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| Day 106 |
22 July 2000 |
| Arafura Sea |
| "A Narrow Margin" |
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Distracting me from the historical significance of this
re-enactment voyage is the suspense about whether or not we can
meet our schedule. There is a very real possibility we will run
out of fuel before Gove, our next opportunity to refuel. We have
proven that Duyfken needs a lot of time to sail upwind against
the trades, more time than we have.
I have made countless calculations, each one telling me that it
will be a near thing. The equation is complicated by so many
variables: the wind speed and direction for the next few days,
the currents, our variable fuel consumption depending on whether
we have sail set or not and what revs we set the throttles at.
Even the distance to go is not fixed, but depends on how far the
wind and current take us from the direct route.
As the gannet flies we are 240 miles from Gove. We could easily
cover such a short distance in a day and a half if we were
sailing with the wind. It is very frustrating. What if we run
out of fuel? It will make it very difficult to get to the
Pennefather River on time. There are so many people expecting us
to be there on the ninth, and we don't want to let them down. I
am drawn back to the chart over and over again, stepping off
distances and fiddling with my slide-rule. (My calculator has
long since succumbed to the chart-table's overhead irrigation
system.) Always the same answer: it's going to be close.
We are distracted from this suspenseful distraction by the fine,
sunny weather this morning. Andrea comes to me before lunch and
asks: 'Excuse me, cruise director, but could we stop for a
swim?' How could I refuse.
Duyfken heaves-to and most of us jump in the ocean while Gary
keeps a shark and snake watch. We have seen dozens of fat,
yellow sea snakes in the last few days. Andrea dives under the
ship and finds the remains of a fishing net wrapped around one
of the propellers. She and Mick begin clearing it away. Mick
gets a hacksaw to cut away the ropes that are wrapped around the
shaft. It is nearly all clear when Andrea spots a shark cruising
in to see what kind of morsels are these that just leapt into
its feeding ground. Mick and Andrea climb out of the water and I
count the heads. Thirteen. All aboard. We decide that the props
are clear enough for today and continue on our way.
We don't want to disappoint anyone by being late, but we are
more than happy to disappoint a hungry shark.
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Peter Manthorpe
Master
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