Mike, second mate on the MY Esperanza
By Mike, second mate, MY Esperanza
The anchor in my life lives in Cape Town, South Africa. She is a farmer and keeps me securely grounded when I am adrift on the oceans. Relationship to me is the most important thing in life. It does not just happen but it is something a couple of people can build through consistent effort. Continued commitment over time develops trust and in retrospect it results in integrity. Integrity is vital for a ship especially a relation ship.
To this end, hardly a day goes by that I do not spend an hour at the computer writing to a woman who lives on the southernmost tip of Africa.
Here follow excerpts from my letters home to Kirsten:
Monday 19 January
Today I ordered a few more charts for secret coves, safe anchorages and places we may visit. We also took lots of provisions and ship stores on board, food for 35 people for as many days, mostly organic. Loads of action gear arrived in the afternoon and evening for our campaign; 2 tonnes of 10 meter length anchor chains, 50 grappling hooks, 4 bright orange buoys for divers, dry suits for swimmers, painting machines for graffiti artists and a bright yellow rigid survival pod to house cannon fodder if need be. All the old crew has left the boat and their replacements are becoming familiar faces.
Wednesday 21 January
As I write we are under pilotage going down the river Thames. It is five in the evening, my afternoon watch is over and it has grown dark all around us. There is fog and with that the ships whistle blows a long loud blast every two minutes. The pilot taking us down is an ex South African and we have had long chats about ships we have in common.
On board we now total 33 people - 19 crew members and the rest are dolphin observers from Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, Greenpeace campaigners and a few media. We sail into good weather, wet but not windy and our destination is Start Point on the south coast of England, just west of the Isle of Wight. The campaign has kicked off with very good reception and coverage from newspapers
There was a lot of excitement at noon today when we threw loose the ropes and the wash from the propellers took us away from the quay. This is an awfully big adventure for some who have never been to sea, and also for those many others who do not go regularly.
Thursday 22 January
All the extra people have found their places on board and a few are feeling queasy but the ship is moving easily, lucky for them.
Friday 23 January
I enjoyed navigating the Esperanza really close to the south coast of England around Start Point. It was a grey and overcast day but wind was light and the setting was ever so beautiful. Now we are again safely at anchor for the night to begin another adventure tomorrow.
Saturday 24 January
A team is developing in this little arena that is nice to be part of; there is a sense of unity as everyone finds his or her niche.
Friend of mine called Dave dropped a line to say hi. He is the electrician on the Rainbow Warrior, we were together on Moby Dick. Nice to get a note from someone on another boat, I think it's a very good thing to make friends and I don't think you can have too many. I am looking forward to writing emails to everyone during my holidays when I am home with my family.
Monday 26 January
Today another day of search patterns on the continental shelf of Europe. The dolphin watchers have at last been rewarded, yesterday a pod of 40 and this morning an estimate of 200 common dolphins riding the bow wave and alongside the boat. Spent the whole of yesterday looking for pair trawlers and then through the night too. Have been tired the last two days re-engaging the 12am to 4am watch, but today I am feeling the rhythm again, and with that more clarity. Last night I told the story of your life to my look-out and she was very impressed.
Tuesday 27 January
How is it that I live in such a beautiful reality and have such a beautiful woman who completes it all for me? Am writing up a kind of profile story for the internet web page which I had hoped to complete today but boat training came my way instead. I think that I am a good instructor, as I remain calm and supportive. Nice to get off the bridge and just be in boats for hours on end. Lots of sea spray on my face, makes an old salt happy.
Today we had sunshine, the first in many days with a light wind force 4. I am enjoying getting used to all the new people who have been on board for a whole week already. But now I must run down to the mess room for my dinner before all the knives are taken. I am a happy man and have to admit that at night as I pace the wheelhouse I spend a little time at home with you.
Wednesday 28 January
Right now we are following a pair of trawlers that have just come out of Falmouth harbour. We have a boat in the water observing them. The survey team is very excited as they spotted a Fin whale. Weather is blowing a gale again, force 8 and its cold and grey, but Espy has good stability.
Thursday 29 January
The Isles of Scilly are on our starboard side as we steam westward towards the edge of the continental shelf, south of Ireland. There, within a surface distance of 10 miles the depth of the ocean changes from 100 meters plummeting to over 3000 meters. What lives down there I fear to imagine.
Friday 30 January
Out here in the Celtic sea the weather is deteriorating and a very deep depression developing south of Iceland. I am finding that my ability to read the weather fax is improving, and I have turned it into a game. Our speed has dropped as we plough ahead into a steep swell, shipping green water over bow and port side. All watertight doors are dogged down.
Saturday 31 January
Have not slept much these past 24 hours as a storm gusts force 12, which is hurricane force. Again the sea is magnificent and the bridge provides a gallery, each window a moving picture. Have passed a few big trawlers but little we can do in the prevailing weather. Some of the team are struggling with the movement. There are a few of us who love it, although none of us can sleep through it.
We are back on the continental shelf again which has lessened the swell and the wind has dropped to an eight. Forecasts have another depression coming through tonight so it may not be over yet. The winter north Atlantic is well known for its weather and ships have special draft marks on their sides so as not to load as much cargo if the passage is planned through this area in this season. I however am overjoyed to be out here. It's beautiful and the ten-meter swells come rolling past us as mountains on their way to Mohammed.
FEBRUARY
Sunday 01 February
Am real tired now having been thrown about by this storm for what feels like days and days. At anchor in Dingle Bay although boat is still pitching and rolling, just not as heavily as it was out there. Dingle Bay is famous because it's home to a dolphin called Fungi who swims with people. The campaigners are starting to understand what winter in the North Atlantic feels like.
Monday 09 February
My present predicament is steaming to and fro between Lizard Point and Start point looking for the ever-elusive pair trawlers. I do hope that we eventually come up with something more than dead dolphins. Either way however for me on a personal level this tour has just been another of my varied life experiences regardless of outcome.
I have just started reading a really good book called The Life of Pi, which has received acclaim from other crew members.
Tuesday 10 February
Boy is my mind feeling kind of numb; feel like I am always on the bridge. Have been following some pair trawlers in very good weather. We were going to go into Falmouth today but because of good conditions we will instead continue to shadow the trawlers. This morning their catch totaled two fish, very sad return from the sea. Nice thing happened today as we launched the African Queen, a Minke whale surfaced, so Gavin got to swim with it and film as he had his gear on and camera all ready. Don't know what the footage looks like as they are still out there waiting, as we are all waiting. Seems sad that we are wanting to film dolphins caught in nets, when what we really want to do is stop that happening altogether.
Wednesday 11 February
Put the RIB in the water for a few hours between 0100 and 0300 this morning - nice because I got to do the crane driving which I also like doing along with so many other aspects of my job. The sea has been unbelievably calm these past few days, hardly a ripple in the water and today the sun shines bright although temperature remains below 10 degrees. Really we have had a few days in paradise.
We have to go into Falmouth now however for crew change and also Jim the cook is crying out for fresh vegetables. It has been three weeks since we left London, people excited at the prospect of getting onto solid land. It will be a good bye to a lot of the team, all being replaced by fresh faces.
Friday 13 February
Back at sea after our two-night stop in Falmouth, the 3rd deepest natural harbour in the world. Rio and Sydney are deeper. We all had a terrific night at a great pub. Took over the place with nearly all the crew in attendance, then sang our way back to the ship with old sea shanties. The next day with sore heads we off loaded the pod (never used) and loaded a huge big sea buoy.
Saturday 14 February
Happy first valentine we share across the great wide ocean my love. I sometimes wonder if this long distance love life we live has a frequency and wavelength. If, so how does it make the Earth feel?
Things have taken on an aspect of normality on board the Esperanza as everyone has found a cabin and is detailed a cleaning duty. My roomy Stan does not snore and he says I don't either, this the main area of concern so we are now set for an amicable close quarter relationship. It's a Saturday, half day for most with exception of course of the three mates and their sailors. Matt is now my lookout, he's been on watch with me for a week and now has volunteered to do another week with me. I like having the same person for two weeks rather than changing every week. He is from Australia and has been a volunteer for over a year. Greenpeace has just recognized his commitment and offered him a contract for his next tour and will be putting him through school to do his basic safety courses.
Today a routine Emergency Muster drill, so all new people know where to go to in the event of the alarms sounding.
Sunday 15 February
Hello again my love from across the world, out at sea in good weather. Finally had a bit of action with the new lot of fishermen in the area. Last night tailed them until they hauled their nets. The jet boat was in the water and filming the activities as we have so often before when one of the pair trawlers got a little aggressive. One was hauling the net, and so the other was free. It came around and tried to crush the little inflatable between the two fishing boats. Our inflatable was loaded with the three young journalists who had the scoop of their careers to date. This however was not enough for the fisherman from Shetland Isles so he swung his boat around and came after the Esperanza, collision course. Only at the last moment did he decide to back out, but he got to within 10 meters of us.
Monday 16 February
Just approaching Falmouth again. We will be changing some crew and journalists. Not stopping but passing by at slow speed as the jet boat runs in and out. I asked the one young journalist if he had enjoyed his break at sea. His eyes lit up as he exclaimed that he had more than just one break. His article had taken up the front page of his newspaper, he was very excited indeed. There are some wonderful rewards in this business, to experience people who are taken out of their element, then to make friends with them, make them feel at ease and then seeing them take off in realization that they have wings.
I do think the most wonderful part of my career is all the people I get to meet and talk to, and bring peace to their lives. My dream would be to broker international peace and here I find myself helping international people feel at peace. When I was at university and studying philosophy, I met a man who had a profound impact on my life. He was the Professor of the philosophy department, an elderly man with a large girth. I attended a few of his tutorials on logic, he had a voice that was clear as crystal and grounding as deep earth and he always smelt of pipe smoke. He offered integrity and inspiration toward wisdom; just his presence alone gave me direction. Now I feel that I am reaching that destination that he made me aware of. I think it is possible to have profound positive impact in this world, and I feel as though I am beginning to realize just that. But, girl all the while I know it is only possible because I have you as my anchor in life and I am so thankful for your presence.
Stan, my cabin mate is getting off here and I will be back to having my own private space again. It has been nice to have a roomy, but logistically a bit difficult with the strange hours that I keep. I do hope that these will be the last days of my career as second mate. Not that many more days left and I am counting each and every morning that I drag myself out of bed. I really need to do some yoga as I'm feeling stiff and very unfit. Kirsten I am so looking forward to coming home to you my beloved woman, we have done really well and now soon our reward.
Tuesday 17 February
I must say I am growing more fond of dolphins all the time, they really are beautiful and seem to wear a smile of peace on their faces. The book I am reading is about a little Indian boy, the survivor of a disaster at sea. Life throws him a curve ball as he finds himself adrift in a lifeboat, his only companion a Bengal tiger.
Wednesday 18 February
Out here it is a cold north-easterly wind that blows down the channel and chills our bones. We have crossed over to the French side in hopes of finding the elusive dolphin killers. I know time is passing whilst I am sailing the southern end of the English Channel. I can tell from the lengthening days and imagine that the nights at home must be beginning to grow longer too. Is the intensity of the summer sun growing weaker yet? I do hope to have a last taste of summer before it is over, need to warm up a little. Have got the sauna on so am going to have a steam tonight.
Friday 20 February
My boat is at anchor just between Start Point and Plymouth. Been good to be at anchor as has given me a chance to knuckle down into chart corrections without having to look out for trawlers. Have been doing this crazy midnight watch for a long time now and my mind feels blown away by it. I must say I find everything hilarious through some sort of exhausted delirium. Matt and I are the ships clowns; some call us crazy but its catching on. As people feel easier in themselves they are taking the opportunity to be silly.
