Living Contentedly

Threay of rain thwarted my keen attitide to resume painting Ilona. So I took to the road to "practice walking" for my Camino in September. I don't really think to practice walking is needed, but just to increase muscle tone and harden my feet.  The walk I did was for an hour, so just 4k but in this case with am elevation of 200m, down, then back up. The spotting rain did not hinder, but kept us (three dogs and i), cooler. I wore only heavy work boots, with camelback and earphones for Camino podcast listening, it was pleasant.  But, the rain hovers, so I will need to draw upon the reserve jobs list.  The Camino Frances, 800+k where I plan to walk in just two month's time. 

15 July: Oughtred Ness boat "Ilona" All this while I've been hunting about for a pocket cruiser, my Ness Boat has been sat. I bought Ilona just before Christmas and sailed her quite a bit, but she no longer fits my goal to sail offshore, so she must go. Besides sailing fast, she is quite tender and very wet. Pumping out while hard on the wind, you run out of arms and legs.  Anyway today I got serious with refitting to prepare her for sale.   I sanded gun'als ready to paint. At the hardware store there was green paint on sale for $15. On the boat the colour match was perfect. It was getting late so I had just time to touch up areas where sanding had taken off the top coat. Tomorrow, weather willing, I'll tape up and hit it. My soon to be sea boat  Clancy   has a beautiful finish with a coat of clear applied over her hull. Her lustre and finish is magnificent. This tempting to do on Ilona.  16 July: Painting Green Bits I lightly sanded t...

I just bought a Burke drogue. A multifunctional apparatus but one that i may never use. Functions include:- drogue to allow the boat when running, can be towed for directional durability, when crossing bars to allow and steady the boat through surf, emergency steering, sea anchor to take storms bow on, to allow drift and to steady roll at anchor.  The Seabrake device has been developed in the wake of Bass Strait storms and the devastation of the Sydney to Hobart fleet some years ago. It satisfies Australian Yachting Federation for storm sailing and emergency steering. I relearned today that "Old Man Sailing" has one of these aboard and is happy with it's use during circumnavigation.  I will use it of course, if only to familiarise myself with it at sea. 

Fresh back from visiting my daughter in the Central West, helping her get settled into her new home.  Recent weather has been with windy, over 40 knots at times, & although sunny way too unpleasant to even be putside et alone sailing. Today has seem some easing, so the "Bote Cote - Glue Mix" was sanded back on the chine. It sanded really well & adhesion seems strong.  Next is to fit a Tiller Tamer & electric Autopilot. The latter needing lots of work; mounting up, routing cable, mounting plug etc. -------------------------------------------- Sven Yrvind: I'm a big fan. Presently building a radical design, based on many hours at sea, from divinyl cell foam. He's so thorough.  After each days report on progress he tells a story from his sailing past its so engaging & enjoyable. I looked through his back catalogue looking for diet tips; he's an active & alert 86 yo so he's doing a lot right. His dietary regime is as follows:- Overweight?  Fas...

Immediately upon leaving P proper we settled into classic country road driving; mostly smooth, two lanes, no edge markings. Alongside the road are alternating, cropping fields, lush pastures with sheep or light remnant bush. Traffic was light, with few trucks or caravans and no road trains.     Wellington proved a high point, with its romantic rural decay, modern touches and pristine riverfront scenes. To the east large solar farms, gave way to wind farms, than lush rolling paddocks with wooly sheep grazing. Occasionally ranges topped with large grey mossy stones added ruggedness. I actually teared up with the beauty of the various features. At Gulgong it gets flatter, browner, The Drip National Park was an oasis.   Golbourn River.    The Drip.  From Ulan through to south of Singleton via the turn off south of Sandy Hollow (pretty), was shit. Soulessness created by mining, mounds of grey waste heaps and alpha males on hi viz beh...

I have calculated that among thw most pious and hard working demographic in a church congregation are those older women sitting quietly I'm the middle rows.  Yesterday I attended a funeral service of one such parishioner, Aud. She was 99 when she passed amd had been dragged into the glare of the media stage 86. Her unfortunate reality of losing a son to suicide when aged 12 many years earlier, had come into focus. Aud became a staunch advocate for her son Andrew, a classmate of mine, and all victims of clergy abuse locally. Over .many years she gave evidence in criminal court trials, supported the call for a Royal Commission and later gave evidence at that Commission, as well as giving media interviews. She lived to see all possible offenders against Andrew gaoled for their offences.  But, contrary to popular assumptions, Aud lived a joyous life. She loved a few glasses of Chardonnay, a good sing and the company of her large family and friends.  Let her be an inspiration ...