boats and ships and planes and things

I woke up this morning, put a finger outside of the covers, went "bugger that, it's too cold", and snuggled back into my little coocoon for a few more hours, so needless to say, I didn't go on a mini trip today to look at other suburbs.

I really need to get back out on the ocean though. A member of my family has had boats over the years. The last one was sunk accidentally by a friend of his, but I heard recently that he has a new one now. He's told me in the past, that he'd love to have me aboard as deckhand. I've been a deckhand before on other boats, and thoroughly enjoyed it, so I'm hoping to be able to go sailing sometime soon with him and his family. Nothing beats feeling a boat or ship move beneath your feet, with the wind in your hair, and the total sense of freedom that you get being out THERE. It's scary as shit too, though, because you must be aware at all times that boats and ships do sink on occassions, and I have always had a fear of drowning. That said, if someone turned up at my door today and told me to choose between spending the rest of my life on a boat, sailing around the world, or living in my perfect dream house, I'd still choose the boat, come what may. Never before and never since, have I ever felt such freedom. The only thing that even comes close to that is the two times I went up in the Hot Air Balloons (I'd do that again in a second), and when a pilot friend of mine from my physics class at college took me up in his tiny little plane. Flying in little planes are so much cooler than flying in big planes. Though flying in general is still cool. Not the same as being on water, but still cool. I think my dream trip would be to sail around the world in an old wooden sailing ship. That would be perfection for me.

My parents and sister just don't get the attraction I have for ships though. Dad is scared of them. He's happy not to ever set foot on one if he can help it. My sister - I don't think she cares really, either way, but it's certainly not a passion for her. I think she probably sees boats, ships and ferries as a means of transport, nothing else. Mum is the only one who could at least get a little of what I see in them. She used to do a bit of boating when she was a teenager, not to mention surfing, so she can get where I am coming from with my need to be on the water. She grew up near some of Australia's best beaches, though, so I guess its understandable.

Me, though, I've lived in this city for 30 years. For the past 14 years, on and off, I've volunteered as a deckhand with a volunteer organisation, until last year. I miss it badly. But I also don't like the constant politics that turn up in volunteer organisations. Who really cares if in the past women weren't deckhands? If they can prove they can do the job, and don't mind hauling on very heavy wet bow lines (and are able to actually do so), then what's the problem? If they can follow orders, and know their way around a boat or ship, can work the equipment without harming themselves or anyone else, and can pull their own weight on board, I still don't see the problem. But apparently certain newly made bosuns do. And so now I look elsewhere for deckhand duties. Sexism sucks, and it sucks even worse in the armed forces.

So these days I'm getting on with my life - single - and trying to get back out on the sea that I love so much. I never used to think of myself as sporty, and I'm not particularly, but I've turned into an outdoorsy type, that's for sure. When I was growing up we used to play backyard cricket (I still have the cricket bat Dad made for me), backyard badminton, and frisbee with the dog, we used to go on family fishing trips, and I always did running in school, as well as swimming, both at school, and with my family at the local pool. In high school I did archery too, which was cool, as well as baseball, basketball and soccer. These days, while I don't swim much anymore, I do have a big dog who I walk pretty much every day, plus I go for long walks by myself, and then, of course, there's the work on the ships. On days we'd take the boat out, it was a long strenuous day, one that would result in total exhaustion at the end of it, but it was fun. On days that I just went in to help, it was still strenuous in the old days, but things change, sexism rears its ugly head, and all the fun in life is removed "due to safety reasons". Grr. These days, I get to polish brass on my help days. Sometimes I get to do greaser duties or spend a little time down in the boiler room but it depends on who's chief engineer that day. And also who's wearing the Captain's mantle. One of these days I'll go off and do the proper Deckhand course, and get my old posting back, but for now I'll go talk to my relative about his boat, learn some new skills, and bide my time.

Many years ago, when I was around 19, I was offered a chance to go on the Young Endeavour (see the photo above) for one of their sailing training trips. I was working for my parents at the time, so I was unable to go. Damn, but that would have been just about the best thing I could have gone on. Arrgghh. Every time there is a ship in port that has an open day, I'll generally turn up for tour on it, but the best tours are the ones you get from friends in the navy. That's when you get to see the engine room, the bridge, meet the captain, and get to see all the bits of the ship that you REALLY want to see, instead of the galley, the main deck, and maybe the captain's lounge.

Yes, I guess I'm obsessed with my ships and boats, but they make me feel alive, and remind me that I AM alive, so I'd rather be obsessed with nautical things than bored and sedentry and home alone all the time.