The Book Thief

 

Forget about Markus Zusak, here's the real book thief: Peter Johnson, skipper of SY EKAZA, who's since caught the outgoing tide and is on his way farther south, but not before I had fitted him out with a t-shirt emblazoned with a nautical motif and 'Nelligen Yacht Club' across the chest.

I also forced a book-bag onto him, containing several yachting books, three books by James Michener, "Lost Horizon" by James Hilton (whom he should know from 'Goodbye Mr Chips", being a retired schoolteacher himself) and "Longitude" by Dava Sobel. I thought of adding some Joseph Conrad titles but, other than "Lord Jim" which everyone knows or at least ought to, his books are an acquired taste and so I left them out.

 

 

It must've whetted his appetite because he wondered what I'd eventually do with all my yachting books. "Give them to Vinnies", I replied which prompted him to ask to be given first choice. Which I did and which resulted in two big armfuls of books going across to SY EKAZA.

 

 

As he did his final sail-by, I watched his Plimsoll line but all those extra books hadn't affected it at all. Perhaps he should've taken some more.

 

 

Anyway, I've probably made a friend for life which, given my age, won't commit him for long. "Ships that pass in the night, and speak each other in passing, Only a signal shown and a distant voice in the darkness; So on the ocean of life, we pass and speak one another, Only a look and a voice, then darkness again and a silence." Good fellow, that Longfellow!

 

 

Fair winds, my friend, and safe passage!

Better late than never

Just before reaching Shallow Crossing

 

In my twenty-five years at "Riverbend", I've been to Shallow Crossing countless times but never by boat as my old motor-sailer's mast was too high for Nelligen Bridge, so when Skipper Peter of SY EKAZA asked me this morning to go upriver with him in his inflatable dinghy, I dropped everything and into his dinghy.

We motored upriver with the incoming tide, from the red spot at the bottom of the map which is "Riverbend" to the red spot at the top which is Shallow Crossing, through the most magnificent scenery imaginable.

 

Some 16 km as the cockatoo flies but, with the twists and turns in the river,
probably a good 25 km from one red spot to the other, the same distance as
from Batemans Bay to Moruya

 

It was real Heart of Darkness stuff, right down to spotting a Harlequin or two. For a moment I even thought I was dreaming as we passed some-thing called 'Bonnie Doon' but there was no sign of the Kerrigan family.

 

Bonnie Doon

 

We knew we were nearing the 'Inner Station' and running out of navi-gable river when we saw the 'glamping' tent tops of 'The Escape' and heard voices coming from the Shallow Crossing Camping Ground.

 

Aerial view of 'The Escape'. Shallow Crossing can be seen at the end of the navigable river

 

After several hours on the water during which we talked about books and Fibonacci and palindromic numbers, and made a refuelling stop ...

... and cooled down for a while at Shallow Crossing ...

... it was good to see SY EKAZA and "Riverbend" again.

 

So after twenty-five years, I finally made it to Shallow Crossing by boat. Better late than never!

 

What's in a name?

These people must have sat up all night, beers in hand, trying to come up with JUST the right name ...

Sorry, there are no moor!

The journal of a voyage

 

"From Cape Wrath to Finisterre", Björn Larsson's musings on life seen from the cockpit and deck of a yacht are a travel book, the journal of a voyage, and a source of inspiration for those who dream of living a different kind of life.

I recommend it highly.

 

The Riddle of the Sands

Unfortunately, YouTube removed the full-length movie, both the English and the German version

 

I've just read "The Riddle of the Sands", that truly incomparable spy and sailing novel by Erskine Childers, for the umpteenth time, even though I know it more or less by heart.

It is a remarkable book in many ways, if only because it has stayed in print in one edition or another ever since it was first published in 1903. It seems that the account of the sailing adventures of Carruthers and Davies around the East Frisian Islands constantly finds a new audience.

Settle back then and begin at the beginning: "I have read of men who, when forced by their calling to live for long periods in utter solitude—save for a few black faces—have made it a rule to dress regularly for dinner in order to maintain their self-respect and prevent a relapse into barbarism. It was in some such spirit, with an added touch of self-consciousness, that, at seven o'clock in the evening of September 23 in a recent year, I was making my evening toilet in my chambers in Pall Mall." To continue, click here.

 

The GRYPHON from Hawaii

Click here for a close-up photo of the boat taken in Hobart

 

It's a very windy day out there and the 13-metre motor-yacht GRYPHON from Hilo in Hawaii has sought shelter in the Clyde River, right across from "Riverbend".

According to GOOGLE, it is owned by Thomas Carpenter of Laupahoehoe in Hawaii who, with his wife and dog, is making his way up the east coast to Brisbane, from where they will transport their yacht on a Float-On/Float-Off ship to Ensenada in Mexico, thence up the West Coast of the USA to Alaska for the summer.

I've hailed them but so far no response. Once the winds have died down, I shall put on my Nelligen Yacht Club cap and row across to introduce myself as its commodore and only member.

 

MS Carmelita

 

The Club's secretary tabled the following correspondence:

Hi Peter. A few years back we met you when we were up the river on our boat Carmelita, a 36' motor cruiser. We had a cup of tea and a nice chat at your place. After corresponding with Jack and Jude Binder, whilst anchored at Batemans Bay, he mentioned you and your website. It was quite a coincidence and highlights how small the world is. Great idea; the Nelligen Yacht Club certainly is exclusive. Nice to make your acquaintance again and will now keep an eye on your blog. Cheers Brian and Sandra Dorling.

After some strenuous vetting, it was unanimously decided to admit Brian and Sandra to the membership of the Nelligen Yacht Club, and to reserve two of the club's t-shirts until they are back in the Clyde River when they can pay their respects to the president.

Brian and Sandra, we hereby welcome you to the Nelligen Yacht Club, and wish you fair wind wherever you may sail which should never be too far away from a welcoming yacht club as the Nelligen Yacht Club has reciprocal rights with all other clubs worldwide.

Just tell them that you're from NYC (and don't be put off if they ask you about the World Trade Center).