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July 11, 2000
Solomons to Australia voyage - basecamp update #2
Pirate Ships and Pedal Boats
Date: Tue, 11 Jul 2000 04:28:36 -0700
Tulagi Report #3
Tulagi Island
Central Province, Solomon Islands
"Ms April, if you were asked to pedal the boat on the expedition, would you do it?" Logan inquired. My fifth graders were in the midst of making their own paper from recycled paper pulp. We had just received letters from the kids at Dai Nippon Elementary on Tarawa and my students were creating paper to be used in their replies to their new penpals. Logan's question was one I'd never given much thought. I gured I'd be pretty useless, as I've never been to sea. My only prior sea experience was a 'virtual' one as a kid standing on the beaches of Padre Island, Texas Gulf Coast. There, I envisioned my life as a pirate sailing aboard a tall ship, wreacking havoc. I'd carried the dream a bit into my adult life, attempting to book passage on a barefoot cruise in the Caribbean. Another time found me applying to help crew a tall ship across the north Atlantic. Neither of the voyages materialized.
Logan's question was not an easy one to answer. My first time to travel with the expedition was over land, and even though I'd never done anything like that, I figured if a person had any going around sense at all, one could make do in most circumstances. But, his question would make a good topic for discussion, so I opened it up to the kids, "If you were to travel aboard Moksha..." and a lively dialog followed.
I was caught completely off guard when I was asked a few months later. This time, it was Jason posing the question, "Would you consider pedaling the leg from the Solomon Islands to Australia?" And this was not meant to be a hypothetical situation. "Holy cow... what kind of physical preparation alone would be required to attempt something like that," I thought. And that would be the easy part. Could I possibly cover all of the homefront bases to leave for two months from mid June to the end of August? It seemed to be a bit of a monumental task, and my practical side began to process all that would be needed.
Then, a thought from out of the blue. I was transported back in time, standing once again on the sandy beaches of south Padre, envisoning the full rigger in the cloud formations above the Gulf coastal waters... "Hmmm," I responded thoughtfully. "Yes... yes, I just might do..."
Six months later, here I am, sitting aboard the Good Ship Moksha. I'm attempting to type this update on a small rocking boat that is tied to the dock. Yeah, it's a long way from the conditions of deep ocean travel, but I'm slowly working my way there. I've pedaled her several times around the harbor to get legged up. Today, my intent was to tempt the 'sea sickness gods' by staring at this computer screen, typing in time to the rhythmic sway in an attempt to create as much of the actual scenario as possible before we depart at week's end. No, I'm not a glutton for punishment, but want to get a feel for as much as possible before I untie the boat!
April
Posted on July 11, 2000 12:39 PM