Re: long distance cruising

james nolan (nolan_laboratories@email.msn.com)
Thu, 19 Aug 1999 17:30:22 -0600

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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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Bernie:
I used to have ambition to solo the North Face of the Eiger in the winter
and/or solo a 7000+ meter peak. After a few funerals of my climbing partners
(all of whom died a quick and painless death) I saw where the real tragedy
was-- the children who will never know their dads, the suffering of the
family and friends. On your sail to Hawaii you may experience a tragedy--the
boom crushing your skull, getting bit in half by a shark, the porta potty
exploding-- and you may go quickly and painlessly (such as a huge fireball
of methane gas) --but think of what you leave behind--your wife, girlfriend,
family, unpaid bar bills. I strongly suggest you adopt the motto: "Those who
run and run away live to run another day"
Jim Nolan P-19, P-15, L138T, LGYC #6

-----Original Message-----
From: Bernard Johnson <slithytove@earthlink.net>
To: West Wight Potter - Post <wwpotter@tscnet.com>
Date: Wednesday, August 18, 1999 7:16 PM
Subject: long distance cruising

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> West Wight Potter Website at URL
> http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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>Headline in local (Ventura, CA) paper, Tuesday 17 Aug. "Sloop found
>adrift: local man missing".
>
>
>Robert Goodspeed set out for Hilo from Ventura Harbor on June 20,
>sailing alone. He was expected to arrive on July 20th. His girlfriend
>reported him overdue on July 21. It was a 27 ft boat and well equipped
>and stocked. The boat was found by a freighter on (dare I say it?)
>Friday the 13th. It was listing badly and the sails in tatters. A Zodiac
>boat was still lashed to the bow, there was a GPS (still working), and 2
>emergency beacons which had not been deployed. There was no hint of what
>had happened to the 55 yr old owner. The last entry in the log book was
>on July 6, with the boat 400 miles East of Hawaii. The boat was named
>"Goodspeed".
>
>It was only last week that I was fantasizing about sailing to
>Hawaii.................not now!
>
>
> Bernie Johnson.
>