hello to all - the trip is, well, what a trip, as we say !!
i'm only sorry that each and all of my friends are not on board as well - Nfld. is a treat, anyone looking for a destination for a few weeks of travel can safely check things out here - geography and hospitality combine to a make a fine brew - we were lucky to be invited to participate in a harbour race (and booze up, to be sure), and i very luckily got invited (thanks Diedre) to the closing night of the White Stripes Canadian tour - nothing like a really loud concert to clear the sea air out of your system........
love and hugs to ALL, good luck to Kundan with the move to Guelph, and happy birthday Niels !!!
more from the salty water later.
erik.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Sunday morning! All hands on deck!
Scrubbing brushes in hand the crew are literally swabbing the decks of Mokum on this fair morning in St Johns.
Yesterday they were challenged to participate in a race that was organized there in the bay. I don't know how they placed but i I am sure they will all have enjoyed themselves.
The last I heard Erik, after 3 hours on the phone with the technical department, had finally managed to resolve the issue of the laptop, program and sat phone all working together. Although I have not noticed any mails coming our way just yet.
Long time friends of Jan Pieter and I, Joanne and Warren Bitch, are on their way to St. John's today to offer support and say goodbyes. I will get there early this evening and Martin Shelley and David Meier will arrive just after midnight tonight.
Monday morning we will all be reunited. I am looking forward to breakfast.......I wonder if Pim is rustling up that specialty we all had to drool over when the first pictures came out?
Thanks to all who have posted comments. The guys on board will be able to tune in and read them when I get there with my laptop and we have a wireless connection at the hotel nearby.
Yesterday they were challenged to participate in a race that was organized there in the bay. I don't know how they placed but i I am sure they will all have enjoyed themselves.
The last I heard Erik, after 3 hours on the phone with the technical department, had finally managed to resolve the issue of the laptop, program and sat phone all working together. Although I have not noticed any mails coming our way just yet.
Long time friends of Jan Pieter and I, Joanne and Warren Bitch, are on their way to St. John's today to offer support and say goodbyes. I will get there early this evening and Martin Shelley and David Meier will arrive just after midnight tonight.
Monday morning we will all be reunited. I am looking forward to breakfast.......I wonder if Pim is rustling up that specialty we all had to drool over when the first pictures came out?
Thanks to all who have posted comments. The guys on board will be able to tune in and read them when I get there with my laptop and we have a wireless connection at the hotel nearby.
Friday, July 13, 2007
Safe in St. John's
After the best day of sailing to date Mokum and the crew arrived in St.John's yesterday - right on schedule. Actually they are ahead of their projected schedule - but there is still a lot to do before they finally wave goodbye and set out across the Atlantic next Wednesday. Yesterday they did some "real" sailing and experienced seven foot swells.
It was a beautiful sail into port for Reiner and Pim whose time on board has come to an end. They will return home within the next few days, no doubt with tales to tell and hopefully lots of pictures to post on the blog.
Yesterdays sightings included an "enormous" whale - as opposed to the, I guess, relatively smaller ones they have been seeing all along!- and lots of Puffins who swim along using their wings and slapping the water and actually seem to be racing against Mokum.
When I spoke to the crew this morning they were making to do lists which include going up the mast to check the antenna connection, renting a car for Monday to get the final tasks seen to, filling propane tanks...although they have downloaded the program onto the computer they are unable to connect with the sat phone in order to send their own e-mails so that to will be another of the many tasks that have to be dealt with before Wednesday.
I hope to get to St John's on Sunday and will be there to wave them out.
I just want to mention, to the many people who want to wish our sailors well, that anyone can post a comment. Just click on "comments" at the end of this entry and enter your comments, messages or well wishes. Over and out.
It was a beautiful sail into port for Reiner and Pim whose time on board has come to an end. They will return home within the next few days, no doubt with tales to tell and hopefully lots of pictures to post on the blog.
Yesterdays sightings included an "enormous" whale - as opposed to the, I guess, relatively smaller ones they have been seeing all along!- and lots of Puffins who swim along using their wings and slapping the water and actually seem to be racing against Mokum.
When I spoke to the crew this morning they were making to do lists which include going up the mast to check the antenna connection, renting a car for Monday to get the final tasks seen to, filling propane tanks...although they have downloaded the program onto the computer they are unable to connect with the sat phone in order to send their own e-mails so that to will be another of the many tasks that have to be dealt with before Wednesday.
I hope to get to St John's on Sunday and will be there to wave them out.
I just want to mention, to the many people who want to wish our sailors well, that anyone can post a comment. Just click on "comments" at the end of this entry and enter your comments, messages or well wishes. Over and out.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Another FOGGY morning in Nfld.
They left Trepassey this morning, with the tide, at about 3:00 am local time. When they called home it was 05:00 here in Ontario, 06:30 for them. It was foggy and the sun was trying to burn through the fog. They had just set their course and radioed the details and ETA to the coastguard.
They should reach St. John's by supper time today.
I know that from the start they have said that St John's was the halfway mark but for me it feels as though the adventure has just begun
They should reach St. John's by supper time today.
I know that from the start they have said that St John's was the halfway mark but for me it feels as though the adventure has just begun
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Wednesday July 11, 2007
After 2 days and 2 nights at sea Mokum and her crew which now consists of Jan Pieter, Pim, Reiner, and Erik + sat phone, have arrived in Trepassey. For those of you who don't have your atlasses handy Trepassey is on the south east coast of Newfoundland. Trepassey Bay is to the east of Placentia Bay and St Mary's Bay and is the last big inlet just before they "turn the corner" to head north to St. John's. You can replace "turn the corner" with some appropriate nautical term if you like - I prefer not to launch into my Long John Silver imitation yet - although the sun is over the yard arm, me hearties! Aaaaargh!
There was little wind so they did a lot of motoring and motor / sailing. They continually see whales and yesterday were accompanied by a - is it a pod? - of dolphins. The whales are within 20 meters of the boat and make a lot of noise when they "blow".
Erik's cell phone does work because he subscribes to Bell. It seems that we who subscribe to Rogers are out of luck, or service, to be more precise.
They are grateful for the (3?) GPS they have on board as once again the approach ( I think this is a "flying" term...again you sailors can substitute something nautical) into Trepassey was plagued with fog....did I just say plagued?!!! Aaaaaaargh!
Captain JP (fortunately he'll never know I called him this because he will never sit still long enough to read this blog) says he will call again on Friday - maybe sooner!
They will be entering ice berg territory! Stay tuned...
After 2 days and 2 nights at sea Mokum and her crew which now consists of Jan Pieter, Pim, Reiner, and Erik + sat phone, have arrived in Trepassey. For those of you who don't have your atlasses handy Trepassey is on the south east coast of Newfoundland. Trepassey Bay is to the east of Placentia Bay and St Mary's Bay and is the last big inlet just before they "turn the corner" to head north to St. John's. You can replace "turn the corner" with some appropriate nautical term if you like - I prefer not to launch into my Long John Silver imitation yet - although the sun is over the yard arm, me hearties! Aaaaargh!
There was little wind so they did a lot of motoring and motor / sailing. They continually see whales and yesterday were accompanied by a - is it a pod? - of dolphins. The whales are within 20 meters of the boat and make a lot of noise when they "blow".
Erik's cell phone does work because he subscribes to Bell. It seems that we who subscribe to Rogers are out of luck, or service, to be more precise.
They are grateful for the (3?) GPS they have on board as once again the approach ( I think this is a "flying" term...again you sailors can substitute something nautical) into Trepassey was plagued with fog....did I just say plagued?!!! Aaaaaaargh!
Captain JP (fortunately he'll never know I called him this because he will never sit still long enough to read this blog) says he will call again on Friday - maybe sooner!
They will be entering ice berg territory! Stay tuned...
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Hello all
Jan Pieter called on Saturday morning from the Shopper's Drug Mart in Port aux Basques. They had been in St. Pierre / Miquelon before that but were unable to call because their credit cards wouldn't work in the pay telephones there. Pim had called Nel because he had a European phone card in his wallet. According to JP the islands were unimpressive and the weather was poor. They had gone there because they had extra time to kill waiting for Erik to arrive. They had to motor in to Port aux Basques and there was thick fog. It was a long trip and they had to be guided in over the radio from one buoy to the next. They treated themselves to a big breakfast in Port aux Basques when they arrived.
Once the Shopper's drug closed on Saturday they were unable to make any more calls!
I have not heard anything since. Hopefully the Sat phone will get there soon - and Erik too - of course !
Now that I have figured this blog thing out I will let you all know when I hear something.
Lesley
Jan Pieter called on Saturday morning from the Shopper's Drug Mart in Port aux Basques. They had been in St. Pierre / Miquelon before that but were unable to call because their credit cards wouldn't work in the pay telephones there. Pim had called Nel because he had a European phone card in his wallet. According to JP the islands were unimpressive and the weather was poor. They had gone there because they had extra time to kill waiting for Erik to arrive. They had to motor in to Port aux Basques and there was thick fog. It was a long trip and they had to be guided in over the radio from one buoy to the next. They treated themselves to a big breakfast in Port aux Basques when they arrived.
Once the Shopper's drug closed on Saturday they were unable to make any more calls!
I have not heard anything since. Hopefully the Sat phone will get there soon - and Erik too - of course !
Now that I have figured this blog thing out I will let you all know when I hear something.
Lesley
WHEW!!!!! They made it to Port aux Basques ............... last Saturday, but they had limited communications resources, apparently, so no-one called or e-mailed me to let me know. I have to admit I was getting a bit anxious since I had expected they would arrive before yesterday (Monday) and no word from anyone seemed to indicate to me that they were in some sort of difficulty away from radio/phone range. Anyway, Erik has joined they and MOKUM is on its way to St. John's along the rugged south coast of Newfoundland. No pictures at this time, but Pim and Rainer will be returning early next week or on the weekend and they ought to have a lot of wonderful shots of the trip from Quebec to St. John's, complete with whales and whatever caught their fancy
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