Hello All from Bundaberg, Australia

[Trim50]

How is everyone doing?

Lori and I have been here Australia for nearly 3 months...well at least I have. Lori flew home to be with her family and ill father for the holidays. Her father has had several strokes and is now slowly slipping away mentally and physically. I am just glad Lori has this chance to be with him during this time.

I however have been bored outa my mind here in Bundy. I'd like to travel around and go camping, but just isn't the same without Lori.

We are trying to decide what to do from this point forward. One option that we have been considering is to leave Trim on the hard for a year or two while we both return to the States and wait for the Red Sea passage to open again. Many of our friends are shipping their boats from Singapore to Turkey at extreme costs...more than we would be willing to spend. And the passage around Sout Africa just isn't what we want to do.

Does anyone have knowledge of how the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea passage are doing? Does it seem to be settling down or is it rediculous still?

[Istioploos]

Nice to hear your your news. If you do make it to the eastern Med please let me know. Maybe we can get together.

In the mean time Happy New Year
Vasilis

[redbopeep]

Hi Ken,

Choices, choices.

A note from a friend who did the trip (as crew) 1-2010 thru 5-2010:

"The sail was from India to Turkey with the Vasco da Gama Rally. Once some boats reached Mumbai and received the latest piracy report they decided not to go with the rally. Our boat made the trip with no piracy problems. It is pretty scary in the Indian Ocean these days. Most people are thinking twice before making that trip. I would not do it again until the piracy issue has been addressed."

We know that you were/are looking forward to the Red Sea and diving there. I have a friend who spent many years living in working in Saudi Arabia who did much diving the Red Sea. Something hard to pass up.
It's always hard to have to give up (for a while) something that you've been looking forward to and to take a different path instead. Best of luck in figuring it all out.

Also, good luck with family matters. We, also, are staying in the US for some family-related reasons and dealing with things is hard when you want to be somewhere else and sailing.

Warm regards,

[Trim50]

Hey guys!

Good to hear from you! I did get your email andit has taken me this long to respond.

The big issue really is the $35K needed to make the jump via ship to Turkey. We are still mullin over the numbers and options. We aren't in any rush though, so who knows what will happen in the next year. After all, everyone seems to think 2012 is the last one anyhow

I arrive back at the boat today and found a boat card on my deck from Kirk on Galavanter. I guess they dropped by while I was away...damn!

[redbopeep]

Hey Ken,

Yea, it's always "the end of the world as we know it" in someone's view.

$35K--that's a big chunk of a change, isn't it? Big part of the cruising kitty to give up without a lot of thought.

The thought that comes to mind is "go with the flow." For me, if I were in your location, that actually wouldn't mean (at this point) going around Cape of Good Hope but rather I'd probably enjoy Australia for a bit and then make a Pacific circuit (loop) eventually ending up in Japan crossing to Alaska then back down to Panama and then deciding if I wanted to go through the canal and fight against the trades for a bit and see the rest of the world...or do something entirely different. If your cruising is "open ended" you have the time and flexibility to change your plans and really live the cruising life. If you have a goal of returning to other things within a certain number of years, then I suppose this weighs more heavily upon you.

I've visited the Philippines for 6 weeks of land travel, snorkeling and diving and that was enough to know that I could spend months there--if not years. A single weekend in Thailand had me wanting months or years there as well. From Thailand, the PI, and Hong Kong you have easy flights to numerous land locked locations worthy of trekking. My $35K would be more likely to go for those airfares. Two years in Japan make me wish to revisit by sailboat. A dream and too many cruising friends who have cruised Alaska (along with reading writings of Hal Roth, the Smeetons, Bob Griffith and others who have done the full Pacific loop) make me think it's a wonderful cruising experience.

So that would have David and my vote--a Pacific loop trip. Of course, I'd try to enjoy the Aussies first! We hope you link up with Kirk soon.

Also, we're sending good vibes towards Lori and her dad. All of the above "loop" talk presumes it following a stable outcome for Lori's family.

Fair winds,

[Silver Raven]

G'day Ken & co. -I'm sorry you missed Kirk & mob also. That would have been a grand event, for sure. I'm just 'up the road' from you - here inland from Cairns (Kirk already knows Cairns from a previous trip). If you ever come up north - by land or sea - just give us a ring (07 40 93 9900) & I'll start-up the barbie, put a slab on ice, & we've got a spare bed or 2. We're only 3/4 hr drive from Cairns central. Feel free to call &/or call in. If you've got a Telstra mobile - I've got 1600 - free voice minutes - so I can call you back for free. Always welcome. Ciao, james

[Trim50]

Sorry it took so long to get back as I've been busy working on my genset AGAIN. Anyhow, the Pacific cicle always sounds interesting until you listen to the many stories of LONG LONG passages and getting beat on the knose for weeks at a time. But, I guess that is the way of the cruiser.

I just talked to Lori again and her father is back in the hospital with congestive heart failure again after his stroke just a month ago. I'm not sure how many times a human body can undergo such torture...it pains me to hear about such things.

I've gotta get out and do some more traveling around Australia by 4x4 now that most of the rain has stopped. I'll keep you guys posted and hopefully I can find ol Galivanters around somewhere.