Repairs at Sea

Friday 30th December
I once again had my 2 minute conversation with my courageous wife last night and I am beginning to feel rather anxious for her / them. While things are slowly starting to improve on Kwela and they are managing to repair the necessary broken items, it would appear that they are not managing to repair the hole that leaving loved ones behind creates within each of our hearts and souls.

I remember from my trips away that there are certain days where missing your loved ones is overwhelming and most people experience them at around the same time: Day 4, Day 12 – 14, Day 28 – 30. Today is day 14 on the ocean for Kwela and it’s precious people, and I think that both Lee and Sash have gone through an incredibly rough emotional time in the last 3 days. Lee, I obviously speak to and can hear her voice and heart, while Sasha, updates her Blog (http://sailingsash.blogspot.com) and you can read the heartache that she is feeling and fighting with.

Kwela’s last updated position was this morning and she is now at 40 16S 36 11E. It would appear that the swell has turned and is now running with them and hopefully the wind follows suit. The rain catcher needed some running repairs, which were done yesterday, and it was once again installed, ready to work. Lee says it’s not doing much, because a rain catcher obviously catches rain – which isn’t falling at the moment. At least it is working and up. They have managed to start fixing the main sail, which would appear to be considerably damaged. Gluing and patching is done and now the sewing has to start. Once that is done, hopefully they can hoist it and catch the wind in the right direction.

As you will all be able to see from Sasha’s blog, the destination of this journey has altered from Hobart, Tasmania to Adelaide. It would appear that it shortens the journey a fair bit and with a bit of luck and some wind they should still arrive in time for the 1st birthday of Arix (Sasha’s son) on the 11th Feb 2012.

Thank you for all the messages that I am receiving and heartfelt wishes that accompany them. I am unfortunately not able to respond to everyone on an individual basis. Yesterday there was no news – therefore I had nothing to distribute to all you news hungry followers of this epic adventure. If you felt left out in the cold, imagine how I felt – no news, last position update was day after Christmas and the last communication was Tuesday saying that it was the worst day of the trip so far. To put the cherry on the top, I then receive 5 emails, 2 phone calls and 3 sms’s yesterday asking why there’s no news and if everything is ok. Bear with me. As soon as I have any news, good or bad, I will let everyone know.

My next scheduled communication with Lee will be just before Midnight tomorrow (New Year’s Eve) so I will send something out in the course of the morning on New Year’s Day.

To those travelling our roads over the coming weekend, please be safe, don’t drink and drive and make sure that you see the new year in surrounded by the people that you love and appreciate.
Lee misses everyone terribly and sends love to you all, especially her Mom and Dad, her grootsus and Lieffies, and lastly Samurai her boy. I ask that you remember her in your prayers and thoughts over the next few days.