John Pasmore's Occassional Blog

Outdoor

Sailing, again.

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I only really noticed the gap in my sailing when I looked at my log. And with my son at little over a year-old, I know why I stayed closer to home. Still, it’s funny how a body of water, or water itself can actually exert some unseen magnetic force. Having read much Moitessier lately perhaps it’s just some idealized vision of some alternative vagabond life.

But actually being on the sea, even today for 20 miles in the Atlantic is both a gentle and firm reminder that it’s there, the Sea. Not far. But on a boat, you’re really at its mercy, and it commands respect. And sailing can be quite a test. For me…

And Moitessier on returning to England, “…but leaving from Plymouth and returning to Plymouth now seems like leaving from nowhere to go nowhere.” And he didn’t return, he sailed on. Alone. His wife and family to join later. By not going back he lost the race but what he kept was much more valuable. To him…

For me, sailing the 1200 or so miles to Panama from St. Lucia was in many ways a miserable trip. In more ways much more than that. I took about twenty minutes of video of just really nothing (a part of that is on this site, set to music by Max Richter’s, “Maria the Poet”); so just the wind and the waves; and I took the video to remember that part of the trip that took up the most time, but had no edges to distinguish one moment from the next. On most days all there was were the three of us rotating watch, trying to eat together and mostly nothing else.

And now sitting at this computer, one might think great, fine, read a book. But in reality all that time can be filled just thinking and looking. Or just looking. Each wave slightly different, the boat bouncing along pushed by the wind. Same sounds over and over. Sun rises and sets. Sail through the night. By the grace of God the boat doesn’t hit anything drifting below the surface, and worrying doesn’t do any good. And on and on…

That trip in particular without any satellite phone was very much hidden blessing in retrospect. Because rarely do we have that type of uninterrupted solitude. And probably most don’t want it. But it’s so rare…it’s a very special reintroduction to one’s self. For me…


Greenland

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Got my first issue of Greenland Today magazine. As a former publisher I still really love print. And the plight of indigenous people around the globe is a magnet for my attention.

Greenland according to Wikipedia is “self-governing Danish province” which essentially means Colony. Interestingly, Greenland is taking steps towards independence with a Referendum later this year. In any event, it was one trip I had on the books that I never completed. I had planned to go kayaking with Ultima Thule of Iceland, but work intervened. Something to look forward to.


The Sea

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At times, I’m a little overly focused on all things aquatic. So wanted to post some random thoughts on what is a very wide topic. Underwater Times is by far the most entertaining and informative ocean-focused site site I know. It’s a great jumping off point on all ocean-related topics.

But the sea is more than news or events. It is in many ways a great wilderness. We play at the edge of that wilderness every time we head to the beach, but it can still provide whatever it is we’ve always looked to the wilderness to provide. And Bernard Moitessier, a life-long sea gypsy, and his book The Long Way (picked up electronically on an Amazon Kindle!) provides what it is we look to adventure books for.

Unrelated to ocean as wilderness but worth reading is a novel called, The Sea, by John Banville.

Somewhat related to Moitessier is the interesting documentary on Donald Crowhurst. Crowhurst and Montessier both participated in the Sunday Times Golden Globe race. A race around the world for single-hand (read alone) sailers. While leading the race, Montessier bailed after sailing nearly around the world because he thought the idea of a trophy or a competition did not equal the spirit of the sea or his view of the sea. Artist Tacita Dean did an interesting piece of work on Crowhurst which involves several photographs (and a film I can not find) on the now-abandoned vessel which lies in a sorry state off a deserted beach in Grand Cayman.

For me, sailing, diving, swimming or even looking out at the ocean is a magical experience. There is so much history and nature is so immediate. I could go on and on…won’t though.

(Photo by Michael Truog as we sailed from St. Lucia to Panama several years ago on the Anna of Brighton.)


Breathe Carefully

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While much of the conversation regarding pollution centers on Global Warming’s effects, the immediate health impact seems lost. The Guardian in particular and the press generally has been diligent in keeping Global Warming out front. A study published by the UK government,
The Stern Review, is a pretty concise report revolving around the financial impact of Climate Change.

The need for clean air is obvious. We take care of the planet and it takes care of us. We don’t, it doesn’t. I suppose weighing and stressing the financial impact of greenhouse gases and pollution generally is a good lever to motivate businesses, but one might think that even business owners would want to live long in their prosperity.


Sunday

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There are not enough boat days. Boat days being the close cousin to boat drinks; a term we all recognize from the classic film, “Things to do in Denver When You’re Dead.” Both are simply way too scarce. Pictured the Atlantic Beach Bridge this Sunday from the deck of Option…


High Places

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Sophia Danenberg is the first African American woman to climb Mount Everest. That was in 2006. It’s not new news, but it’s new to many of us who never read about it. I read about Sophia as I was doing a short piece on Sibusiso Vilane, the first “Black” man to climb Everest.

I admire anyone, of any race who can accomplish these challenges, even if they are arbitrary in the sense that there is no need other than one’s desire to set out to tackle them. From the comfort of the Net, I’ve watched as modern explorers like Ben Saunders have set out of these treks in much the same was as we set off to work. Someone should televise

Life is an adventure and their stories serve as another example of just how wide the world still is. It’s been a minute since my last outing, and thanks to Net I can get an adventure fix. Don’t just sit there.