I always wanted to
own a boat. I liked dinghies the most. They had kind of appeal to me with their
shape and sizes plus attachable rig. I needed licence, parking space, and money
to buy the dinghy. Parking space was the most troubling part for me. As someone
doesn’t live near the seaside and would use occasionally from summer to summer
would pay as much as the cost of the dinghy in just couple of years. Maybe I
thought I just rent it for short journeys and for longer, I buy second hand than
sell it second hand.
Safety was paramount for me. I should never get lost. I hate
getting lost. Dinghies are good for following the shore, not for crossing
oceans even seas. I had various equipment from Radars to GPS trackers, VHF
receivers to live weather updates. I also liked freedom being away from the
mains. It had 2kW solar panels enough to charge 2x 150Ah deep cycle batteries
for a day. I had no heater or gas equipment as hates relying on consumables. I
wanted to have a feeling like I could never be on the shore for years but able
to cook, listen, watch, drive and keep warm.
The most difficult part when you are alone in a boat is when
sleeping and when at night. As you don’t see what’s ahead of you clearly, your
batteries not charging, and you might have a collision with another boat. I had
equipment for that, collision alert was built onto the navigation system. But
worry still there. I’ve been thinking to get autopilot but never got to it.
Sometimes I worry too much that the next day if I’m in close to city waters or next
to rocky shores, would take the night in a nearest port and pay their
overpriced parking fee.
After I felt confident steering around the shores. I loved
the feeling being at sea by the way. I decided to what I have been meaning to
do. Follow the Mediterranean around its shores. I could never cross it, my boat
never made for it. The most difficult part going there would be crossing the
English channel as it would be my first time I would be away from the shore
lights. Never mind the congested traffic you get in the channel. I had to be on
alert every millisecond. I decided to take the longer line but less congested.
So I would start my journey not from France but from Spain. I gave this
crossing a day at most. I would start my journey at my best after good sleep
and after crossing, take a day off at the nearest port which would be in Spain.
I spent several months during the summer of 2005. They had
no Arab spring at that time. I couldn’t do it today as I did at those times. It
was easy and peaceful, you were always welcomed, the port fees were very cheap,
I get to have local cuisine and some culture too. In every country I crossed I
made sure experienced the nights there too. Except Algeria where they haven’t
issued me a visa. And Israel I couldn’t visit. If I did I couldn’t go to
Lebanon, as my passport wouldn’t be valid there with Israeli stamp. I chose
Lebanon over Israel as it had longer shore.
This Mediterranean journey gave me confident and made me spoiled
in a way. Having always trying something better and improved versions in life.
How can I top this with I thought? Should do shores of Africa now, no I’d be
bored with that, as it would be not much different to what I’m doing now. I
think maybe I thought, first I just pass
down Suez canal, then shores of India, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and
ending-up in Australia where I sell my boat. From there I head back home by
flight. From Thailand to Australia where I get the real buzz. As in this part
of the journey I constantly be away from coast and back, as the place scattered
by many islands. After imagining so vividly, I thought I could do this and
begin making plans for it for the next summer. This would take me 1.5 times
long, still I it gave max 6 months to complete.
I begin my journey in Israel, I was looking for a boat
there. From Saudi Arabia up to coast of Malaysia were all peaceful. I didn’t
want story to happen. I just parked when I could experienced local customs,
bought food to my boat. I didn’t want anything out of the blue.
Instead of passing Singapore strait I where seas would be
filled with freight and congested I decided to take longer way and go through
Sumatra island where peaceful and quiet. The long strait had no sizeable urban
area. That didn’t worry much as If I run out food and couldn’t find a place to
park, I just hunt fish in the sea to keep me going. After Sumatra come Java
island where it had more urban areas. Here I could stop anytime I want. The
most difficult part of this journey is crossing the Timor Sea to Darwin,
Australia from one of the Java islands. I called all the many islands from
Sumatra up to the Timor Sea Java islands.
I think it was late February by the time I was about to cross
the Timor Sea. As this would be one of the most difficult part of the journey since summer was over. I was enthralling with thoughts to end the journey
here instead. But then other thoughts come and says “that wasn’t your plan,
you’re almost there finish it”. I parked there for days, finally a thought won
over me “if I don’t complete this journey, what am I going to say to myself,
rest of my life, what reasons do you see not to complete”? My feelings was to end the journey here, but
they couldn’t communicate to my head”. I had to shut-up my head, is to do
finish it.
How could I pass the Tsunami winter season there with my
dinghy boat in the middle of an ocean? I was drifted way away from my path. I
didn’t know where I was. How could this happen to me? I should have gone after my feelings or my
feelings was not with me, how could they? They never got listened. I was not
complete. I decided say sorry to my feelings, I promised to listen and let them
direct me sometimes and not just give my brain to be the only decision maker. My
feelings got back to me, slowly. I was myself. I can get out from this
situation if I’m myself.
I began to concentrate on my feelings what I’m feeling now? I
was feeling cold, I put a waterproof
duck down jacked, changed my trousers to waterproof. Begin analysing
navigation system. I need to know where I am, that’s first priority at the
moment. There was enough waves to tip my boat over. Secondly I needed to know
the weather. I was between Christmas island and Australia. I was much closer to
Australia. I could go to Christmas Island if weather was going to be better in
that direction. I had to analyse 5 day forecast quickly. The weather was
settling around Australia direction, it was less risky. I made the decision,
checked with my feelings there were OK. Still I had strange thoughts something
could happen to me just about to end of my journey.
I remembered sharks, this where one of the most populated sharks’
places are. No, I was not scared of them. But they could easily chew away my
boat, if they wanted to. I was sailing ever so slowly. Any leftover food I put
away. I want them to smell nothing, not even me. Even though extremely sunny
outside. I was in fully clothed head to toe. I was careful not to give myself a
scar, as they can easily smell blood coming from my boat. Locked cabin door.
And I hoped to complete it.
I was hungry and tired still put-up with it. I was so close
to the shore. I see sharks there were in the sea. Anything could happen. I was
shivering. I never seem them so close. I hope they didn’t notice me. I stopped
every sound my boat makes, not even me. If I could just pass this. My boat was
drifting by the wind. I see sharks, away. I hope they never get close to my
boat.
I finally could see shores of Australia. No sharks around. I
was happy, so happy. I could never do this again. I was complete, I was myself
that’s why I could do this. Suddenly It was so good to see civilisation again.
Everything I do in my life I expect; I plan and prepare. I had expected this but
not the same as I had lived it.
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