As the count down to the trip, well at least ROAM's departure from St.Helens, reaches around 3 weeks I feel it is time to discuss some of the strengths that each of us bring to the trip. Really I'll be trying to explain why Michael put me on the crew list...
My sailing experience stretches only as far as sailing Mirror dinghies in Scouts, a few round the cans races on a cruising mono hull and currently own an old NS14 that we bash about on, on the piss most of the time. As a child I did crew the family's 33 foot SeaWind from Sydney to St.Helens but I can honestly say I was the most inactive crew member aboard. Thus open ocean sailing is something I've never experienced as an adult and from past childhood experience can predict that to start I will be violently sea sick. One positive is hopefully I am old enough now to not be scared shitless when the sun goes down.
None of that really works in my favour, so some strengths.... lets start with my occupation, currently I work as a pharmacist, have done on and off for the last about 6 years, doesn't really suit my lifestyle in the cities... But it does give me one advantage; the access to (with the help of a friendly local doctor) a healthy range of medications, first aid supplies, medical texts, and a decent grasp of basic first aid. I have just finished putting together ROAM's first aid kit (cost pushing towards $1000) which consists of a pretty decent emergency grab bag which includes a military surgical kit, through to a well stocked medical locker which will get us out of most situations, or at least get us through to a safe port if someone is properly messed up.
Ok so excluding my tedious day job my extracurricular activities are slightly more interesting, Michael and I have been religious surfers since we could stand up, and that is saying something coming from Tas!! Probably the most fun we have together in life is in the water, as long as it isn't competing we get along pretty well. He probably only invited me so he has someone to call him into the bombs!!! I'm also a snowboard addict which wont assist this adventure at all, Mountain biker- we are actually taking 3 hardtail bikes on board which will take up a stack of space but I can't think of a better way to get around if there is a bit of a trek to waves or supplies from the anchorage. And finally I love to climb rocks, will definitely chuck the gear in even if it is only to get dragged up the mast when needed.
Mick on one I didn't get to call him into
Well that hopefully gives me some reason to be on ROAM but the final decent thing I bring to the trip is a pretty solid camera set up. Nothing professional but I will be adding a few grand to the waterline. My goal is that all photo's chucked on the website will be of a high standard, excluding a few phone pics in the blogs... All film will be edited with PowerDirector 13, and photo's using Lightroom. Also have been creating the website over the last couple of weeks, stretched around a boarding trip to Jindabyne and the Poison City Weekender in Melbourne. Having never done anything of this nature before it's a pretty interesting challenge, trying my hand at a bit of design through to some basic coding. Mick has been damn solid with it too creating the whole Vessel section which kinda makes the website worthwhile...
Finally I bring a really average grasp of guitar and a shit voice, probably not a positive but is a bit of fun, currently the ROAM musical team consists of 2 guitars, a uke, a couple of bongo's and a harmonica. Hopefully get a few more noise makers before departure. Any suggestions??
Roam Departure: ~1 month
Days of Work left: 32
Andy