The News, Culture and Practice of Sailing woodenboats
in Australia, New Zealand & The South Pacific.

TOM'S ADVENTURE Mark Chew TOM'S ADVENTURE Mark Chew

So Close, But so Much Admiration

I was sitting on my bunk, looking out the hatch, and then, in a split second, my whole world was turned upside down. My view turned from blue sky to blue water, a huge crashing sound was heard, and Maiwar was capsized like a bath toy. There was no time for fear or even a communicable thought, it all happened so quickly.

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TOM'S ADVENTURE Mark Chew TOM'S ADVENTURE Mark Chew

Greetings From Vanuatu

As the day wore on the breakers grew closer. By early afternoon I had rounded the northeastern tip of the island and begun to make my way along the northern side. By about 1400hrs the first pang of fear came in. I was rowing along, just outside the reef, the land was oh so close, yet completely inaccessible.

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TOM'S ADVENTURE Mark Chew TOM'S ADVENTURE Mark Chew

Full Stop

Tom and his immediate family are not much into the modern fashion for instantaneous communication. They’d much rather mull over a suitable answer or wait for the best time to send it than have a Pavlovian reaction to incoming mail.

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TOM'S ADVENTURE Mark Chew TOM'S ADVENTURE Mark Chew

Bonjour Mahuta

Rather than trying to go south of New Caledonia on his way to the Queensland coast, Tom has elected to stay further north. While the shore team was not sure about this decision, they were pleased when meteorological guru Bob McDavitt suggested to Tom that he stay north where he could expect to experience better winds and fewer adverse currents

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TOM'S ADVENTURE Mark Chew TOM'S ADVENTURE Mark Chew

Farewell Samoa

The thought of rowing nonstop back to Australia looks very attractive at the moment, in which case, I can expect to make landfall in Australia in about 120 days, perhaps a little less. But, of course, this is all conjecture.

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TOM'S ADVENTURE Mark Chew TOM'S ADVENTURE Mark Chew

Notes from Pago Pago- American Samoa

Apparently, American Samoa has more big pickup trucks per capita than anywhere else in the world - I don’t doubt it. The trucks and the law enforcement are the only obvious signs of colonisation, but reach in your pocket and you’ll find those green banknotes that say ‘In God We Trust’.

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TOM'S ADVENTURE Mark Chew TOM'S ADVENTURE Mark Chew

Maiwar arrives in Pago Pago

Close to exhaustion after 3 days on the oars and with almost no sleep, Tom decided to shelter in Fagaitua Bay just a few miles east of the entrance to Pago Pago Harbour for a well earned rest. He then rowed the last 5 or so nautical miles to the port facilities at the head of Pago Pago Harbour.

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TOM'S ADVENTURE Mark Chew TOM'S ADVENTURE Mark Chew

Tom bailed after forced entry

During last week’s phone call he very excitedly told us about two of his most recent reads. He’s awarded “Greatest Book Ever” to Small Is Beautiful by E.F. Schumacher and “Most Favourite Book” to Henry David Thoreau’s Walden or Life in the Woods.

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