Galle Puppy Saga - Vol. 2: Making Progress

Of the six puppies, 3 have been completely converted. Two of the white ones and the black one run to greet us every time we walk by their pipes. The mama dog, featured in this picture, is still a little leery about us. However, she's warming up due to the food bribes that we supply her with, including crackers and the squid chunk leftovers from Matt's fried rice. The other three puppies are still shy, but if we're quick we can grab them. Lately we've enjoyed having these tiny puppies as guests on our boat, and have discovered that they absolutely LOVE tuna, and will make a variety of fun noises when presented with a bowlful.

Read more »

Galle Puppy Saga - Vol. 1: Discovery

Many of my recent posts have featured cats. I've decided to change tack and focus on another adorable subject: puppies. Here in Galle Harbor there are many, many stray dogs. Some are friendly and some are skittish. All of them bark at us as we walk back to the boat at night, guarding the random buildings in the harbor. At the far end of the harbor, which is closest to the dock where the WTP is tied up, there's a pile of long metal pipes. Puppies live in these pipes.

We noticed them our first day here, and there are six of them. They were all very scared of us and ran back into the pipes. However, we managed to snag the white and brown spotted one in the picture, and I held him for a while. I would estimate their age to be 8-10 weeks. They are still very young, and I think they can get used to interacting with people. I imagine that with a little patience and positive attention, they will soon be running up to us, excitedly wagging their tails.

I give it one week.

Read more »

Siamese Cats Everywhere?

Stray dogs and cats are prolific in every country we visit. And if they're friendly, I will pet them. Most times, animals are unused to people actually wanting to approach them, and they respond accordingly. They usually act a little afraid first, and are hesitant to get too close to me. I usually squat down and hold a hand out for sniff-inspection. It is at this point that a dog or cat will either shyly stick around (prospects of petting good) or run away at full speed (prospects for petting zero). When it becomes clear that I mean them no harm and and might actually be nice, their demeanor changes.

The dog or cat in question will slowly come and smell my hand for a bit. Once I pass the sniff test, a total change takes place. What was a hesitant, jumpy dog or cat turns into an exuberant, wiggling, purring or tail-wagging machine. It always makes me happy to see this change take place, and to give these oft-ignored animals some positive attention.

Here in Thailand, I was especially looking forward to seeing the local cat population. Thailand was once known as Siam, and this is where the Siamese cat breed originates from. There should be Siamese cats everywhere, right? Well, half of that statement turned out to be true. There are cats everywhere, but I only saw one that had the typical Siamese markings (the centerpiece of my Thai cat collage).

The majority of stray animals, cats and dogs, looked to be very well cared for. They were fat, friendly towards people, and dogs and cats alike even had collars. So, even though there weren't the herds of graceful Siamese cats I was hoping for, I still obliged as many of the local cat (and dog) population as I could by petting them, and taking their picture.

Read more »

The Story of Almost Kitten

This is Kitten. She was never given another name, because that would have been even more dangerous than letting her live on our boat for the duration of our stay on Pangkor. She was often referred to simply as 'the kitten,' not that there would have been any real confusion among us during that week.

That week at Marina Island was quite productive. The boat was hauled out, the rudder shoe fixed, the bottom scrubbed, two coats of bottom paint and a new layer on the bootstripe applied, a new prop fitted - even the gold pinstripe received a touch-up. One evening after a days work, a few of us decided to go out to dinner. Matt, Martin from Anima III, Adam, and myself walked almost a mile across a field, through an empty group of apartments, crossed a relatively busy traffic circle, over the bridge connecting Marina Island to the mainland, and down a street to get to our favorite char kway teow cart. Sadly, the noodle cart was closed so we decided to eat at Kopitiam instead, which was on the way back to the boats.

While heading back up the street toward the bridge, I spotted a black cat near the road. Of course I stopped to see if it was friendly; half the cats and dogs were, but half would run away if approached. This one was friendly, and I happily stopped to pet her as the other three continued to walk. She was eerily similar to my cat, Isis, with her sleek black coat and raspy meow. As I started walking to catch up to the others, I was slightly surprised to find that the cat was following me. I kept going, sure that she would turn around after a little further. Halfway across the bridge she was still following, often running to catch up to Matt and I only to stop directly in front of us, as if to get our attention. Now, I'll admit that I did walk slower than normal, and Matt and I would pet her when she caught up to us, so maybe we encouraged her a bit... but she was still very determined on her own to keep pace with us.

We got to the traffic circle and I finally capitulated - I carried her across. I figured she would follow us one way or another, so why not help her cross this dangerous roadway? Martin and Adam were already sitting down outside when Matt and I arrived, and Martin's face lit up when he saw that the kitten was with us. I guessed that she was about 7 or 8 months old, still young enough to be called a kitten. She hung around the table and on our laps as we ate, and Martin not-so-secretly snuck her pieces from his plate. When we finished dinner and starting walking back to the boat, she again ran to keep up to us.

Once back at the boats, we decided to see how she would do on Martin's boat. Since the boats were up on jackstands, we had to climb ladders to get onto them. Kitten purred while being carried up, and then confidently explored Martin's boat. After her brief tour, Martin laid out refreshments in the form of cold milk in a dish, and after sampling this she jumped up on a cushion and laid down, purring. It was like she had lived on a boat her whole life. I made a litter box out of a shallow plastic container that Martin donated and sand from a nearby construction site, and she used this litter box without fail the entire time she was on either of our boats!

It had gotten pretty late, and we left Anima III to go to bed. We climbed down Martin's ladder and up ours, watching to see if Kitten would look over the edge after us. She didn't, but she did get curious when she saw us up on our boat. Adam and I were on the WTP, and Martin was still on Anima III with Kitten. Staving off sleep for a little longer, we decided to fashion a bridge, or a catwalk (ha ha..), to see if she would cross to our boat. Martin held one end of a long piece of canvas and we caught the other end, holding it taught over the twelve foot drop to the ground. With only a little hesitation, Kitten walked across it fearlessly! She explored our boat for a bit and then we climbed down with her and back up to return her to Martin's boat for the night.

The next morning, Adam was very confused when he woke up to find Kitten on our boat again. Did Martin carry her across sometime in the night, or very early in the morning? He asked, and Martin said he thought Kitten had left sometime in the night. This would be difficult considering that she would have to climb down his ladder in order to leave... but that's EXACTLY what she did! And not only did she climb down Martin's ladder, she knew where we were and climbed UP our ladder to get to us on our boat! Incredible!

Needless to say, Kitten hung around our boats while we worked on them, and made herself quite at home on both of them. She spent most of her days sleeping on someone's bunk, on top of the sail bags, or sprawled out on the floor. When we left, we would just lock her up down below with food, water, and the improvised litter box. On one trip the the grocery store, I bought a small bag of cat food because the tuna didn't last long once it was out of the can. If we left for a day, she hung out with Martin. When Martin left to pick up crew in Kuala Lumpur, she stayed with us.

When it was time for the WTP to go back in the water and test the new prop, Kitten came with. She didn't seem to mind the engine being on, or even the motion of the boat on the water. She was a bit scared when we turned the blower on (a fan to keep the engine compartment cool) but she soon got over that. She walked around a bit, and then, apparently bored by the whole mess of sailing, went to sleep under the dinghy. We stayed on the dock right across from Martin that night, and Kitten went back and forth between our boats, equally comfortable on each. I think she liked Martin's boat because it had more places in the shade to sleep. And he spoiled her by giving her cold milk!

The day before we were scheduled to leave, we all talked about the pros and cons of having a cat on board. Yes, we almost decided to keep her. It was really close. But, we weren't sure about the rules involved with bringing a cat into the countries remaining on our route, and it was up in the air who would keep her upon our return. I have two cats already (Isis and Dart!) and I'm very happy with the dynamic that they and my dog (Baron!) have; I wasn't planning on bringing another cat into the mix. Another factor that weighed heavily on my mind was the possibility of rough weather and the dangers they posed to a small creature in a big ocean. It would be all too easy for her to wash overboard during a storm, unless she was locked down below. Things sometimes get hectic though, and it would be better for her to stay in Pangkor, where she'd lived her whole life, than to be faced with the chance of washing overboard.

With these thoughts in mind, crews from both Anima III and the WTP carried her back to where we found her - through the field, past the apartments and the traffic circle, and over the bridge. We set her down and walked to a nearby restaurant to eat dinner. When we exited the restaurant and started over the bridge to go back to the boats, we were split into two groups- Martin and everyone else. The big group walked around the corner toward the bridge and spotted a familiar black shape laying on a chair. We kept walking, looking back frequently to see if she followed. She didn't... until Martin rounded the corner behind us and passed her. Then she leapt off her chair and sprinted after him. He crossed the street to lose her, and she crossed it after him. He crossed it back and picked up his pace to lose her, and she followed him and ran even faster. It seemed that she really didn't want to stay behind!

She followed us the whole way back to our boat, this time on a different dock entirely than Martin's. Resigned (and not a little happy) I went off to fetch new sand for her little box, and Adam went to open hatches on the boat. He turned his back on her for 10 seconds and when he turned back she was gone! We thought she might be confused on the new dock so we set off to look for her, hoping she hadn't met the dog that hung around the marina. Then, lo and behold, we see Martin walking toward us holding a small black something. "I think you lost something" was all he said as he handed her over. Kitten had found her way to Martin's boat, probably looking for her litter box (or cold milk!).

Our plans changed, as they do, and we ended up staying in Pangkor for a couple more days. Kitten hung out on our boat during that time, and I really liked having her (I think we all did, Martin included). She was always sleeping somewhere cute, or willing to be held and purr contentedly. We all waffled back and forth on whether or not to keep her (it seemed to be definitely yes or definitely no depending on what hour of what day it was), but the original decision held. In the hour before we left, I got a car ride back to where we found her. I set her down in the grass and then got back in the car, and sadly headed back to the boat so we could shove off. It was terribly hard to leave her like that, but I know she'll be fine - she has been so far in her life on Pangkor.

Plus, there's still a chance she'll find her way back to the marina a third time, and spend the rest of her life sleeping on and getting spoiled by every boat that comes in.

Read more »

Meet Chili

Our spot on the dock at the Danga Bay Marina in Johor Bahru, Malaysia was the farthest away from the marina building, but closest to something more awesome- Chili Pepper.

The first time I saw Chili was while walking down the dock toward our boat, which was at the very end. Actually I heard her first, as she barked at anyone coming down the dock. I could often hear her barking in the middle of the night to warn her owners, Chris and Lynn, that someone was approaching.

Chris and Lynn are from South Africa and have been cruising for 12 years. They are pretty handy when it comes to boat maintenance, and work along the way fixing things for other boats. They used to have another dog many years ago, but she got seasick and didn't really like boat life, so they found a good home for her and went a few years without a canine companion. Having a pet on board can make clearing in to some countries a bit of a hassle and Australia has the strictest rules, so Chris and Lynn waited until they were already in Australia to get another dog. They got Chili, and it's very obvious how much they both love her.

Although Chili is only 6 months old, she's very smart and already knows sit, down, and shake. She has a turf grass mat on the bow of the boat for doing her business underway and will go up there even during choppy weather. In really bad storms, Chili stays out of the way down below and cuddles with her favorite toy- a stuffed monkey. She's very friendly with everyone and liked to play chase along the docks. She's also very useful for protecting her boat. Lynn said that many times people will avoid their boat if they hear Chili barking!

I often knew when Chili was on the dock because I could hear Chris saying, "Chili don't chew the dock, they'll ask us to leave!" or 'C'mon Chili, don't make me come get you." when she thought it was too hot to go for a walk. She was a very cute little dog, and I looked forward to going back to the boat because there was a good chance Chili would be there to greet me... and pee on the dock from excitement.

Read more »

Manu: Street Fighter Turned Softie

On our recent trip to the Singapore Zoo, I was watching the cheetahs being fed when I noticed one of the cheetahs staring intently into the water at the front of their enclosure.  Two of the keepers went to investigate and when they returned I asked what was down there.  One of them said it was probably a lizard, and from that initial question we struck up a very interesting conversation.

The keeper's name is Manu.  He is short, very muscular, has a shaved head, and tattoos cover both arms and his neck.  His job at the zoo: Big Cat Keeper.

Manu told me about his life outside the zoo, and how he used to fight a lot on the streets and be pretty confrontational.  When he started at the zoo he used to work with other keepers, but it soon became clear that he didn't work well with others.  He was banished (or so he tells it) to work by himself as the Polar Bear Keeper.  He was surprised when he forged a strong bond with the only polar bear at the zoo, an older male named Nanook.  He says he used to pet him on the nose and Nanook knew when Manu called his name.  Unfortunately, Nanook died in late December 1995 from heart and lung disease.  Manu visibly choked up when he told us that part of his tale.  The zoo, knowing they had an extremely competent (if abrasive) keeper on their hands, transferred him to the big cats, where he became the lead keeper.

Now, Manu runs Big Cat Country, making sure all the cats - jaguars, white tigers, lions, cheetahs, pumas, and leopards - are happy and well-fed.  He told me many stories, all of which were very exciting.  Let me retell them:

Manu doesn't trust the jaguars, especially the female, Angel.  She's very crafty and has actually escaped a couple times during zoo hours!  Once, she launched herself through the small door at the top of her enclosure's cage roof after a junior keeper fed the jaguars through it.  The junior keeper called Manu up the ladder, not telling him that Angel was loose.  So Manu climbs the ladder and comes face to face with a jaguar!  He calmly climbed down the ladder, and then told the two junior keepers that were still on the roof with Angel to choose - they could jump down and maybe break their legs, or stay up there and maybe lose their lives!  Needless to say, they jumped and were fine (and they eventually re-caught Angel).

On the infrequent occasion that one of his charges does escape, Manu also has to deal with zoo guests.  He told me of one time when Angel escaped (she's a troublemaker!) and how people wanted to go towards her enclosure to see her!  Manu told them that if they wanted to get killed by a jaguar that was their choice, but would they please leave their children outside the zoo entrance.

He also told me a story about the African hunting dogs.  Even though they're not big cats, Manu helps out all over the zoo.  He and another keeper went into the hunting dogs enclosure to clean it.  The male dogs thought they were infringing on their territory and their females, and moved in to attack.  Manu and the other keeper managed to back away and out the door, but it was still an experience.  Hunting dogs take their prey down by going for their legs first and ripping the muscles out.  Then they move upwards, tearing out their victim's guts.  And they hunt in packs!

Manu loves and respects all the big cats, and they respect him.  He told me that the male lion, however, has a bit of a dominance issue.  The lion thinks that Manu is trying to be the pride leader and steal his females, and doesn't like him too much.  Manu said that if the lion were to escape, and he and I were standing next to each other directly in his path, I could feel perfectly safe because the lion would surely go for Manu.  He joked (maybe) that he asked the other cat keepers to call him immediately if the lion escapes, even if he's at home, because he's sure the lion will come for him wherever he is.

Manu is so involved with the big cats that while he can name every single cat in the Singapore Zoo, he sometimes forgets family member's birthdays.  But working with such deadly creatures has been a good thing for him.  He says they keep him grounded and focused, and are excellent counselors.  He plans on retiring soon but is worried that the next lead keeper won't measure up to his high standards.  And while caring for the big cats does require a lot of attention, diligence, and knowing the big cats' every need, it also takes a good measure of confidence and bravery.  So while the cats hold a special place in Manu's heart, he is definitely still one of the toughest guys in the zoo.

Read more »

This Is For You, Baron

My dog, Baron, is quite hairy. He sheds this hair wherever he goes - the floor, in the car, my bed, and on the couch (he used to sneak onto it when I wasn't home, but I've since resigned myself to sharing it with all my animals and their hair).

To help control the number of hairbunnies blowing around my apartment, I bought a set of hair clippers and started giving Baron haircuts. It was super fun to watch as all that hair came off in one fell swoop, instead of covering my apartment gradually. I think Baron enjoys having short hair as well, because it means he stays cooler when we play outside under the hot sun.

But I wasn't satisfied with giving my dog a normal haircut. He needed something extra, because he's just that awesome. So I started leaving a strip of longer hair down the middle of his neck and back. That's right - dog mohawk. If he ever got huffy enough about something to make that hair on the back of his neck stand up, he looked extra intimidating.

It's tradition for new sailors, called pollywogs, to shave their heads and swim around the boat (at least on the WTP; other boats have different rituals). After crossing the equator, pollywogs become shellbacks. I was looking forward to this milestone with mostly excitement, and a little bit of trepidation. Would I shave my head? I wasn't sure, but then I thought of Baron and had an idea. I wouldn't quite shave my head, but I would drastically cut my hair. (Sorry mom.)

I copied my dog, Baron, and went with his hairstyle - mohawk!

Read more »

Siswi and Elbows

Before our speedboat trip up the river to the Tanjung Puting National Park, we had a long conversation with Jenning.  Jenning is the brother of Harry, who is the person in charge of the company we chose to take our tour with.  While Harry takes care of the business side of things, Jenning takes care of the orangutan side of things.

He showed us album upon album of photos he had taken in the park of all the orangutans, each of whom he knows by name.  He told us stories of how they like to steal canoes and paddle around the river using their hands, how he wrestles and plays with them, how the orangutans know him and enjoy his company.  His favorite orangutan in the park is Thomas (brother of the dominant male, Tom) not because Thomas shows him any kind of attention, but because Thomas is wild.

The orangutan with the most stories, though, is Siswi.  Siswi has been at Camp Leakey for pretty much her whole life, and has learned how to work the system.  Jenning told us that we would definitely see her, because every day she lays sprawled out on the boardwalk that visitors must use to get into the park from the river.  She's learned that good things are usually in pockets and bags, and Jenning warned us that she might pat us down and inspect our bags, so it's best to carry nothing.

As we disembarked our speedboat, we carried only our cameras.  As we walked on the boardwalk toward the park, we spotted something dark laying in the middle a ways up.  Sure enough, there was Siswi.  We slowed as we got closer, and eventually stopped right in front of her.  We wait.  She waits.  She slowly holds her hand out toward us.  Our guide hands her an apple.  She takes a bite.  We are allowed to pass.

We make our way into the park, and watch a video in the information center.  When we exit the building, there is Siswi again, sitting under a tree.  This time we can get around her, but choose to stay and watch.  A ranger asks if anyone would like to sit next to her.  Of course I would!  I make my way over to where she's laying and proceed to sit down next to her.  She lays down.  I lay down.  She reaches over and puts her hand on my arm, just resting it there, not pulling.  She finds my elbow and tugs on the excess skin a little.  She scratches her own arm.  Then she reaches out and puts her hand down halfway between us, and I put my hand in hers.

Siswi and I, now we are friends.

Read more »

C'est Chaud

On this last crossing, the WTP was not a sailboat. It was a motorboat.

We check what's called a GRIB before we start our crossings. GRIBs tell us what the wind will do, like direction and speed, and also show any high and low pressure systems we might encounter. As it turned out, there was much less wind than the GRIB we downloaded our last day on Bali predicted.

We timed our departure just right, even waited an extra day to ensure better winds. We needed to make it back up the Lombok Strait, which had proved tough to get down on our way into Bali, and that required good northerly winds. GRIB: downloaded and looked favorable. Boat: packed and ready. Crew: getting itchy to be on the move again. All the proper ingredients to set sail.

The current was against us up the Lombok Strait and sails weren't enough, so we started the engine. The boat made pretty good time and we enjoyed lovely views of the Bali coastline. Once past the island, though, things turned rough. Heavy clouds gathered and we prepared for a storm, which brought rain, lightning, and wind. At one point we turned back toward Bali to avoid the lightning! One rough night later things had calmed down. In fact, they calmed down a bit too much, contrary to what our trusted GRIB showed us.

We had a couple great afternoons of sails up and 6 knots, but other than that we motored. The whole way.* This is unfortunate for a number of reasons. When we motor, we use diesel, and refueling costs money. No wind means no cooling breeze, which means the boat gets pretty toasty, especially during any time the sun is visible. (I originally thought 'afternoon' but it starts heating up at sunrise.) My bunk is also right next to the motor and gets pretty hot, and going to sleep wondering how drenched in sweat you'll be upon waking is, well, gross. Usually if you can just make it to the sleep stage it's alright, but waiting to fall asleep while sticking to your bed is not the most comfortable thing.

Even with the heat and the motoring, some good things came on this crossing. This was our first run on a 5 person watch schedule, and I must say it's pretty awesome. The boat feels no more crowded but we all have so much extra time to sleep, and read, and sleep more. The sunsets were beautiful and most of our nights were clear, cool, and full of stars. And on day 3 we turned the motor off and took a swim break in the middle of the ocean, complete with soap and shampoo. But even with those nice moments, I can safely say we're all ready for the WTP to become a sailboat again.

*Edit: I preemptively wrote this post on day 4 of the crossing. Poseidon must have read it and gotten angry, because two nights later we got wind... and rain and wind and lightning and more wind. The storm hit roughly 10 minutes before my 3am watch, and Adam later said that when he went to drop the headsail he could feel the first front of the storm vibrate the forestay.

We dropped all the sails and put up the storm jib to ride it out, but did get blown a bit off course for a few hours. With sunrise came the calm we're used to, the wind having left us again.

That's the last time I write a post about no wind during the middle of a crossing..

Read more »

Bali Zoo!

One of my favorite places to visit no matter which country we're in is the local zoo.  I enjoy seeing all the different animals, how each zoo is maintained, and the level of conservation and awareness each zoo and its keepers have.  Yesterday here in Bali, Halley, Adam, and I took a taxi to the Bali Zoo (with a stop at Dunkin Donuts for a quick breakfast on the way!).

The Bali Zoo, like the Cairns Tropical Zoo, is more lenient than zoos in the United States about letting visitors hold and interact with animals.  After we paid our entrance fee, we were immediately handed a cockatoo and a lorikeet that were stationed next to a table offering fruits and veggies to feed animals throughout the zoo.  We declined the food trays, but did hold the birds!

One of the next animals we saw were these very rotund pigs.  A couple were just lounging around, and this one was rolling in the mud.  After his mud bath was finished, he ambled up the stairs and joined the other two laying in the sun.

These sun bears had very wrinkly, concerned faces and seemed to think that everyone was going to feed them.  They stood up on their hind legs and stretched as far as they could, trying to see what was going on above their wall.  They climbed up and balanced on their wooden trees to get even higher.

Next we explored the aviary, where toucans, cockatoos, parrots, peacocks, and a turkey(??) walked and flew around us.

The Bali Zoo had many varieties of deer, each tinier and cuter than the last.  I think they must practice looking adorable all day, because they were experts.  Halley and I made friends with one little guy who licked our hands through the fence.

Next was the petting zoo.  We lasted 3 minutes in here because this deer at the entrance didn't seem to want us to go any farther.  Halley had quite the battle just trying to leave!

There were many monkeys and apes, like gibbons, an orangutan, leaf monkeys, and macaques (just like the ones in Monkey Forest in Ubub that tried to steal Adam and Halley's water bottles!).  This tiny Maroon Leaf Monkey was only a month old, and he liked watching us just as much as we liked watching him!

Ever since American Samoa when we first saw the giant flying foxes, I've wanted to hold one.  They look like flying dogs and their wingspan is enormous, and it would just be super cool to hold such a huge bat.  Well, the Bali Zoo made this wish a reality!!  As I walked around the corner, a keeper next to a short tree with four flying foxes hanging out on it asked if I wanted to hold one.  Of course I said yes!  The keeper picked one up by his ankles and instructed me to hold my fingers out so he could grasp onto them (upside down of course).  Once I was securely holding the flying fox, the keeper let go... and the flying fox swung up to grasp my forearm with his front legs so he could lick my arm!  They really do look like dogs up close, but the others on the tree were grooming themselves like cats.  Their claws aren't sharp but they use them to get around very well; their wings are leathery and their fur is soft.  One little guy still on the tree was getting jealous of the attention the one we were holding was getting, and launched himself at my arm!  Once the keeper put him back, he launched himself at Halley's head!  Very cool animals!

I especially liked this tiger because he reminds me of my cat, Dart.  :)

Many of the statues in Indonesia are wrapped in cloth.  Even this horse statue at the zoo!

As we were all getting ready to leave and head back to the boat, one final keeper offered us a chance to hold another animal - a binturong, also known as a bearcat!  Adam managed to catch an animal show earlier in the day and had already held one, but Halley and I had only seen them hidden away in their enclosures.  This one was a baby and was very playful.  He would wrap his tail around my neck and slide down my back, then crawl back up to my shoulders and roll over onto his back.  His fur was very thick and soft and he had giant paws!  An excellent way to end a fun day at the zoo!

Read more »

Spinnaker Flying

On Adunara, we visited the tiny village of Mokko, explored the islands, snorkeled in the warm clear water, and saw smoke and ashes erupt from a volcano in the distance. And went spinnaker flying!

Read more »

The Scent of Home

My parents sent a small package with Adam's parents back when they visited us in Cairns. It contained three things: a card, a flash drive, and a small fabric satchel.

The package was delivered right after my birthday; all its contents reminded me of home, and nothing could have been better. The card was a birthday card with notes from my parents. The flash drive had pictures from home, including some of my parents on their own travels and many of my dog and two cats. There were even videos of Isis following my mom around and Dart doing what he does best- cuddling. The satchel was full of dried lavender, from the plants grown right in front of my house.

Boats can be smelly places, what with the constant heat, close quarters, and potential for mold. I'd like to think that, because of that lavender satchel, my bunk is the best-smelling place on the whole boat. I sewed some string onto it so I could hang it from my shelf right next to my pillow, and now I get the occasional lavender-laden breeze as I'm drifting off to sleep, reminding me of home. <3

Read more »

Sunrise Watch

Both my parents and my friend Hannah won't believe this, but my favorite watch is from 5 to 8 am. So early, I know! Here's why: it's still cool, so sitting up top at the wheel is pleasant. Everyone else on board is usually asleep at this time and it's very quiet, so it feels like I have the boat all to myself. If we're near land, this is the time when birds head out for their day of fishing and I enjoy watching them wheel and soar around the boat, sometimes squawking amongst themselves. And most of all, I get to see the sun come up.

Read more »

My Provisioning Stash

After several trips to used bookstores and a final run to the grocery store, I think I have enough entertainment and fresh fruit and veggies to last quite a while. Here is my personal list of provisions!

- Stephen King's 'The Dark Tower' series
- two China Mieville books
- JRR Tolkien's 'The Hobbit,' picked up for free at the yacht club book swap
- Granny Smith apples
- Sundowner apples (I've never had these before!)
- Pink Lady apples (my favorite kind)
- bag of oranges
- four bananas (three now)
- two cartons tomatoes
- two bottles juice (cran-apple and grape)
- plenty of trail mix
- ...a family pack of lamingtons

Read more »

The Search for Used Bookstores: Australian Edition, Round 2

After a long walk, a bus ride, and another long walk, I made it to the second used bookstore I had spotted. And all the walking was worth it, and that includes lugging my new old books all the way back to the boat!

This was a two story bookshop, crammed to the ceilings with books. Better yet, the prices were cheaper than at the other one, with both hardback and paperback books priced around $8 each. Best of all, there was a cute dog that I got to play with while browsing the shelves.

While there were multiple series of books that I wanted to get, budget constraints and limited storage space on the boat forced me to choose. I ended up getting a series that I've read before but enjoyed very much: The Dark Tower series, by Stephen King. Lucky for me, there are seven massive books in the series, and they'll keep me occupied for quite a while!

Read more »

The Search for Used Bookstores: Australian Edition, Round 1

We have lots of free time on the boat, and I mean a lot. This is especially the case during crossings when we're confined to the boat. When we're anchored in a new place we all tend to try and spend as much time as possible OFF the boat. What we each do during our free time varies. Sleeping, eating, listening to music, reading, and more sleeping are some popular activities.

I have always enjoyed reading, and read a lot even before I got on the boat. When I was younger I would lay on the floor in my doorway after being told to go to bed, being as quiet as possible, trying to catch enough light from downstairs to illuminate the pages of whatever book I was engrossed in. (My parents may not know that... sorry.) These days I can read whenever I like, and do so frequently. Living on the WTP gives me more reading time than ever.

The only problem with having so much reading time is that I tend to go through my available books pretty quickly. This is compounded by the fact that I can't just walk a couple miles up the road to the nearest library or used bookstore (shout out to Reader's Corner in Raleigh which allows dogs inside, so Baron gets to come along!) to replenish my stock, living on a boat and all. And so begins the never-ending search for used bookstores.

Cairns had a couple but their selection was somewhat limited and prices were high. I did get a couple Stephen King novels, but only because the shop owner gave me one for free because it didn't have a price. Here in Darwin I struck gold in the form of a two-story bookstore, full of shelf after shelf of books. It's much bigger than the shops in Cairns and even has a $2 section!

I've wandered around this shop on three separate occasions and, I'll admit, tucked away a stack of books I would like to buy. Although prices are pretty steep, at least $10 a book, I know I'll get hours of enjoyment from them. I'm only holding off on that final purchase because I recently spotted a second used bookstore that's further off the beaten path, and I'd like to compare selection and price to that of the first one. I'll keep you posted!

Read more »

iPod Tunes in Real Life: John Butler Trio!

One of my staple items on the boat is my iPod. It's absolutely invaluable for staying awake on night watches, passing the time during off periods, and providing a soundtrack to some of the amazing views from the boat. After cycling through various groups I don't often listen to in an attempt to change things up a bit, I will inevitably return to favorite groups that just never get old.

One of those groups is the John Butler Trio, who happen to be from Australia. I forget how I first heard of these guys, but their albums have been in constant rotation in my car and on my iPod for many years now. As soon as I knew I was going to Australia via sailboat, I started looking up tour dates, hoping to be able to catch the John Butler Trio live. Their website is seriously outdated, and various internet searches returned nothing.

In Cairns, however, I spotted a poster for ReggaeTown, a two day festival in September... with the John Butler Trio headlining. Sadly, we planned to be gone from Cairns by that time. My search continued. In Darwin, hope was renewed at the Mindil Markets, which was hosting the closing ceremonies of the Darwin Festival. We ran into our friends from the boat Lilly Bolero at the markets, and they casually mentioned that a few of them were going to a John Butler Trio concert... that very night!

It took .05 seconds to decide that the admission price was worth it. How many times will I be able to see one of my favorite bands, the John Butler Trio, live in Australia? Adam and I combined the cash we had on us and were able to buy our tickets, with only change to spare. We entered the amphitheater and found good seats up front on the grass for our little group, made up of WTP and Lilly Bolero sailors. As the grounds filled up around us, we took in the sight of so many people and chatted, anticipating the moment when the lights would dim and the music begin.

The group Blue King Brown opened, and they amped the crowd up exceptionally well. There were a bunch of members in their band: drummer, percussionist, guitarist, bassist, keyboardist, two backup singers, and a very energetic lead singer, who also played guitar and bongos in between the times she spent dancing around the stage and even through the crowd. I had never even heard of this group but was very impressed with the energy and talent they brought to the stage. And John Butler was still to come!

The lights came back on after Blue King Brown was done and the process of taking down their set and assembling the next one began. We didn't know how many openers there were, but guessed it would be John Butler next from the sheer amount of time it was taking to get all the instruments set up. There was one guy in the back corner whose sole job was to tune the multitude of guitars.

Sure enough, as the lights dimmed a second time we saw three people walk on stage, and then the sweet sounds of the John Butler Trio filled the amphitheater and spilled over into the night. Song after song was better live than any recorded version I had heard, and we joined with the rest of the crowd and danced to the music. John Butler is an incredibly talented guitarist, and even keeps the fingernails on his right hand longer so he can finger pick better. Intricate songs are played amazingly fast, and on top of all that he sings. The drummer was hilarious and clearly the prankster of the group. At the end of the show he repeatedly tried to dramatically break his sticks by throwing them high into the air and at the stage's floor, but was unsuccessful. He ended up just tossing them to the crowd, which was ecstatic about that. The bassist rounded out the trio, and surprised the crowd by playing both a stand up bass and a didgeridoo for one song.

This awesome show was surely a highlight of my time in Australia, and I can't wait to pick up some new music for my iPod... starting with more John Butler Trio!

Read more »

On the Subject of Swells, and Future Destinations

I joined up with the WTP and crew in Tahiti, with limited offshore sailing experience. The thought of multiple days at sea was new to me and I didn't quite know what to expect. The most noticeable thing on the boat was (and still is) the degree to which the size of swells affect the motion of the boat and the location of various secured and unsecured objects down below. Things that don't get a second thought when we're calmly at anchor become the most persistently annoying source of thumps, bumps, and squeaks when we're rocking and rolling around underway. Often I search for the culprits of these noises for days before figuring out what's causing them and finally silencing them.

Aside from the noise caused by things bumping around, the general level of comfort while moving about, sleeping (or trying to), and being up on watch is directly affected by the size of the swells. In big swells, it requires both hands and timed ricocheting off walls to move from the galley to your bunk. Once you arrive at your bunk, more careful timing is needed to determine the precise moment at which to aim and launch yourself into said bunk. To become comfortable, I usually strategically place my sleeping bag between myself and whatever side of my bunk I'm more likely to roll into harder. It also helps if I spread myself out as flat as possible, as this reduces rolling.

During the first two months of my time on the boat, we sailed from Tahiti to Cairns, Australia. The swells on some of the crossings were pretty big. Some, like the short hop from American Samoa to Samoa, were downright huge. We held a team meeting to test and secure strobes onto PFDs, just in case.

While it was daunting to have the boat pitching and rolling so drastically right at the start, I wouldn't have had it any other way. I would much rather see how rough it can be right away, because then anything calmer is appreciated more. The same goes for length of crossings. From Bora Bora to American Samoa took 10 days and from then on anything shorter seemed like no big deal, because we had already done something longer.
Our time in Australia has been very pleasant. Since we're inside the Great Barrier Reef the swells have been practically nonexistent, and with trade winds behind us we've had steady and good speed. Even across the Bay of Carpentia we had good weather, and many Australians we spoke to said that could be the worst bit of sailing in Australia. The temperamental squalls of the South Pacific are gone. Often we'll see massive thunder heads and a distinct line of dark clouds that will simply dissipate into nothing, and our days have been full of sunshine. We're not in a great hurry; as long as we make it to Darwin by the last day of the month to meet Halley, we're good.

I will miss Australia's sheer wildness, the 'life is good!' attitude of Australians, and the relatively calm comfort such protected sailing provides, but the allure of new places full of their own sights, sounds, people, animals, and foods is a strong one. We will probably (alright, definitely) encounter rough weather and big swells in the future, but the first sight of land in a new country always banishes thoughts of a rough crossing from my mind, and I am greatly looking forward to all the exciting destinations ahead of us.

Read more »

The Zoo!

The Cairns Tropical Zoo has been the highlight of my time in Australia so far. I love going to zoos and seeing all the animals, and this zoo had animals specific to Australia. Even better? We were allowed, even encouraged, to pet and feed some of them!!

We got to pet koalas and kangaroos. Koalas are terribly cute- they have huge ears and big noses. Romeo, the koala the keeper was carrying around and the one we got to pet, seemed to enjoy being held. (He reminded me a lot of my cat, Dart, who likes to cling to me in a similar fashion while purring.). Kangaroos are even softer. These kangaroos are extremely friendly/lazy from years of people petting and feeding them, and we could walk right up to any of them, even the baby one. I even shook his little paw.

We got to feed kangaroos, pelicans, cassowaries, kookaburras, frog-beaked owls, doves, and a lorikeet. The kangaroos ate pellets and also had alfalfa in their feed trough. We threw fish to the pelicans. Mine ducked. The cassowaries got fresh fruit through the fence; they enjoyed bananas and kiwis the most and dropped the other fruit on the ground. The kookaburras and owls got dead mice which we dangled in front of their beaks by the tail (we wore gloves). I was told the owl might be kind of nippy, so I carefully placed his lunch in a tree fork below him. He ate two mice, and seriously thought about a third. The doves ate fruit and veggies from bowls and even they seemed to have favorites. One ate all the peas, the next ate all the carrots. Will fed a lorikeet that got louder when his sultanas were held too far away.

This next animal we watched from behind a fence- the crocodile! The keeper showed how they wait under water for unsuspecting land animals to lean over for a drink, and then strike with lightning-quick speed. This croc's name was Zach, and he was massive. I was glad for the fence.

Finally, we watched the bird show, where owls, hawks, magpies, cockatoos, and a white-bellied sea eagle soared down over our heads to land on the keeper's glove or various trees around the grass stage. One little hawk got scared when a larger, wild bird happened to fly high over the zoo. He flattened his feathers and his eyes grew huge as he trained them on the larger bird, and the keeper sent him back to the aviary so he wouldn't become stressed.

We spoke to many of the keepers at the zoo and the general feeling was love and appreciation for all the animals, whether big and ferocious like the crocodile or small and cute like the koala. Everyone was eager to tell us about their animal charges, answer any questions, and explain why each animal's conservation is vital to the environment. This zoo and its animals are very awesome!!

Read more »

Laundry List of Learning

The crossing from Fiji to Vanuatu held many surprises. We left Lautoka heading for the island of Tanna, which is in the southern part of the Vanuatu island chain. Will was keeping us up-to-date with his almost daily cruising guide readings, piquing our interest in the island more and more with stories of an active volcano we could hike up, island coffee production, and horseback riding. The crossing guide said this stretch was fast and easy. Five days and we'd be there, no sweat. We couldn't wait.

Two days in, we encountered a storm. What started as a light drizzle quickly turned into a howling mess, and it was a good thing that there were only small swells to contend with. I'm learning my way around the boat pretty well and feel competent in many things, but I wasn't ready for this. A big storm isn't the right time to double check, ask questions, or be hesitant about anything.

The boys all donned their foul weather gear, harnesses and tethers, and prepared to tackle it. I put on my gear just in case they needed me but stayed out of the way down below, ready to do anything they asked. The wind howled, the boat made strange loud noises I'd never heard before, and the boys yelled to each other over the noise. I waited, standing between the companionway stairs and the head. The hatch opened a few times with instructions from above:
"Take this sail and pile it up right there." "Ok I got it."
"Can you turn on the steaming light?" "Yep, done."
"Here, take this," as I was handed the GPS. "…What??"

It was frustrating and a bit scary to be down below, not being able to see what was happening on deck and knowing I would be little help in this situation. But this just gives me a very tangible goal- take everything I can do in good weather, throw a storm full of wind and waves at it, and be just as sure of myself. It will take more practice and repetition, but I'm up for it.

Read more »

This restaurant has some great entertainment.

Kittens! They were shy, only becoming brave when they suspected people might share a bit of food. It was very entertaining to watch the pair of them race around the yard, stalking each other from behind bushes, pouncing when one's back was turned, wrestling ferociously until one managed to flee, and then starting all over again.

Read more »

"You haven't lived until you've gotten a haircut in Vava'u."

These were the words that stuck in my head as we left the city of Neiafu, in the Vava'u Group of Tonga, headed to some not-so-distant anchorage to spend the next two nights. They were spoken by an English man outside of a small shop that advertised three things: jet kayaking, cart safaris, and Billysnip's Haircuts. It was the afterthought sort of way that 'haircuts' was added to that repertoire of goods that made me think long and hard about the drastic change I had in mind.

While we explored the beaches, villages, and caves around Vava'u, I was mentally going over the pros and cons of such a haircut. Pros: it would no longer blow around in my face. It would look better (hopefully) when I don't wash it for days. It would be cooler. It would dry faster after swimming in the ocean. I could style it using the easy method of 'bed head' and make that mohawk I'd always secretly dreamed of. Cons: it would be the shortest I'd ever had my hair and that's kind of scary. I couldn't do my usual ponytail. If I wanted it long again it would take a long time to grow it out, which may look silly. More pros clamored over the cons: short hair is better when it's so hot! Ponytails don't look good when you haven't showered in four days! So what, it's not permanent!

On our last day here in Neiafu, I went back to that small shop and spoke to Billy of Billysnip's Haircuts. I said, "I'm back for that haircut." "Well you've only been thinking about it for days now!" he replied. We paged quickly through a couple old magazines and I told him the general idea of what I wanted, but in the end he just picked up his scissors and started cutting. The end result is a haircut that will suit being on a boat much better than the long hair I had when I woke up this morning. And I'm really looking forward to bed head when I wake up tomorrow morning.

Read more »

Baron, Isis, and Dart

On a recent sat phone call, Mrs. Palmer's class asked a tough question- are you homesick? I don't think I was quite prepared for it, but the answer is yes. I have friends in Raleigh- people I met in college, from my job at a coffee shop, neighbors from my apartment, and fellow trail runners. I also miss my parents and brother in Charlotte, and being able to call them whenever I want, from wherever I happen to be. The good thing about traveling now is that you can email and call home from almost anywhere in the world, so I still talk with all these people as often as I can.

Another big part of my family are my pets- my dog Baron, and my cats Isis and D'Artagnon. It was very hard to leave them, because I can't just send an email to Baron or call up my cats on the phone. Luckily, my wonderful parents are taking care of both Isis and Dart. I get email updates about their escapades, like how Isis very stealthily rubs against my mom's legs, and how Dart enjoys surveying what's happening below him from a perch high on the cabinets and fridge in the kitchen.

Baron is also living the good life at my friend Kelly's house while I'm away. She has a dog of her own, Vernon, and he and Baron are pretty much best friends. Kelly has a huge yard for them to play in all day, and he even gets to go down to swim in the lake. He's an awesome dog, and the best part of my day back in Raleigh was the moment I opened the door coming home from work. I knew he'd be there to greet me, sometimes carrying a toy to show me, always wagging his tail, and stretching in preparation to play outside and go running. Although I miss him very much, I know Kelly and Vernon are taking great care of him!

Read more »

Kitten!

On the hike around Mt. Rotui, the inevitable happened. I found a kitten. My friends and family back home won’t be surprised by this, in fact they may only be surprised that it happened on my third day here.

While walking up a road listening to birds chirp, I remarked that one particular bird sounded a lot like a kitten. That comment quickly turned to, ‘Oh it IS a kitten!’ and I ran up ahead to see if I could find it. It wasn’t very hard, as the kitten ran out to meet me. As soon as I picked him up he started purring, rubbing up against my chin, and meowing very loudly.

We didn’t know what to do with it, so I decided to carry it along and see if anyone along the way wanted to keep it. It’s a mystery as to how the little guy got out there in the first place! We soon came upon the Ranch Opunohu Valley, where people can go horseback riding. There were many dogs, cats, and other animals here, and it seemed like it would be a good home for the loud kitten. We explained to the young girl there that we were on a boat and the kitten wasn’t ours, and asked if she wanted it. A simple ‘ok’ and she ran back to the house with the kitten, undoubtedly purring, in her arms.

Read more »

Brand New Crewmember

Hey guys! My name is Amanda, and I’m brand new here on the William T. Piquette. I flew into Papeete, Tahiti, on May 26th to meet up with the guys. After a long day of flying, it was nice to set my bags down and settle onto the boat that will be my home.

I was born in Omaha, Nebraska, and lived there until 5th grade. Then my family decided to move to a small town called Blair, where we lived on a farm. We grew some crops, but my favorite part of living on the farm was the barn. Mainly, what lived in the barn. Over the year and a half that we lived there, we had a mare and foal, chickens, three sheep, two goats, four cats, a big dog, a small dog, a rabbit, and gerbils. That’s a lot of animals!

When I was in 7th grade, we moved to North Carolina. It was here that I went through middle and high school. I attended college at North Carolina State University, where I studied Bioarchaeology and minored in Animal Science. People often ask what Bioarchaeology is, and I’m sure you are wondering the same thing. It’s the study of ancient and historic people, their habits, customs, history, and lifestyle. Pretty interesting stuff!

I’m looking forward to traveling on the WTP; there are so many places to see, people to meet, and animals I’ve only read about in books to look for. (I really want to see a Great White Shark!) I’m also excited to learn about sailing, because whereas the other guys already know what they’re doing, I’m also brand new to that. There’s so much to learn and experience… this is going to be awesome!

Read more »