Kikapu wrote:Niki,
I once listen to an Black Author on the TV many years ago, but can't remember his name, in which he would pay his way on commercial / merchant ships, months at a time, so that he could find his inspiration to write. I can really understand that.
So you come from bunch of "Salty Dogs" hey. What could be better.
I learned to sail 20 years ago, by doing a weekend course with a friend in Southampton, then taking a Coastal Navigation course, given free by US Coast Guard Auxiliary, then doing a Celestial Navigation course privately over few days, before buying a 40ft or 12 meters catamaran sailboat with a friend, and sailing it to San Francisco from Scotland, over period of 15 months, covering over 20,000 miles. I could write a whole book on the experience gained in that time period. The boat design was very simple and cheap, which I sill have her today, in San Francisco. It was a Wharram "Narai" design . See some pictures of her sister ships. They all vary a little from each one. www.wharram.com
I tell you one thing. We met many people, young and old, even with very young kids with their parent, that have sold the house, or used their savings to buy a boat and become "sea gypsies" for few years, and for some, a life style, so it is there, if you want to give it a go. With today's technology, all you need is a GPS to find your way around the world. Learning to use the sextant, is however, can be a life saver, when all that Hi-Tech stuff breaks down.
Wow - an amazing experience Kikapu, one I imagine you think of often.
It is so easy when you just put in the co-ordinates and the GPS system just takes you wherever you want to go.
When we were sailing on the Ionian we saw what I believe is the most expensive and largest cat in the world. The smaller 35 foot yachts actually sailed out from the stern and it was a huge amout of money to charter. The mast was twice the height of the tallest trees, difficult to imagine unless you saw it. How can it stay upright??
