Logbook: Chillin' In Dunedin

I must have been really tired last Sunday night, because when I woke up on Monday and looked at my watch I saw it was already half past noon! Lunch became my first order of business for the day, followed by a good cup of coffee and a review of some material I'd picked up. The weather was pretty good and I decided it was time to do a little exploration, so I booked myself on an afternoon/evening wildlife tour out onto the Otago Peninsula. About twenty of us were picked up by a van at The Octagon and driven out to Taiaroa Head on the end of the peninsula where we toured the Royal Albatross Centre. As you know, I have recently had the unparalleled experience of very close encounters with many albatross -- on the Polar Star sailing in the Southern Ocean, on South Georgia Island and on Steeple Jason Island in the Falklands -- so I am admittedly a little spoiled. Thus, watching a 30-minute video and standing in a glass enclosed viewing room to observe only a few albatross was not particularly thrilling for me. In addition, the Centre takes an active role in "conservation" by tagging and monitoring birds, fostering orphaned chicks with adults who have lost their own young and even removing eggs from the nests of "clumsy" or "inattentive" parents and incubating them mechanically. Once again, I struggled with the "good" idea of preserving an endangered species and the "bad" idea of intervening with nature. Nevertheless, it was fun to see a different species of my old friend the albatross soaring over the bluffs, and I got enough decent video to put together the Report below.. The Royal Albatross is very similar to the Wandering Albatross and one cannot help but be amazed by how large yet graceful they are. Weighing up to 10 kilos -- or about as much as a medium-sized turkey -- and having a wingspan over 3 meters -- or about 10 feet -- these birds are truly the masters of dynamic soaring! From there we drove to the ocean beach side of the peninsula where we walked up and down the bluffs for a couple of hours to see Fur Seals, Sealions and Yellow-Eyed Penguins -- photos of which you can see in the Photo Log -- then returned to town late in the evening.

I am delighted to report that I have spent the entire rest of the week very happily just "living" in Dunedin -- I'd go so far as to call it "Chillin' in Dunedin!" It may not sound like much, but after being on the move for months through foreign lands with limited communications and conveniences, being able to walk down the street of a comfortable little city at any time I want and really understand what's going on around me is a real treat. Add to that the pleasure of being able to order anything in a wide variety of restaurants with a high degree of confidence that I will get what I order, and you've got the recipe for bliss. To top it off, in one of the many, large, all-English bookstores I found three more Jack Reacher novels and have had an absolutely grand time immersing myself in them! The list goes on -- including being able to watch TV, striking up a spontaneous conversation with folks in a coffee shop, touring museums without having to rely on semi-useful, second-language info sheets, etc. -- adding up to a very nice, relaxing, refreshing week on The Voyage!

Along the way, I have done some research and made some "plans" for my NZ exploration, starting tomorrow morning when I will pick up a car and start a road trip to the south. I am all caught up online, my gear is all clean, sorted and packed, the iPods are all fully charged and I am well rested and energized. As always, I'm not sure what internet access will be like along the way, but I shall endeavor to keep this website as up to date as possible!

Report: Royal Albatross

In Taiaroa, New Zealand, you can watch Royal Albatross soar overhead from inside a glassed-in observation room. Although this is a far cry from the open-air filming of Albatross I was able to do at sea near South Georgia Island, I was at least stationary rather than shooting from the deck of a rolling and pitching ship. Despite the glass, I think the footage in this video Report turned out pretty well, in particular offering some excellent views of the full 3-meter wing-span of the Royal -- the largest species of Albatross -- and a rare glimpse of one sitting on a nest. Enjoy! (Many thanks to Annastasia Workman for an exquisite new piece of music!)

Logbook: Dunedin "Re-Entry"

The ship arrived in Port Chalmers too late to disembark on Thursday evening, so I spent a final, quiet and uneventful night onboard. By nine o'clock Friday morning I was dressed, packed, fed and cleared by "The Man" -- who turned out to be a very nice woman -- to go ashore. After a few final farewells with officers and crew, I descended the gangway and met up with Charlotte and Randy who -- bless his heart -- had gotten special permission from the Captain to escort us on the short walk along the dock, through the gate and a block into town to the bus stop. There, we said good-bye to our good friend and watched him retrace his steps back to the gate and on through to the ship. As you can see in the photo, the cargo gantry is almost as big as the town of Port Chalmers, and it was with a mix of nostalgia for the past month at sea and excitement about the next months on land that I took one last look at the ship. After a quick cup of good coffee at a local cafe, Charlotte and I hopped on a local bus for the twenty minute ride into Dunedin where we got off in the middle of town -- at "The Octagon" as it is called -- and went right into the tourist info center. Because I had all my gear in tow and didn't feel like dragging it around looking for a place to stay, I got one of the center's staff to suggest and book me a room for two nights at a mid-range place with internet. Charlotte opted for a "backpackers" so we parted ways after making plans to meet up later in the evening.

It was an easy three block walk to my hotel which turned out to be a generic tourist place in what I would soon find out is the uninteresting side of town. It was still before noon and my room wasn't ready yet, so I stashed my gear and took off for a walk around town. Back through The Octagon I found the more interesting part of town, had a delicious lunch of fresh fish and salad then walked around some more on my way back to formally check in at my hotel. I spent much of the afternoon online -- as usual when I've been offline for a while -- then went out for another exploratory walk and another good, fresh meal before meeting Charlotte and going to see a real movie in a real theater. It may sound like a funny thing to do, but it was a real treat after living in foreign languages without current entertainment for such a long time. I crashed pretty hard that night, the first time I've been in a room that wasn't noisy, vibrating or moving in over a month.

Yesterday was a mixed use day. I spend most of the morning on Skype with a client doing "other work" then went out for lunch and a walkabout, during which I found a much better place to move to, got a NZ chip for my phone, picked up a few supplies, did a few other chores and had some fun wandering around the big festival that was taking place in town. Dunedin is a very attractive little city of about 100,000 people and I have very quickly become quite fond of it. There is a lot of tourism centered here, but the town does not feel "touristy." With lots of interesting things to do both in the city and in the area I have decided to spend a week here, giving myself a really good chance for "Re-Entry" into land-based life. Because I expect to be in New Zealand for a couple of months, I have decided to do some overall "planning" of my exploration here and have started to gather up maps, brochures, etc. to piece together a rough itinerary.

I got up this morning and moved to my excellent new home for the week, then went out for a huge Sunday brunch. I continued my "Re-Entry" by walking around town, gathering info, looking at maps, catching up with myself and others online, updating the map and generally doing all the stuff that has been on-hold while I've been at sea. As you can probably tell by the way I have emphasized my meals over the past few days, I am really, really enjoying the food around here. Not only is it all very fresh, there is also a wonderful variety available. Compared with the adequate but not very fresh or diverse food onboard ship, Dunedin is an eden of eating and I am enjoying every opportunity and morsel. Although I don't feel like I've been all that busy or active over the past few days, I am feeling very tired. It may just be the change of pace, or it may be that I didn't really sleep all that well on the ship and it has caught up with me. Either way, I am in a great, quiet little room with what looks like a very comfortable, stable bed, so I am going to crash early and see how my "Re-Entry" continues tomorrow.

Logbook: Freighter Days IX

Day 31 - February 4th

While having coffee on deck this morning, I enjoyed my first views of the New Zealand coast. The rolling headlands of the north island are very attractive and further enhanced my anticipation of exploration throughout the country. The weather was beautiful and we had a very nice day at sea, ending with a late afternoon arrival in the port of Auckland. After the usual docking process -- and a little more than the usual paperwork -- we were given permission to "go outside" and I bolted to the gate a little after six o'clock. It was a pleasant 20 minute walk along the waterfront into town, made all the more enjoyable by the moderate temperature that comes with being back in a higher latitude. I have been to Auckland before and it looked just like the last time I was here, so I opted to head straight for an internet connection which I was happy to find at a comfortable little cafe. Over the next few hours I caught up on email, posted a full website update and downloaded a bunch of media from iTunes. By the time I looked at my watch it was a little after eleven, so I packed up my gear and enjoyed the return walk to the ship. Signing in just before midnight, I chatted with the deck officer for a few minutes then went up to my cabin and called it a night. Although my time in port was typically brief, I had succeeded in getting a lot accomplished and was pretty happy about it.

Day 32 - February 5th

My morning began "pre-coffee" with the Customs inspection described in the Musing below, followed by the usual waiting around while cargo operations were concluded and the ship was buttoned up for heading back out to sea. Just before lunch we departed from Auckland and had a delightful afternoon cruise. The wind was really up and the surface of the sea was very lively with white caps everywhere, but the swells were small and we did little rolling despite our very light weight. With a fresh download of "24 - Season 6" on my Mac, I very happily spent the evening engrossed in Jack Bauer's latest crisis. Once again, this is a series in which you just never know who is going to die, reappear, torture, be tortured, commit treason or be a hero. Except, of course, for Jack who does all of these -- often repeatedly -- in every season. Good stuff!

Day 33 - February 6th

After being aboard ship for over a month, I have become very familiar with all of the sounds, vibrations and motions of the ship in all of its operating modes. Thus, when I first opened my eyes this morning I was immediately aware that we had either stopped dead in the water or -- at best -- were proceeding ahead "dead slow" on calm water. The fact that we were rocking very gently told me that we were neither adrift on the high seas nor tied up at a dock, so I concluded that we must be holding station just outside of the port of Napier, probably waiting for the pilot to arrive and/or for our berth to be vacant. Sure enough, it was the former and the captain expressed his usual disgust at being made to wait for a required but useless "advisor." I took the time to eat a good breakfast, shower and dress, then be ready to go ashore as soon as possible. While waiting on deck, I saw an immense pile of wood shown in the photo stacked up on one of the port's docks with a similarly loaded ship next to it, a clear sign of one of the area's primary exports. When I received my clearance at about ten o'clock, the duty officer called for the shuttle only to be told that it would arrive to pick me up in about a half hour. This was not good news for me because shore leave was set to expire in only a few hours at 14:30 and my limited time would reduced by waiting for the van. I hadn't seen Charlotte at breakfast so I climbed up to her cabin to inquire about her plans for going ashore, and it was obvious from her appearance at the door that my knock had woken her up. "The Princess" -- as she has long been called aboard ship -- claimed that she was up late working on an iMovie, but I suspected that yet another informal party with the lads in the crew was to blame! I quietly informed her that the van would be alongside within the half hour then went back down to the main deck where she joined me in a surprisingly short time, quite ready to go. The Napier seafarers' center is right outside the port gate and we stopped in to inquire about internet connection. They said they were sorry they didn't have any internet, but they'd be happy to give us a lift to a good internet cafe in town. Within just a few minutes I was online -- finally at a good time to call friends and family -- and putting my beloved Skype to good use. A little after noon Charlotte and I logged off and walked down the main street of Napier -- a lovely little town that I look forward to spending more time in very soon -- then had lunch in a local pub. After that we made the short, very pleasant walk back to the port and got a van ride directly back to the ship. After a few hours of waiting around for cargo operations to conclude we set sail and had another very nice evening at sea, the highlight of which was an informal celebration of the Chinese New Year with some of the crew.

Day 34 - February 7th

I woke up this morning to start the last of my "Freighter Days" and thus my last day at sea for some time to come. I started with the usual "routine" of coffee and breakfast, after which I returned to my cabin and began the packing process. Although I have been in this cabin for just over a month -- and have strewn my belongings throughout the space accordingly -- I was pleasantly surprised that it didn't take me very long to gather up all my gear and pack it into my bag. Then again, after 550 days on The Voyage and all the times I have packed up my gear along the way, I guess it really shouldn't surprise me that it is pretty much a routine procedure. We are scheduled to arrive in Port Chalmers late this evening, and although it is unclear whether I am to disembark tonight or in the morning, I am wrapping up "Freighter Days" and this sea log. It has been an excellent voyage and I presume you can tell that I have enjoyed almost every aspect of it. The "routine" at sea has suited me very well and I would look forward to doing it again anytime. The ship and my accommodations have been entirely satisfactory, as has the food and other ammenities. The officers, crew and other passengers have been excellent companions, offering a very nice mix of friendliness, interaction and amusement as well as a courteous respect for my private time. There are only two drawbacks that I can think of. The first is the lack of any kind of internet connection which has been especially difficult for me as a "virtual person" who almost literally lives on the internet. I suspect that internet facilities will be added to the ship in the near future and would strongly encourage the shipping company to do so. Not only for passengers like me, but also for the crew as a way to substantially improve their quality of life and ability to communicate with their families around the world. The second drawback has to do with the lack of organization and information regarding shore leave in ports of call. I understand that time in ports must be kept to a minimum for business reasons and there is nothing that can be done about the correspondingly short time for shore leave. What I think could be easily remedied is the confusion about when shore leave actually starts, when passengers are clear to leave the ship and what is available in terms of facilities and transportation in the area. When time is of the essence, losing time due to poor organization and information is just plain annoying. Despite these two drawback, "Freighter Days" has been an extraordinarily positive experience for me. I believe I have provided a complete and accurate account in this sea log, and if you like the sound of what you have read it would be reasonable to assume that you would enjoy this kind of experience as well. On that note, I am officially declaring "Freighter Days" to be over.

As my good friend Rob often says, "The next starts now or maybe sooner" as The Voyage of Macgellan continues in New Zealand!

Musing: Computer Search

I was awakened this morning in the Port of Auckland by some pretty loud knocking on my cabin door. I rolled out of bed to answer it and was confronted by two very large men in blue uniforms who announced themselves simply as "Customs" then invited themselves into my cabin. As one of them proceeded to look in every drawer, closet and potential hiding space, the other sat down on my couch and opened up my Mac.

I am not the quickest at waking up, but seeing a stranger molest my beloved Mac got me revved up fast. I ignored the guy going through my belongings -- I haven't got anything that's even remotely on any forbidden items list -- but said "What the hell are you doing?" to the guy pawing my Mac. His reply was, "I'm looking for anything that is prohibited by The Act." I didn't -- and still don't -- know what "The Act" is, so I asked "Like what?" but received no reply. In the silence, I figured "The Act" must have something to do with censorship of pornography, illegal copyrighted works, etc. Since I don't have anything of the kind on my Mac, I figured I could either make a stink on principle or just let him do what he wanted. Curious more than anything about what his search would involve, I decided to just let it play out. To get the best possible view of his procedure -- and to make sure he didn't do any damage -- I sat on the couch next to him, folded my arms and just watched.

By the way he got stuck looking at the Finder menus, it was immediately obvious to me that he was unfamiliar with Macs and may never have even seen one before in his life. This impression was confirmed when he asked me, "Where's the Start Menu?" I barely suppressed laughing out loud and replied "What's a Start Menu?" Although I had probably illuminated the divide between the PC and Mac cultures in the most succinct way possible -- and implied that I was not about to help him do his evil deed -- he nevertheless proceeded to ask me, "How do you search for things on this?"

Now, here is where it started getting fun -- at least for me. You will note that he didn't ask me how he could search for things on my Mac -- to which the answer would have been to use the Mac's amazing Spotlight feature -- but instead asked me how I do it. My answer was, in truth, "I don't search. I know where everything is." With a sigh which conveyed his realization that I was neither going to resist his intrusion nor be helpful to him, he double clicked on a few of the folder icons on my desktop and was rewarded with Finder windows containing the folders within folders within folders that is the hallmark of my highly organized and structured file hierarchy. Obviously not finding a folder entitled "double click here to see all my illicit files" -- and probably not wanting to admit he was clueless -- he browsed around for a while then closed the lid.

Although some subsequent Q&A about my itinerary for New Zealand and my travels in general lightened up the "conversation" enough that my encounter with "The Man" from New Zealand Customs ended amicably, we didn't get to a point where I felt comfortable asking the question that was foremost on my mind: "Does searching people's computers actually get you anything? Or is it just an arbitrary and capricious activity enforcing a stupid law promulgated by mindless legislators who don't really have a clue about computers?"

You can probably see why we I didn't think our nascent relationship would support that level of "sharing."

The question still bugs me, though, and it is the point of this Musing: Does searching computers actually accomplish the seizure of prohibited material? I doubt that it does because I suspect that it can't.

Granted, "The Man's" lack of facility with my Mac may have hindered his usual effectiveness, but I really can't image he would be any more successful with a PC. Unless someone has a folder on their desktop entitled "Illicit Media" an in-depth browsing of folders/directories would be necessary. Though I am aware that some people are just stupid, I have to seriously doubt that many people would keep such material "in the clear." Similarly, unless someone uses clearly incriminating filenames, a context search isn't going to yield any results either. So, how likely is it that a superficial browsing is going to accomplish anything? I don't think it can.

The bigger problem, of course, is that such a search completely ignores far more likely "hiding places." For one, how about other user accounts -- or even partitions -- on the same system. I have several user accounts on my Mac that I access for different purposes. The one "The Man" was browsing happened to be my "Macgellan" account which is "all business." Although I don't happen to have anything illicit in my other user accounts either, he was either completely unaware of their existence -- perhaps even unaware that they could even exist -- or he didn't care to check them. His search didn't and couldn't find anything there.

I also have a 120 GB external hard drive that was sitting in the desk drawer which he never saw, accessed or even asked for. I don't presume to really know the mind of a "criminal" but I do know that illicit media requires big files which are frequently stored on big external drives rather than on small laptop drives. I could be wrong, of course, but I would suspect most "bad" stuff is kept on remote media that doesn't get looked at. Superficially browsing a computer can't find anything there either.

I am not going to comment on the legitimacy of a law that prohibits people from having any kind of media and am just going to leave it as an unfortunate fact of life in the modern world. What I am commenting on is the stupidity of invading people's privacy by browsing their computers without any real likelihood of finding any of the material in question. I understand that most lawmakers are clueless about the reality of computers -- and technology in general -- and pass laws that have little practical effect beyond their PR value. I also understand that the guy who browsed my Mac has a pretty easy job which probably pays pretty well and has good benefits, not to mention the possible entertainment value of stumbling upon some amusing files and the certain smug satisfaction of having the power to invade someone's privacy. So, I can see why such laws are passed and why such practices are carried out: It's good for everybody except the people being searched.

For them, it is arbitrary, capricious, invasive, ineffective and just plain wrong. I hope my first encounter with "The Man" in New Zealand is not indicative of what else I will experience here.

Logbook: Freighter Days VIII

Day 27 - January 31st

Charlotte and I are now the only passengers on board, so the breakfast table was even quieter -- and less populated -- than usual. I spent the day doing the "routine" and taking my camera along while I went for a walk around the ship to gather video for the "Freighter Tour" Reports which I edited during the afternoon. Late in the evening we sailed "up the river" -- as the crew called it -- to the Port of Brisbane, and I stayed up late enough to observe the now very familiar process of mooring and getting ready for cargo operations before going to bed.

Day 28 - February 1st

I awoke this morning to the sounds of the Brisbane Port in full scale cargo operations and went down to breakfast. I inquired about the possibility of going ashore but was informed that due to our limited, "pre-dry-dock" cargo operations having been conducted throughout the night we were only an hour from the end of shore leave and subsequent departure. In that amount of time I would only have been able to get to the front gate and back, so I skipped it altogether and stayed on board to "supervise" the activities. Thus, all I got to see of Brisbane was the city skyline far in the distance from the deck of the ship. It's worth mentioning that "in the old days" freighters would typically pull into a port for a few days or a week in order to conduct cargo operations, giving everyone plenty of time to go ashore and really "visit" the various port cities. Modern container operations are so efficient -- and there is such an emphasis on speed of delivery -- that overnight or one-day port calls are now the norm. As a result, much of the crew never gets to really go ashore and you know by now that passengers typically only get a few hours ashore if at all. Thus, I think it is fair to say that modern freighter cruising is an excellent way to have many "routine" days at sea but not particularly good for "visiting" ports of call. Something to keep in mind if you think about giving freighter travel a try. As predicted, we departed around lunchtime and after a couple of hour cruising back "down the river" we headed out for a quiet night at sea.

Day 29 - February 2nd

After a brief respite from the "clock thing", the ship's clock advanced an hour last night and again this afternoon. The Captain informed us that he will advance the clock another hour again tomorrow in order to be acclimated for our arrival in Auckland in a couple of days. Speaking of Auckland, it looks like my "plans" may have changed. As you may recall, in order to sync up with the summer/fall season as much as possible, I had intended to sail as far south in New Zealand as possible then work my way north. When I went through what I'm sure you will recall was the rather chaotic process of booking my passage on this freighter, I was told that I could certainly get as far as Auckland with Port Chalmers -- way down south at Dunedin -- as an "optional" destination. I have since learned that the "option" was the ship's -- not mine -- and thought I had learned early in the cruise that the ship would not be calling at Port Chalmers after all. So, I had just started to make my "plans" for begining my New Zealand exploration in Auckland when the Captain asked me this morning if I want to go to Port Chalmers instead. Forget trying to straighten out whether the ship's plans had changed or whether I misunderstood things, the answer I gave him was an emphatic "Yes!" So, as of today, I am headed to Port Chalmers instead of Auckland, schedule to arrive there on Saturday. To round out this uncertain picture, I will add that the Captain also said something about a possible change of plans in Auckland! Although the ship's "sailing schedule" has us arriving there late at night and leaving late the following afternoon, the Captain is in "competition" with another ship to arrive earlier in the evening and leave the following morning. Depending on who wins the "race" for the pilot and the berth, we may or may not have any shore leave in Auckland. Thus, you may or may not about my change of destination plans until it is all over! Besides all that, we had yet another safety drill this morning and, because it is some kind of "holiday" in France, Charlotte got permission from Cookie to make yummy crepes which we all enjoyed as dessert with our lunch. Vive la France!

Day 30 - February 3rd

We had an "officers and passengers only" barbecue party last night in the Salon. Although I would have enjoyed having more "informal" time with the crew -- and the exclusive nature of the evening raised further questions in my mind about the veracity of the company's "no discrimination" policy onboard -- it was fun to dine with the senior staff and enjoy lively conversation. During the party, the Tasman Sea treated us to heavier seas which caused the ship to pitch and roll considerably -- the first significant "liveliness" of our month at sea -- and we had the usual fun of trying to eat and drink while our chairs slid around the table. The motion continued to build throughout the night and although I was not particularly affected by it, a general lack of quality sleep was noticeable at breakfast this morning. The ship's clock advanced for the last time this afternoon and we are finally on New Zealand time! With that change, I can leave the "clock thing" behind me with the final observation that it has probably been the most difficult aspect of my entire month-long freighter cruise. That may not sound like much of a hardship, but don't underestimate the impact of so many incremental time changes. The details of our arrival in Auckland are still uncertain, but I have pre-prepared a full upload to the website just in case there is time -- and facility -- for doing so. Either way, I expect to see the coast of New Zealand when I wake up in the morning and am very much looking forward to spending an extended amount of time exploring there.

Report: Freighter Tour - Part 2

I've tried to describe my freighter experience in the Logbook and Photos, but I thought a video Report might really help do the job. So, I took my camera along when I went for a walk around the ship today. In addition to showing what a lap around the main deck is like, I have included brief stops in some of the common areas, the bridge, etc. For file-handling purposes, I have split this Report into two parts. Here is Part 2:

Report: Freighter Tour - Part 1

I've tried to describe my freighter experience in the Logbook and Photos, but I thought a video Report might really help do the job. So, I took my camera along when I went for a walk around the ship today. In addition to showing what a lap around the main deck is like, I have included brief stops in some of the common areas, the bridge, etc. For file-handling purposes, I have split this Report into two parts. Here is Part 1:

Logbook: Freighter Days VII

Day 23 - January 27th

We made our approach to the port of Melbourne, Australia during the morning, and with the help of a couple of powerful -- and amazingly agile -- tugboats we were alongside at about noon. Right after lunch I grabbed my day pack, made my way down to the main deck and waited for the customs and immigration paperwork to be finished before being the first one to "go outside." That term has always cracked me up, but it is what every crew I have ever sailed with calls "going ashore." I think they use it to denote the difference between technically going ashore on the dock and actually going outside the port and into the local environs. Either way, the moment I was cleared I scrambled down the gangway, caught the first shuttle to the gate and inquired about getting a ride to town. The gate guard told me that the next van would not be available for about an hour, so I happily decided to walk instead. Except for it being quite hot -- and there being an annoying number of pretty aggressive flies -- the hour-long walk felt really good. I stopped by the seafarers' center but it wasn't open yet, so I continued to hoof it around the city -- an attractive place that warrants further exploration given more time -- until the heat finally wore me out. I popped into a McDonalds for a cold drink and was delighted to find it had pretty good wi-fi, so I spent some time cooling off, downloading mail, etc. and uploading new stuff to the website. After that I made my way back to the seafarers' center and found yet another delightful oasis which caters to the maritime community. With a casual, comfortable ambiance, easy chairs, big screen TV, table games, a bar, an outdoor patio, internet connection and incredibly warm, friendly volunteers -- including many moms and widows of seafarers -- it is a haven for working seamen and bums like me. I got back on the web and finished my update, taking advantage of upload times to have a couple of frosty brews and to converse with kindred spirits. Randy, Cookie and a few of the crew arrived while I was there and I set them up with a little credit at the bar. It was great to be able to buy them a few beers and have them be able to relax for a change. I took the center's 10pm van back to the port, cleared the gate, got the shuttle to the ship and checked in with the officer of the deck then headed up to my cabin and called it a night. Thus, I had a brief but very enjoyable and productive port call in Melbourne.

Day 24 - January 28th

Cargo operations concluded in the wee hours of the morning, so by the time I got up for breakfast we were already out at sea. It was a very "routine" day, with the exception that I noticed substantially more vibration throughout the ship. I discussed my observation with the first officer during coffee break, and he explained the situation as follows: Because the ship is headed toward dry dock in Singapore for a few weeks after this sailing is complete, all of the containers must be removed along the way and not be replaced by new cargo. We discharged many containers in Melbourne and although we took on a few that are bound for ports between Melbourne and Singapore, the net reduction in the ship's total tonnage has been substantial. As a result, the ship is riding higher in the water and the propeller is correspondingly closer to the surface of the water. This creates a surface cavitation effect that causes the ship to experience much more and heavier vibrations. It also means that we are more prone to rolling in high seas, so the ride may get more interesting as we go along. Considering that we will continue to decrease our net tonnage at subsequent ports, the ride could become very interesting by the time we approach my destination at the southern end of New Zealand! We had another beautiful sunset at sea, made more picturesque by a freighter which happened to be on the horizon.

Day 25 - January 29th

We arrived and moored in the Port of Botany Bay near Sydney late in the morning and did the usual routine. As the port workers began getting ready to conduct cargo operations, we waited for Customs -- "The Man" -- to come onboard and do the seemingly ridiculous amount of paperwork that is involved in clearing the ship's cargo form import and us for shore leave. A little after one o'clock we got the word and scampered down the gangway to catch a shuttle van to the front gate. Hedi and Aldo -- the Swiss couple -- were leaving the ship for good to begin their Australian vacation in Sydney, so they set about arranging a taxi to their hotel. Charlotte and I were joined by a few lucky crew members heading out for the afternoon/evening and inquired about options for places to go and transportation to get there. We were informed that we could walk to the nearby seafarers' center and catch their regularly scheduled van service into the city, so we marched about a mile in the blazing Australian sun and heat to a very modern facility that had all the comforts including excellent air conditioning. When I discovered that the center's internet connection was very high speed, I decided to skip the four o'clock van into the city and catch the next one at six. I bid my colleagues farewell for their journey into the city and settled down for some much needed quality time online, quickly becoming so happily engrossed in catching up with everything that I missed the six o'clock bus! Realizing that the eight o'clock bus would get me into the city too late to do any quality exploration, I decided to alter my program and explore the suburb near the Port instead. After a nice little walk I found a great little pizza place to have dinner then went back to the center and finished up some online stuff. Just before closing time at ten-thirty, I packed up my gear and started wandering back to the dock, laughing to myself that although I hadn't made it into Sydney I'd still had a very enjoyable and productive port call. I missed a turn on the way back -- it's amazing how different things look at night that they do during the day -- so I had a much longer but very nice walk in the much cooler night air. Finally finding the gate I needed, I had a chat with the guard on duty who turned out to be from Ushuaia -- small world! -- and we compared notes about how that little city of which I am so fond compares now to when he left it twenty years ago. In due course, the van arrived and shuttled me to the ship where I was checked aboard and in my rack by about midnight.

Day 26 - January 30th

I've mentioned that there is a lot of waiting involved in freighter travel, and today was a good example. Although our shore leave didn't technically expire until noon, there really wasn't enough time to try to get into the city and back. The seafarers' center wouldn't be open again until one o'clock, so that wasn't an option either. Thus, I stayed on board and conducted a dockside version of the "routine" while watching a couple of the main cargo holds being completely emptied. It was obvious that we were going to be even lighter than before and when I made a humorous comment to the Captain about looking forward to a "lively" ride going forward he said, "Yes, I know. We take on fuel because of this!" Sure enough, I found an oiler alongside which pumped 1200 tons of fuel into the ship's tanks. This won't completely counteract the reduction in cargo weight, but it will certainly help keep us from getting too high in the water. (By the way, you may be interested to know that -- according to the Chief Engineer -- the ship burns about 28 tons of fuel per day. By my rough calculation, that's about 7,000 gallons per day and must be a staggering gas bill, even for heavy bunker fuel!) Cargo operations were concluded mid-afternoon and we set out for a "routine" evening at sea.

Logbook: Freighter Days VI

Day 17 - January 21st

Today was another completely "routine" day at sea. We have crossed the southern tropic and are in more "active" seas. We are also in heavier winds which makes walking the deck more dangerous -- it's slippery in many spots, plus there are numerous obstacles and ladders -- so the officer of the deck has been disinclined to allow us out. As a result, I have been reading even more and have rummaged through the ship's eclectic collection of DVDs to find a few titles worth watching. For me -- as self-entertained and accustomed to "alone time" as I am -- this lengthy freighter cruise remains delightful. My fellow passengers also seem to be holding up well, but I will caution that if you are someone who needs external stimulation and/or interaction this may not be a great mode of travel for you.

Day 18 - January 22nd

The ship's clock was advanced again today and I finally had a chance to inquire of the Captain about his program for the "clock thing." It turns out that I was correct, he has been "getting us ahead" but there is a little more to the story. We have been on a southeasterly course since we began, but in a few days when we reach the southwest coast of Australia we will turn due east. When that happens, we will be going through a few time zones on a daily basis. The Captain does not like to change time every day and he does not want to change the clock on the day or the day before that we reach port. So, he has been advancing the ship's clock on a regular interval such that we will be "on time" for Melbourne two days before we get there. This has worked out to an advancement every other day, and I have to report that it has been a bit grueling -- kind of like two weeks of mild jet-lag. The first couple of shifts weren't too bad and it feels like you are acclimated to the new time, but as the clock keeps marching forward, you're just not sleepy when the clock says you should go to bed. As a result -- and I am not alone in this -- you can't get to sleep at night, you wake up at odd hours and can't go back to sleep, then you are dog tired when you have to get up. It took me 18 months to advance nine hours on The Voyage, but I have advanced another nine hours in just 18 days! The good news is that you occasionally find yourself wide awake and standing on deck in the middle of the night, just in time to catch a really good shot of the moon. As the "clock thing" continues, I will keep you up to date on the experience.

Day 19 - January 23rd

A couple of days ago, I mentioned something about the wind and its impact on our being able to get outside and walk the deck. Since today was another totally "routine" day, I thought I'd add a little more about the "wind thing." Two important concepts to keep clear are "true wind" and "relative wind." True wind is basically what you feel if you are standing still and it is the combination of the speed of the wind and the direction that it is blowing. Relative wind is what you feel when you are standing on a moving vessel, and it is the combination of the true wind plus/minus the speed and direction of your vessel. For the past week, out true wind has been 20-30 knots from the southeast, sufficient to generate the moderate white caps you see in the photo. Now, add to that the fact that we are traveling southeast at a speed of about 20 knots and you can calculate that our relative wind has been in the 40-50 knot range. Being out in that kind of wind is challenging enough, but when you add the slippery spots that are inevitable on the steel deck of a working ship plus the many steep ladders between decks you have a dangerous situation for anyone who feels like taking a walk. We have also been in a area of ocean with moderate swells, and these have had the deck pitching and rolling to a greater degree than you might think of for a ship our size. Put is all together and you have a recipe for disaster, and good reason why the officer of the deck says "You no walk today, okay?" So, now you know about the "wind thing."

Day 20 - January 24th

We are now well into a "zone" that I am finding fascinating. You know by now that the "clock thing" has us all a little bit whacked out on our sleep. You also know that the "wind thing" has kept us indoors. Today I noticed something that seemed like the culmination of a trend I have noticed over the past week or so, and that is the absence of fresh food at mealtimes. I checked out my observation with Cookie, and he confirmed that the fresh vegetables are long gone, the meat is now all frozen and the "long life" fruits -- like apples and oranges -- are running out fast. He knows that I have enough experience at sea to have been expecting this development, so with his typical Cookie grin and a wave in the general direction of my fellow passengers still sitting in the mess he said, "Now we see who is really sailor man, yes?" I laughed so hard I practically spilled my coffee! I'm not worried, though, because my fellow passengers are all good sports and we will be making port in Melbourne in just a few days. If Cookie isn't expecting a resupply of fresh food, I will find out if he plans to do any shopping on his own. If so, you can bet that I will try to join him in that experience. If not, I may just do a little shopping of my own! Also, we have reached the point where the crew has run out of new movies to watch. They have completely exhausted both their own and each others libraries, and last night the Chief Engineer asked me if I had any movies on my Mac. I explained that I have only three of my favorites that I keep "on file" but will be happy to share them with him (and obviously with the entire crew as well). I'm reasonably sure that they will enjoy "The Razor's Edge" and "Immortal Beloved" but I wonder how they will take to five-hours of "Pride and Prejudice." I will also try to see if I can plug my Mac into the TV in the salon and show my last season of "24." Like I said, we are well into the long-time-at-sea "zone" and it is a fascinating experience. By the way, the ship's clock advanced again this afternoon and at this point I don't know what time it is!

Day 21 - January 25th

After resisting the urge to take a nap all day yesterday, I went to bed last night at about 11pm and read for a while before falling easily asleep before midnight. That's the good news. The bad news is that I was wide awake again at about four this morning, so I read for a couple of hours before going down to the galley/mess to get coffee and goof around with Cookie and Randy as they did their morning routine. The clock will be advanced another hour today -- that will make twice in two days -- in preparation for our arrival in Melbourne, so who knows what my internal clock will be like. I saw the Chief Engineer at breakfast, and the first thing he said to me was that he had watched all nine hours of the movies I gave him last night. Like I said, we are in a "zone." We had another boat/safety drill later in the morning, and this routine has reached the point where it consists entirely of putting on my life vest and safety helmet, grabbing my survival suit bag, going down six flights of stairs, walking around to the muster station, checking in with the officer in charge, receiving a pleasant "Thank you for coming" -- like I had been invited to a party or "something like that" -- then turning around, climbing back up to my cabin, taking off and stowing my gear. Poor Charlotte was so tired this morning that she said she laid out her safety gear before going back to bed after breakfast then let the safety alarm wake her up in time to complete the drill. I'm aware that it may sound like I'm making a big deal out of the "clock thing" but it really does take a toll on you as the hours continue to advance over such a long time.

Day 22 - January 26th

Last night, a few of the officers and passengers gathered for a little celebration of Francis' -- the electrician's -- birthday and we had a nice time together. As you may recall, I am the only native English speaker on board and sometimes the different second-language accents -- Romanian, Polish, French, Swiss, Filipino and Chinese -- are hard for me to follow. It's funny, but at times they all seem to understand each other better than I do and at others they seem to miss each other completely. All in all, our communication works very, very well and I am certainly delighted to be able to understand any of it, especially considering that I might have been on an all foreign language ship! A little after midnight I hit the rack, went right to sleep and woke up in time for breakfast. A good night's sleep for a change really felt good. We had no clock changes or safety drills today so I was able to enjoy a completely unstructured day at sea, making the most of it by spending a couple of hours this afternoon doing a little repair work on a cable for one of my computer accessories. I joked with the Chief Engineer that I did some "underway repairs" today, to which he smiled and said, "Me too!" He is a real character and I enjoy him. We are scheduled to arrive in Melbourne midday tomorrow for a port call of unknown duration. I am hoping that we will be able to go ashore and that I will be able to find an internet connection for at least a couple of hours. Accordingly, I have spent some time this evening organizing my material -- and myself -- for efficiency to get as much stuff posted tomorrow as possible. You'll soon know if I was successful!