Well, we haven't had a sudden outbreak of common sense that tells us that it's a bad idea to try to visit Port Davey, Lord Howe Island and the Auckland Islands next summer. Alisa lights up every time we mention the idea and says things like "why not?"
So, the planning is getting under way - I've made first contact with the New Zealand Department of Conservation to enquire about getting a permit for the Aucklands.
And I've started hunting up a good marine engineer here in Hobart to advise us about the likelihood that we can use a bigger prop on Galactic, given the restrictions that the design places on clearance between the prop and hull. We're leaning towards saying yes to the idea of repowering, but there's no point in doing that unless we can fit a prop that will get the extra power to the water.
We're in that blessed stage of pre-trip prep when we still have months to get ready. But experience tells me that it will suddenly be December, and we'll be scrambling to finish our boat jobs and get out of town!
Hello Mike and Alisa,
ReplyDeleteYou may not remember me, but we met briefy at a McD's in Pago Pago, My wife and I and 2 young children lived in Kodiak in the 1980 and we even knew someone, i think. I was visting my aging father and had come from Seattle for a few days.
I related to your blog from the past about the epic adventure. You are in and have experienced it. You will not regred it. If you are every in Seattle we have a spare room or 2 and would love to have your family, we live on a beautiful lake I grew up on as a kid in the same house, "shire" my mother passed away in 5 years ago.
In 2 days my son, Rian 28 will leave us for his adventure and it was helpful to realize that as one of your bolgs said, "How can you be missed if you never leave." I love him beyond words and can't even express it except though tears. When Rian was 5 we took him and his 2 sisters 3 and 7 years old to live on the Amazon River in Peru for 4 years; after that we moved to the Andes at 10,000 feet for 10 years. Rian and I fished the rivers and climbed and hiked and caught giant trout in the Andes. Rian and have have summited Mt. Rainier 12 times together and next week I will atempt my 23 summit on my 60th BD with my youngest daughter Shannon 26, Rian and I have even camped in the summit, he helped save my life at least one time in our adventures. We have suba dived 100 times in Puget Sound and he even took me on his spring break from the UW to MX to dive for a week in Cozmuel. One time we caught 2 50# Kings off a friends boat in BC in a place called Rivers Inlet at the same time! When he was 18 he left us in South America, Ecuador at the time, to go to University at UW, after 8 years he became a MD "Dr. Rian Fisher" last week, we are proud and thankful for his hard work. We have talked a lot about it and for better or worse, MD's are now the high priests of our culture. With that there is some saddness.
When you are 60, like I will be next week and your son is 28. You will not be sad you did all the adventures with your children at the young age they are. I live with no regreds in this piece. We are back from the great adventure now, taking care of aging parents and grandkids, but our time on the epic journey is a highlight of our family. Carol and I have been married 33 years and our time in Peru and Ecuador were some of the best, if not the best. God's speed with you all. This writing helped me as my son leaves with his wife and baby in the "cooker" to start a new life in IN. I love and miss him, but it is sweeter at times from a distance, he needs his own space. I could not stop crying as i wrote this short piece. It was cathartic and hopefully encouraging for your family. Thanks.
It is 2am in Maple Valley,WA and the full moon is over the lake, it is beautiful here near Seattle tonight! "Over the misty mountians cold through dungeons deep and cavens old, we must go ere break of day to find the long forgotten gold"
Love, Mark PS Opps know it is 3am; time to go back to sleep.
I send this anonymous, because all the other options challenged me?