Why is circling the whole planet so important to me at this point in my life?
Before the new year my elderly mother passed away. She lived to 99 and wasn’t on any medication and had very healthy life.
She died of old age and the quality of her life deteriorated due to the onset of dementia. Mum lived through possibly one of greatest centuries ever with two world wars and massive change in quality of health and life longevity. Which had brought us all to the modern technological age.
Mum was quite a complex lady and she always felt her life wasn’t kind to her. On many occasions she’d start crying for no apparent reason saying she didn’t have good life. Obviously this sadden me because I felt the opposite was true. It’s simply about perspective if some reason we’re not happy you have to sit down and say “why do I feel like this”?
What I’m really saying is life is what we make of it. Our destiny is in our own hands and no one else’s. We have the ability to create what ever life we want. Yes I realise people can get trapped into situation that make them feel deeply unhappy. The important thing is to recognise if your not on the right track in your life. That might mean making a drastic changes to get yourself back living in a way that gives you joy instead of unhappiness.
Making changes in one’s life is never easy, it’s difficult, it might mean breaking away from caustic relationships or a job or even moving to live on a completely different continent. This is were personal courage comes to the fore.
The word courage is simply the action to overcome fear. I suppose fear is good thing to have because it can drive you forwards in a time of emergency when you have to do something to get out of a perilous situation. Fears in most cases are unfounded. We can create are own anxieties in out minds with over thinking!
But never forget you have a life it’s your life and no one else’s. Life is such precious gift and we all should strive to live full lives and life has to have meaning for us. The old adage the best things in life are free. Depends what I mean by the best things in life. Family, friends real friends who don’t judge you, who accept you as you are.
Beauty of nature and the utter amazing cosmos these are the things we can see,hear feel and touch. What I call being connected to the world around me.
So why is a circumnavigation in sailing boat so important to me at 70 years of age?
I suppose it’s more of a spiritual journey then physical one. I find sailing gets me so connected to the planet yes it’s mainly watery world I will be connected with and to.
But I don’t want to race around the planet for me it will be sailing in harmony with the vagaries of the wind and the sea. But importantly to call into ports and places of interest along the way.
I have no organised plan other than I don’t want to go through manmade canals on my circumnavigation. I want to really hone my navigational skills to rely more on old fashioned navigational techniques, and get more attuned with nature which will allow me to be much more instinctive in the way I sail.
I have to negotiate many of the great oceans on my journey the North Atlantic, south Atlantic, Indian Ocean and the pacific and many of the various seas.
I’m not under any illusions it will be a big undertaking. I want it to be an experience of my lifetime. Not having a fixed plan it will unearth the unexpected but it will allow me to see planet earth in all its majestic beauty but also in its degradation. I will film and blog on what I see and feel.
I’m starting to think when I should leave the U.K. the crossing of the Biscay to head south is always weather dependent. I’d like to cross in April of this year if I get good weather window and sail to North west Spain. It will be shake down 6.5 day crossing and I will go into Sada up the Ria de Betanzos. I’ve been there once before to get some work done at wonderful marine company www.Cadenote.com
Below are the prevailing winds and currents of the north and south Atlantic. One the continents I’m fascinated with is the continent of Africa? Why is that I been to Egypt , Tunisia and Senegal west Africa. For me in reality it’s an unknown continent. It’s a continent I must explore as my main first sailing objective.
I’d put my Koga signature touring bike up for sale but for some reason I’ve had issues with eBay and Gumtree. EBay my reserve price didn’t kick so had to cancel the sale. Gumtree I had large number of online scammers. Which left bad taste with online selling.
I had rethink about my Koga bicycle it’s ideal for long distance cycling with the Rohloff Speedhub gears. I wasn’t sure how to strip down the back wheel so I went on Rohloff website to see how’s it done. I’ll need to dismantle the bike to it get onboard Stella Polaris. Wheels and mudguards and rear frame need to be taken off. For it to fit in my forward double berth. I’ve measure the bike and the frame could be laid flat.
The problem with sailing boats is storage space Stella Polaris is only 9.75 metres long. But you have to be creative with storage and need to make sure important sails are accessible such as staysail and storm sails and spinnaker.
6 Main Currents in the Indian Ocean | Ocean | Geography
The following points highlight the six main currents in the Indian ocean. The currents are: 1. North-East Monsoon Current 2. Indian Counter Current 3. S.W. Monsoon Current 4. Indian Equatorial Current 5. Mozambiqe Current 6. West Wind Drift.
1. North-East Monsoon Current (Warm):
North-east monsoon winds blow from land to the ocean during winter season in the northern hemisphere and thus westward blowing north-east monsoon currents are produced between Andman and Somali (fig. 29.4). This current flows to the south of 5°N latitude. Besides, some independent currents originate in the Bay of Bengal and Arabian sea and flow in southwesterly direction.
2. Indian Counter Current (Warm):
Indian counter current is originated during winter season (northern hemisphere). This current flows in easterly direction between 2°-8°S latitudes from Zanzibar to Sumatra.
3. S.W. Monsoon Current (Warm):
There is complete reversal in the direction of monsoon winds during summer season. In other words, north-easterly direction of winter monsoon winds becomes south-westerly during summer season in the northern hemisphere. This reversal of direction of monsoon winds also reverses the direction of ocean currents of Indian Ocean during summer season. Northeast monsoon ocean currents disappear and south-west monsoon ocean currents are developed.
The general direction of monsoon currents is from south-west to north-east (fig. 29.3) but several minor branches emerge from the main branch and move in the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea. The Indian counter current developed during winter season disappears due to this current.
4. Indian Equatorial Current (Warm):
The currents of the southern Indian Ocean are least affected by seasonal change in the direction of monsoon winds. The Indian equatorial current flows from east to west between 10°Sand 15°S latitudes from Australian coast to African coast. After being obstructed by Madagascar this current is divided into many branches. One major branch flows southward in the name of Agulhas current (warm) while the other branch is directed towards the north.
5. Mozambiqe Current (Warm):
One branch of the southern Indian equatorial current moves southward through Mozambiqe Channel known as Mozambiqe current. This current joins the Agulhas current near 30°S latitude and moves upto the southern tip of Africa and is ultimately diverted eastward.
6. West Wind Drift (Cold):
Like Pacific and Atlantic Oceans eastward flowing current, known as west wind drift, is also generated in the Indian Ocean. This current is produced due to eastward blowing westerlies along 40°N latitude known as ‘roaring forties’. This current bifurcates in two branches near 110°E longitude.
One branch turns northward and flows as West Australia cold current along the western coast of Australia and near the Tropic of Capricorn turns towards west and north-west and ultimately merges with the south equatorial current near 100°E longitude. The second branch of the west wind drift turns southwards.
Metoffice video
Cycle equipment for long distance cycling
I starting to think about what I need onboard my boat in regard to essential items? All the years of sailing I believe in minimalism in what you carry onboard. In the past I’ve had dive gear and dive compressor onboard. You don’t really need all this onboard a good snorkel mask thin wet suit and fins plus a weight belt.
I plan to keep mainly in tropical places try not get too far north or south during winter monthly seasons. I like warm not cold especially living on a boat. Let the great adventure shortly begin.