’s doing well, cheers

  10. I am thinking good thoughts towards you both. By now I hope you are safely somewhere with medical attention for Jude.

    I just got back from setting up a home in Vancouver BC so that I can spend more time there. My next step is to get a part share in a sailboat so that I can go cruising in the islands between the mainland and Vancouver Island. I aim to put that in place this winter but probably wont do much island cruising until next summer.

    Peter Lattey

    Hi Peter, great to hear your news and thanks for your best wishes. Love the Vancouver idea. Still remember flipping your Cat on that freezing lake :>) Jude’s doing real well, has made good pregress these last 5 days sitting here at Adele Reef. It’s time to move on.

  11. All the best to Jude in her recovery. Fairwinds and Godspeed!

    Thank you Linda for your best wishes. Judes coming good again, she’s swinging handhold to handhold

  12. Hi Jack and Jude,
    Really sorry to hear of Jude’s injury. Hope to near that she is on the mend very soon. Just such an injury was our worst fear when we were off searching for paintings in the Kimberley. Jude showed true grit to get down from there.Yawarra II and crew are are currently so far up a side arm of the Rajang river in Borneo that not only are there no depths charted but the sides of the river aren’t even charted! You guys would love it here.
    Take care
    Jan and Nick

    Really good to hear from you two. Thank you for your best wishes. Jude’s one tough lady and is coming good.

  13. Gee guys this is a worrying read. Great reading, but I hope for Jude’s sake she’s on the mend by the next news letter.

    Thanks Ted for your concern. Jude’s already much better. Putting more weight on her injured leg. She’s sleeping well and we don’t expect too much damage. But geez don’t these sort of injuries take a bit of time to come good.

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