.................A New Life, a Sustainable Life, a Exciting Life, Living Aboard The Golden Cloud..................
This Summer Sailing Around the UK Raising Money for RNLI, and Isle of Wight Society for the Blind,
Commercially Sponsored by The Muck Boot Company
Donate at:
http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/wales2wight
Golden Cloud - Fishguard, Pembrokeshire I feel sooo tired, my feet are warn and my eyes are struggling to stay open. But a glass of Golden Nectar and Billy's chipper conversation returns the smile to my face. Tonight we dine in The Fishguard Bay Hotel... a lovely Edwardian country manor hotel, not by choice but because every eatery from The Golden Cloud in Lowertown to this establishment 3 miles away is not serving food.
Fishguard Bay Hotel
This evening is also the last night I spend with Billy Whitehouse, he's crewed for me for a few days and its be fantastic, some of the best days of my life. The First 24 hrs with the disappointment of missing the morning tide and the high seas was very hard. But the Un-timetabled Fantastic time we've had seeing Fishguard has been second to none! This morning we woke on our gorgeous desert beach, the sound of the boat scratching the bed rose me and I adjusted the lines so we didn't land ontop of a discarded oil barrel (despite being deserted 3 tyres and a barrel sat beneath the waves. I did my best to clean and up cycle taking the tyres as fenders for the boat)
Two Tyres fished from the sea
Once the tide receded far enough to paddle ashore I sloshed ashore and set a small fire and cooked billy and I fried eggs. After this we set to work doing some painting on the boat, and cleaning the mud/seaweed slime off the hull. Billy did an ace job of painting the name to the side I didn't get chance to do the other day. While i painted the toe rail and washed the hull. I must say she looked fantastic in the sun, azure waters with her flags and bunting.
Once the tide returned we sailed over to Fishguard ferry harbour to see if it was easily possible to drop billy off for his train tomorrow. Sailing over Goodwick sands we made use of the moveable design Sonar transducer rig, me and Mick designed. Basically instead of bolting the transducer in the hull or on the back of the boat i lashed it to a pole so when entering shallow areas u can hold it at the front of the boat so you know its shallow before you hit it. Were as traditional fixed sonars are normally further back and so only tell you once you've hit! After this we sailed back into Lower town harbour, and moored up, once again with a anchor and a bow line to try to keep me off the wall, the afternoons high winds showed this was time well spent. Once we'd rigged up and settled down it was soon time for dinner and so me and billy set off for town. Knowing The Ship of lower town only did Drink we continued up the hill. 11 pubs either closed, for sail, not serving food and a 3 mile walk later we made it to The Fishguard Bay Hotel. Here we joined hoards of pensioners on a coach trip from Great Yarmouth to relax in its once regal surroundings. At the bar we asked if they were still serving food, as the barman stuttered we cried our sob story to make sure we wouldnt have to walk back to the boat with heads hung low to get a tin from the bilge. Luckily he obliged A lovely walk back along the sea front and back down to the sleepy quayside of lower town to relax once more. Stay Classy Planet Earth Joe
P.s. One story i forgot to say from aberaeron: On the afternoon when billy first arrived we were standing beside a street waiting for a gap in traffic. all of a sudden a elderly lady thrust her arm into mine and took me across the road saying "here you look like u were once a boy scout, take an old dear across the road" when i hesitated with a car about to hit us she pulled me on "they pay enough road tax they'll stop for us" .... priceless
Last night I left you as we settled down to a supper of winkles and limpets. RECIPIE: Add limpets and Winkles to a heavy pan of boiling water. Boil for a minute or so then take off heat and allow to cool. Pick Limpets out of shells, finely chop (5mm cubes) and put in a bowl of water Squeeze the limpets under the water,and rinse until water is clear Remove winkles from shells using a needle. Add white section to bowl of limpets throw the "door" (small plasticey bit) and the brown "poo" spiral.
in a seperate pan melt butter and on a high heat add garlic, and onions, fry till golden brown, add herbs and prepared winkles and limpets
Enjoy
The results were as expected. Both Tasted Fantastic, Winkles the best flavour and texture, Limpets ok taste (mainly from sauce) but texture was like pencil rubber. the act of pulling the winkle morcel out of the shell was also most enjoyable.
As darkness fell a me and billy were chatting out on the foredeck, then all of a sudden the boat in a matter of a second went from horizontal to healing 45degrees. Panicing somewhat with fear it could have been a keel break we removed everything from down below and checked the keel bolts etc, while getting the "Expandy Foam and Condom" hull repair kit out. Fortunatly we had no leaks to find. We found the ropes to the quay very tight, even at this angle we were hanging significantly. In attempt to aleviate the strain we rigged up some extra ropes from the winches to the quay and tighened them up. with it about low tide we decided it best to go below and watch a film until the boat came afloat again.
At 2 am she started to float, so i got billy to stand on the quay while i loosened off the ropes. If a keel had broke she would now all but capsize with water gushing in the broken hull. If the actual issue was she was hanging on the quay and had deeper water on the side away from the quay then she would float and I would only be able to rock her within a range of angle and that range wouldnt change as the 3 keels hit bottom. Thankfully the latter was true. After a final check of what we could see of the keels over the side and inside the bilges of the hull we put the floor back in and retired for the night.
Morning came and I went up on deck early while there was still water to try to rig a side anchor to aleviate the issue. With a bit of advice from a local fisherman and help from billy once i'd got him up, i was soon off the wall, and found the old girl sitting level when the tide next receeded.
Then Billy and I set about a bit of an exploration of Fishguard Town... I'm not sure if we actually found the town of a side settlement but what we did find was lovely, all bar it all being shut for bankholiday! After a hearty breakfast in the only cafe open we headed back to the cloud and a lovely conversation with a lady who had been at the same high school as me a few moons ago, and her friends.
The Deserted Streets of Fishguard
After this we set off up the other hill of Fishguard to the remenants of the Fishguard Fort. From here we looked across the stunning views of the bay and all the little headlands and coves. Billy and i then decended the jagged cliff and made are way back to the boat via the gorgeous all be it rocky shore.
Then as the tide returned Billy went off caving on the kayak while I set about trying to sort a bit more wiring on board.
As minutes turned into an hour or so I decided to go back onto the quay to check how the old boy was doing. I looked up into the bay to see Billy Swimming alongside the Kayak, he waved at me quite happily! I didn't quite know if this was stiff upper lip so I ran back to the boat threw off the lines and went to his aid...."Your the Roger Johnson of Kayaking!" To be fair to him i should have re-repaired the crack in the hull after the kayak blew across ynyslas boatyard a month or so ago. The lack of a decent repair made the kayak had become unstable due to a hull full of water and the last straw was the wake off a powerboat. Although I looked the part with the RNLI flags, Billy fairplay had swum best part of half a mile before i "rescued" him.
From here we sailed across to a small cove we'd scoped earlier in the day and triple anchored to keep us in the safe water as the tide receeded. The fishing lines went out overboard and we sat there joyous at how lucky we were to be in such a place.
In the evening I cooked up Mussels from the Harbour Wall (Soak in clean water with a bit of salt and a bit of oats for 6 hours changing the water 3 times, trying to break the mussel open by twisting at each water change, removing beard on first water change, remove barnacles by scraping off with other barnacled mussels, in a heavy pan fry onions and garlic, put in the cleaned mussels add a glass of red wine and herbsput lid on an steam for a few minutes)
We sat eating the mussels on the back deck in the sunshine throwing the shells back to the sea. Much to our ammusement the seagulls kept trying to eat the empty shes and were then very disgruntled when the shells were empty.
As the day drew to a close we kayaked the 3m from the boat to shore and set a fire on the beach, we sat watching the fire and swapping manly stories until about midnight, by which point the boat had dried out and we got back onboard for bed barely getting our toes wet.
Another Great day in Fishguard, What will tomorrow bring?
Fishguard - A town of 2 Sides. And so the morning we woke rocking about in the swell just off Goodwick Sands infront of the Ferry terminal. As i got up and did some of the final checks on the engine i should have done the night before I got thinking, this is really not a lovely little welsh town, I hope we can leave soon. Soon Billy was up and we had plenty of tide. After a potato, tuna and peppers curry, we raised anchor and prepared to go. We started to pootle accross to the Vistors moorings of Fishguard "lower town" the more traditional port of the town. As we left almost instantly a hoard of dragon boats swung into the bay excatly across our route. I got billy to ease off the throttle to save us cutting up the race, while i tidied the anchor up front. As we came into Lower Town Harbour we saw the plethora of gorgeous coves and caves surrounding it, and a sleepy little town behind it. Sadly the boat race ment our mooring was taken up by dragon boats, so we pulled up a swing mooring while watching the next race come to its finish. While on the mooring we charged the batterys off the engine and got to work on painting the Blog Website on the decks to hopefully get some punters to help the charity causes via the website. While billy painted in the afternoon i went for a kayak around the bay. The Caves were awesome to behold, some many meters deep. I stopped many times im amazement at how lucky I was too be there. Enroute i picked up a good few limpets and periwinkles to make a bit of a foraged dinner. I raced the final race of the dragon boats back into the harbour on my kayak, needless to say they won and won well. Once back alongside the boat we got ourselves prepared and as the dragon boats cleared away we set ourselves onto the mooring on the harbour wall for the night. I spent the evening sat legs danging off the kayak painting the name on the bow of the boat before me and billy retired to "The Ship" pub in the old village... a very old worldly and lovely pub... What a lovely pub, a lovely afternoon, and how lucky we are that we moved from Modern fishguard to Old Fishguard! Nos Da Joe
The Golden Cloud 5/5/13 Fishguard Pembrokeshire 90 miles down, ~410 to go. At 2am Yesterday morning Billy and I made our final preperations and set sail for Fishguard, hoping in the kindest way possible to never see Aberaeron again! However, our excitement was shortlived as we soon found the sea far too rough and a teething problem with the engine again! I knew i could work round this issue, but feeling both tired and not prepared to go into a big sea with only hand start on the engine we tightened up the ropes back on Aberaeron Quay. Not to be detered at first light, after a quick stop to the bakery, we started on some more niggling improvements to the boat and by the time the tide returned, we couldnt be more ready. So at 1445 we slipped lines for what would be the final time in both Aberaeron and Ceredigion, and we set off for Fishguard. The trip is a reasonably long one but doesn't have any significant navigational hazards, our biggest issue was a mountianous and choppy sea, and strong winds straight on the nose. We prepared sail but in the end these stayed lashed down and we ended up motoring the whole way. We just wouldn't have made enough headroom to make it worth while. Along the route we were stalked by an incredibly interested flock of guilmots, and one seagull who took a shining to our fishing line... i'm so glad he didnt go for it, needless to say we soon brought it back in. The grace, ease and speed of these proffesional sea goers was a signt to behold, we only wished to mimic them in any way. As we came to Newquay Head we discussed very quickly that this was the last possible safe haven before Newport (in spitting distance of Fishguard) as Cardigan Harbour had said they were too dangerous to enter. The conversation was Swift.... LETS DO IT! Soon we sped past, a good few miles offshore, the coastal settlement and MOD test firing range at Aberporth, where i'm sure i spotted a dolphin as billy was sick. Then the first and testing manouver of a refuel at sea. I knew she would make it on one tank but i didn't want another air lock or RNLI call out! So big jerry out, and siphon tube was the order of the day to avoid splashing too much.... Let me tell you know, Desiel Burps are not nice. As sun set we rounded Cardigan Island with giant waves smashing into the coast visible even to us miles off shore. Then as darkness fell Billy spotted Strumble Head Lighthouse and soon Fishguard Harbour lights. Billy masterfully helmed through the big seas, amazing as it was only his first time. While I cat napped between navigating and writing the log. Every time I awoke we were nearer to our destination more lights on the coast were visible and Billy without the aid of seeing the charts was bang on course. And a lovely supprise as Strumble became a shimmer over the top of a suiluet of the hills of Fishguard. A wonderful fireworks display in Cardigan! Something tells me they didnt want me to harbour their! As we passed the final headland and officially entered Fishguard Bay the seas and winds calmed around us leaving us oncourse and ontime for my predicted midnight entry. Then on the horizon a beacon of light to steal our thunder, The Stena Line Fishguard-Rosslare ferry was on the horizon and gaining on us fast! I altered our route to take us outside where i thought he'd go and added a bit more speed to make sure we rounded the harbour wall before he did, and thus into saftey. Soon he was right upon us but we were inside the calm waters of the harbour and preparing to anchor in GoodWick sands. Radio conversations with the Harbour Master and Milford Coastguard to check we were safe insued, before we made the final approaches. It nearly got very hairy here as the mainly unlit harbour (inc. unlit bouys, boats and pontoons) soon caught us out even tho we looked as hard as we could. A half submerged pallet attached to a bouy caught on the bow, neither of us had seen it, luckily it glanced off us and the masterfully added Skeg from the previous owner pushed it's rope away from our prop. We rounded up into the wind and dropped anchor. Successfully in fishguard. Our and my longest leg so far, a brilliant test for the engine and a successful journey. Weather doesnt look ace today or tomorrow, and with Strumble and St Davids Head our next leg I think we'll seak the haven of Fishguard Old Town tonight and continue working on the boat. In other news I recieved a wadge of donations to the charitable cause from Aberaeron under the impressive flags of the RNLI and Isle of Wight Blind Society. Fingers crossed we can muster some more from fishguard. Just Giving Page should be up and running soon, but thier not making it easy for the IOW Blind Society to join... sounds like its a "charity website" only for the big boys! As they say in Greenland (but probably don't spell it like this) Ka-shult-ta! (means cheers) Joe
The Golden Cloud 3/5/13 - Aberaeron MidWales - 60 miles down, ~440 to go. And So after the madness of the last few days finally I feel prepared to go again. The issue with the cloud's engine turned out to be significantly more minor than originally realised, although the trouble shooting of the engine and fuel system has lead to significant improvements in the engines running and has given me confidence in both the engine and myself. In my week in Aberaeron (instead of the 12 hours originally planned) has been fantastic, the weather has been great, and the towns folk (especially those of the Yacht Club and the Grandparents of Heather O'rourke) have been fantastic. Not a moment seemed to go by on that mooring where there wasnt some well wisher or sailor wishing me thier best and offering any assistance possible. It just shows how much the sea can bring us together. And so as i sit in an Arriva bus enroute back from Cardiff after passing my Naval fitness and medical, I am filled with great excitement for the forthcoming week. Billy Whitehouse is crewing with me for a few days, the forecast is sunny, and hopefully the wind isnt as brisk as forecast so we can safely make Cornwall by the week's end. Mind you, my engine blues continue... The Bus has stopped on the hard shoulder of the M4, "serious engine overheat" maybe i'm just bad luck for these things!!! Sadly my internets not great but next time i find an Internet Cafe there will be a few photos to put up! Bon Voyage Joe
P.S. This Trip is no longer raising funds for Surfers Against Sewage.
Apparently I was "Unable" to get into Aberaeron due to broken engine... Reality was yes the engine was down, but I was already tacking into harbour and felt ok with doing this. I had radioed Milford Haven in the morning so when i Updated them to say i was heading back with engines down thier words were... "Please confirm engine down, sailing back to aberaeron over" "Correct over" "Well, Newquay inshore lifeboat is out on exercise on the moment, if you don't mind it would be a great help to them if they could practise towing and it would make us happier if they took you back to harbour, over" "Well as you asked so nicely, over"
To which Newquay ILB came to assist, although i was fine on my own.
Anyways thats by the by... Here's the video they've put up... and Please help the cause and donate to them if you can...
To all who are following the travels of the Golden Cloud.
You may have heard on the grape vine that somethings happened, you may have not.
Basically the Journey Ynyslas Mid Wales, to Newport, Isle of Wight (~500nm) started early with a perfect weather window coming to the welsh coast. An opportunity too good to miss I took it. I left Ynyslas on April 25th, and The Dovey Estuary on the morning of the 26th with Harry Toland as crew for the first leg.
We successfully navigated heavy seas and the dangers of Aberdovey Bar, Borth/Ynyslas Sands, Wallog Sarn, Castle Rocks, and Aberystwyth Bar getting into Aber Marina for 11am. After a day of sorting out bits and bobs that had been shown up by the first passage I headed again south on the 27th of april this time towards Aberaeron will Ally Evans as crew. Successfully docking up at about 11am again I planned an overnight stop here before heading onto Fishguard as my first single handed and longest leg so far (30nm). On the morning of the 28th I untied at 7.45am and headed into open sea.
About 200ft from the harbour entrance my infamously "indestructible, reliable" engine stopped. I locked autohelm for offshore and raised sails and heaved too, before trying to find the issue. Unable to rectify the issue I turned back toward aberaeron and radioed Milford Coastguard informing them i wouldn't make Fishguard as i'd told them i would in the morning, and I would be returning into Aberaeron under sail as my engines had died. I told them i was comfortable entering the harbour under sail and it was not a Mayday or a Pan Pan
Milford Coastguard said that Newquay RNLI were on a training exercise anyway and would like to offer me a tow as it would help in training. Who was i to refuse!
Safely back along side in the evening Mick from Ynyslas boatyard came into help rectify the issues and we found issues in the fuel system and the gasket. Unable to get her running again I called the SABB dealer in Teignmouth on the morning of the 29th who has advised me on how to rectify the issue.
I have been kindly offered accomodation with family friends and i'm well. However my phone, and laptop have water damage and as such I am unable to reply to any calls or texts.
If you would like to contact me please use my facebook, twitter or email me at joeberpearce@yahoo.co.uk
As with before I aim to raise money for the good causes you see above in my blog. In light of the help the RNLI gave me yesterday I urge you to help this valuable life saving volunteer service. To do so please visit https://rnli.org/donateorbecomeamember/Pages/One-off-Donation.aspx
I have made a decision to move the start date for the round the uk sail for Royal National Lifeboat Institution, Isle of Wight Society for the Blind, Multiple Sclerosis Society (IoW Branch), and Surfers Against Sewage, with beach cleans to next year to give more time to organise charity, sponsor, council, harbour, and boat logistics.
The original May 1st start date is fast approaching, and with the potential size and fundraising potential of the project I feel it would not do it justice to rush it now and not do all we planned.
This said, during summer (probably May-June and Sept-Oct) I still plan to have some practise runs of the event, likely to involve a few beach cleans, and a passage perhaps Aberystwyth to Isle of Wight, or to West Coast of Scotland or something along those lines to check everything is in order on the boat.
Those who have offered to be crew this year, if you're still available it would be ace if you could join for practise sails this summer, and please keep in contact with regards to next year.
If you have been helping with sponsorships and permissions please forward this message (or something along the same lines) to anyone you have contacted to inform them of the change. We may find that people who have turned us down for this year, we could be top of the pile for sponsorship next year!
The Golden Cloud 26/2/13 What a busy few week's its been since I returned from the land of Ice, and ice, and ice, and oh a bit more ice. On return from Greenland I decided that this summer me and The Cloud would be going on an adventure. Over a nice cup of tea with a good friend Billy Whitehouse, and then numerous phone calls to charity's and sponsors a plan slowly formulated, and its one I'm now very excited to announce.
Summary: 2300 Mile Anti-Clockwise Lap of the UK leaving 1st of May, doing beach cleans every overnight stop (aim 1000 bags of rubbish) raising funds for Surfers against Sewage, RNLI, Isle of Wight Society for the Blind and The Multiple Sclerosis Society.
On the 1st of May 2013, The Golden Cloud will depart Ynyslas, and after stopping off in Aberdovey, will head South to do a 2300 nautical mile of the United Kingdom, in an anti-clockwise direction. The route according to passage planning software would take 35 days of direct sailing with a vessel profile similar to golden cloud. However, the plan is not to rush this and enjoy the journey as much as the destination. We plan to do 20-50 miles (~4-7 hours) sailing a day, taking advantage of the best weather and tidal conditions, and staying at anchor when it's not ideal.
The Giants Causeway
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Giant's_Causeway_-_geograph.org.uk_-_133.jpg
The Route plan includes natural beauties like The Scilly Isles, various gorgeous estuaries, Ramsey and Skomer Islands, The White Cliffs of Dover, the North West of Scotland, and the The Giants Causeway to name but a few.
Seeing the Puffin's of Skomer Island
http://www.coolplaces.co.uk/places/uk/wales/pembrokeshire/st-davids/1596-skomer-island
It also takes in Every Capital of the UK (Cardiff, London, Edinburgh, Belfast) as well as the City's of Bristol, Falmouth, Plymouth, Poole, Southampton, Portsmouth, Brighton, Dover, Newcastle, Liverpool, Bangor etc.
A personal highlight will be sailing under Tower Bridge
Source http://www.travlang.com/blog/category/london-travel-guide/
The journey will give us a chance to see this beautiful nation of ours from angles we've never seen it before. As per normal on the Cloud the journey will be planned as Sustainable, Low Cost and Eco-friendly as possible. The plan is to live off the sea, fish and forage where possible, we'll even try to grow some veg and mushrooms in the limited space onboard. The plan is to sail everywhere as much as possible without using the motor unless absolutely nessasary (emergency's and tight harbour manoeuvring). All our electric will come from a small solar panel on deck. I'm even looking into changing the motor to a electric one that runs off the panel! Its planned that we will moor in little bays and harbours instead of marinas and ports, as there is increasing evidence that large marinas are unsustainable, and huge point sources of pollution from oil in bilge pumps, antifoul paints, sewage from sea toilets and litter. We will reduce our impact in this way because the boat has no sea-toilet, all garbage will be recycled where possible and binned, and we will be careful in the use of antifoul paints and bilge pumps. Added to this the anchoring in open bays and smaller harbours means any pollution from us will be a more dilute source and thus more easily dealt with by nature. We wanted to give something back as part of the trip ans so we decided that we would collect sea-rubbish, an ever increasing plight on the coastal beauty of the world (we even saw it in Greenland!) After talking to Surfers against Sewage we have decided to do a beach clean at every overnight stop and aim to collect 1000+ bags of rubbish. We want to do this to add to the cause, but also to make our trip a positive one for the environment, making it better after we leave than when we arrive, and to highlight the issue of sea rubbish to a wider audience.
Added to this we aim to raise money for the RNLI for their work for seafarers, The Isle of Wight Society for the Blind and The Multiple Sclerosis Society for the help they gave my dad when he lost his sight with MS a few years ago, and Surfers against Sewage for there work cleaning up the coast.
http://rnli.org
http://www.iwsightconcern.org.uk/
http://www.wight-ms.org.uk/
http://www.sas.org.uk
http://www.muckbootcompany.com
And in the past few hours I can gladly announce the 1st Commercial Sponsor for the Project "The Muckboot Company". The Company are supplying the crew with their specialist, hard wearing neopreyne boots. In Greenland we wore Muckboots for sailing was very impressed, hence going to Muckboot for sponsorship. And so the next step! Well were currently looking for crew and sponsorship (personal and commercial) for the journey. A just giving site will be set up shortly after we have discussed things through with the charitys. If you would like to become part of the crew, want to help with your local beach clean, want to help out in the organisation, or have any ideas or offers for sponsorship, Please send me an email on joeberpearce@yahoo.co.uk Looking forward to a Great Summer!
And so on came 3 months in Greenland. I arrived with 3 gentlemen from ITN News producing for Channel 4 about the recent low sea ice and high
melt of the Arctic Ocean and Greenland. It was a fantastic experience for my
first few days as not only did it take the focus off me but also it meant it
was all recorded for showing friends and family when I got home!
Channel 4 News Footage (via youtube)
Sailing in the High Arctic is something quite amazing,
through the 500 odd miles I clocked up on the 47ft Gambo, the 3m rib and the 4m
hovercraft we cruised through gigantic ice sculptures the size of towerblocks,
and hugh pads of sea ice. Temperatures down to -29°c added to by icy cold winds off the ice
sheet, and the towering Store and Lille Glaciers, the brightly coloured Inuit
settlements delicately placed on stunning mountainsides, the quietness of the
long winter night. It is defiantly something I’ll never forget.
Arctic Fox
2 arctic hares (photo: James Killingbeck)
I saw the beautiful Arctic Fox, Arctic Hare’s bouncing off
on a ridge above the ice sheet as we went to check time-lapse cameras above the
glaciers, striking white Tarmagan flying up from the snow, a Minke Whale diving
just infront of the Gambo, as well as our gorgeous and cuddly Greenlandic Dogs
(like husky’s) Ukioq (means winter in Greenlandic), Nuliaq (means wife, she was
an old moody female so fitting), Tornalique (sort of means spot the dog :P),
and Qoorka who we never found what his name meant but he was a lovely cuddly
mess!
Ukioq (photo: Alex Baubin)
Nuliaq
One of my best memories of my time in Greenland was taking a
walk along a snow covered ridge with Ukioq, I fell into a snow drift up to my
shoulders. Whilst I rolled out to try to get my legs back from the snow, young
Ukioq jumped down onto my chest to save himself from jumping in the snow too,
he then proceeded to roll up and fall asleep on me. I thought that was taking
it abit far, and we had plenty of walking still to do, so I tossed him back
into the drift and walked on! He stared up quite confused, but then gleefully
ran on.
Another was of the fantastic Northern Lights we had during
the deep dark winter, one night with them gleaming and dancing like never
before in Green and shades of red and i think even purple, I got out my sleeping bag on the
deck in minus sixteen and watched them till I fell to sleep. The skys out there
were stunning, the stars so clear, the moon glistening at times all “day” and
all night, and shooting stars flying almost constantly. On the journey back to
civilisation I think I may have even seen a supernova (star exploding). Looking
up at the stars one suddenly blew up, sending a bright white flash across the
darkness, and almost as quickly as it started it was gone. Speaking to friends
who think they know science and astronomy they tell me a supernova would have
taken longer than the seconds of this, but perhaps it was a shooting star
heading straight towards me. Either way it was pretty special.
In Early January it was time to come back, and so we got the
Hovercraft out and sped across the sea ice toward the replacement crew. After a
few days of failed attempts we finally, safely met up, and back I went. It was
quite overwhelming getting back to the Tiny fishing settlement of Ikerasak,
after 3 months only seeing Cpt. Nolwenn and crewmate Alex, so many people! so
many houses! Then onto the Metropolis of the tiny Uummannaq Settlement, and
then the Citadel of Ililusat with its 4000 inhabitants! Every step back to
normal civilisation was quite intense but also taught me what I’d learnt about
even more than before wanting to live simple, live sustainable, and live
resourcefully with what I have, that I didn’t need capitalistic, buy now think
later anymore. For the last 4 months I’d washed myself and my clothes using a
saucepan on a small hob, rinsing in seawater. Every drop of drinking water from
November mined from icebergs, every ounce of food even fresh veg and eggs had
been brought with us, so I’d learnt of how to ration and eat reasonably, how to
store food for a long period (admittedly in an environment like a freezer). So
back to the Golden Cloud I go with new knowledge of how its done!
Now as I know its what everyone wants to see... Pictures
Midday in the winter night!
Warning Sled Dogs
Planking in Illulisat Icefjord
Alex and Nolwenn on the Hovercraft
Base Camp
Capt. Nolwenn
Windows from the inside
The Arrival of the Food Container
View across the sea ice.... notice wolffish skin drying
Working in Base Camp (Photo: James Killingbeck)
The Sea Ice First Forming
Going Fishing in the ice (Photo James Killingbeck)
Ukioq looking over the anchorage (Photo James Killingbeck)
Ukioq in the Snow (Photo James Killingbeck)
Frozen Ice Waterfall (Photo James Killingbeck)
Gambo pre seaice (Photo James Killingbeck)
Ukioq the crazy puppy (Photo James Killingbeck)
Me on an iceberg (Photo James Killingbeck)
Me helming gambo infront of store (Photo James Killingbeck)
The icebergs at sea (photo Alex Baubin)
Kayaking infront of Ikerasak (Photo James Killingbeck)
Ikerasak Harbour (Photo James Killingbeck)
Whale Meat (Photo James Killingbeck)
The ice in Lille/Store Fjords
Me infront of the ice sheet (Photo James Killingbeck)
Dr Alun Hubbard walking across a frozen lake (Photo James Killingbeck)
Ukioq on the Kayak (Photo James Killingbeck)
Gambo in the frozen anchorage (Photo James Killingbeck)
Santa's holiday house
Lille (little) glacier
Gambo anchored off Ikerasak (Photo James Killingbeck)
Me taking C4 out to film (Photo James Killingbeck)
The Fish drying in rigging and ice
C4 filming
c4 news team
Kangerlussuaq Airport sign post
Vietnam type Bell Utility Helicopters we used (yes i did listen to Jimmy Hendrix on my ipod whilst on this)
The ice in Lille fjord
The Very James Bond looking plane at Kanger
Me at Illilisat Airport
Me with precious onions (Photo Alex Baubin)
Sea ice forming
Ice ice baby (Photo Alex Baubin)
Fingers of ice coming down the mountians
The town of Uummannaq
The town of Uummannaq
Ukioq
Lille Outlet Glacier (Lille means little!)
Store Outlet Glacier (store quite rightly means big)
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