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Saturday, November 3, 2012

Sunday?

03-11-12-2000-sagarparikrama2-1One good thing about a solo circumnavigation is that you don't have to worry waking up early morning and going to office. I hear today is a Sunday.
The run up to the departure had left me fairly exhausted. We had about nine days in Mumbai but it was so hectic that any memory of Goa and the sailing to Mumbai was completely obliterated. On a good day, I would get about five hours of sleep. I was so well exhausted that I hardly realised how events flew by.
Departure finally happened on the 01st of November as per plan with a cyclone brewing in the eastern coast. There was an overwhelming crowd that came to see the cast off, and those who could not be there saw me off from afar with their wishes. National Geographic Traveller India came with the first 100 copies of their November issue. Many who received these copies came to me for an autograph on the page in which the Mhadei was featured. Taj sent a couple of pizzas that I relished for two full days after the cast off. There were many who came with cards and gifts of books but among them was a person I did not meet and whose face I might never know. Realising that he would not get access into the visitors area and a chance to meet me, he handed over a talisman to an officer in uniform. I have it safely with me and I will be taking it around the world. Whoever that person was, I would want to meet him when I come back.
DSC01802It was a welcome surprise to see Lord Varuna who came down in person to see me off with a wish of fair winds and following seas and a gift of conch.  Perhaps these terms have little significance to the modern day mariner but for a sailboat there is no better wish.
DSC01807The Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief finally accorded permission to my request to circumnavigate the globe. But before the lines were undone, he gave me a pair of binocculars and a sea cap, and wished that I would do the navy proud. Warships had lined up in column and men had formed up on their sides who raised their caps with slogans of “Victory to the Navy and Victory to Mhadei”. The CinC’s barge with the CinC and Adm Awati, two RIBs with Cdrs Donde and Patankar and Ratnakar, one boat full of press and two sailboats, one of them with Capt (Retd) Homi Motivala followed me all the way out of the harbour.DSC01909DSC01887
DSC01890By the fairway buoy, the main was set and when the last of the spectators had peeled off, a breeze trickled in and the engine was shut. The boat soon settled in sync with the familiar rhythm of the wind and waves. For the mild breeze her speed was not disappointing and I shaped a course away from the coast, away from land and away from the noise of daily life. By the night of the second day we had crossed Angria Bank and on the noon of the second day we were crossing our home port and the mouth of the Mhadei River.
It was only after engaging the autopilot after the fairway buoy that I realised how exhausted I had been. The last two days I have done nothing but sleep. Thankfully, there has not been much traffic and the wind was a mild and steady breeze from the north west. Cyclone Nilam, which I had hoped would give me fresh breeze, disappointed with a disappearing act. But then there are no complaints, for what could be good for me, might have wrecked havoc elsewhere.

17 comments:

  1. you write well, and make the journey sound so easy.

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  2. Dear Lt. Tomy - your blog is very inspiring! Yes, today is Sunday - a day of rest for many of us - please keep writing, many of us are following your travels with a keen interest! Jai Vir Sabharwal (sail an Optimist age 11 years - Mumbai)

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  3. ...abhilash...all of us are following you...best wishes

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  4. Hi Tomy,
    keep the thoughts and the words flowing...between your nano naps. We are all following closely in spirit.
    cheers...you could occassionally share the menu for the day as well
    ciao

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  5. Hi Abhilash,

    Excellent capture of the events. Make sure you use Madhei's new HD camera which we all missed during Dilip's voyage. Awaiting few self snaps. Remembering those anxious days of wellwishers of SagarParikrama I.We all are glued to the blog again.Take very good care of you....Milind, Goa

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    1. I will! Waiting for the opportunity. Just that it is not as good as THE thing we wanted. Nevertheless, will do with what I have for the time being.

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  6. Hi Tomy - great write up. Keep up the good work and we look forward to following your adventure ! God bless

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    1. Thanks sir! and thanks for ushering me out of the harbour. Hope to see you on return too.

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  7. Tomy Sir,

    All the very best. Wish you fair winds, following seas and success all through your adventure.

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  8. Hi Tomy, Siddhartha Panda, ex Marco here. You probably do not know me, but I'm one of the Samudra crew, and understand what you're facing in the months ahead, doing alone what a crew of five struggled with (I'm leaving out the skipper, who largely doodled on the charts, leaving us to rely on eyeball - islands usually had clouds over them, over otherwise clear skies - to make landfall. And on islands that had MW radio, we used a radio with a very poor receiver that served as an excellent directional antenna and therefore a direction finding device to make landfall). At one point (before Dilip) I'd been offered the chance to be the first to do the solo circumnavigation, but turned it down in favour of retirement. It was a difficult choice, and I have mixed feelings about it.

    All the best. Take all the pictures you can, keep writing, you seem to be gifted with a keyboard, and we hope to see a book at the end of this.

    I'm sure you have plenty of reading material with you but should you want ebooks on any subject under the sun, do let me know, I should be able to help.

    Sid. sidpanda@gmail.com

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    1. Sir

      Thanks for the message. I cannot even begin to fathom what the Samudra crew must have undergone. Is there a book out on it? If yes I would love to have a copy.

      Would love to meet you once I am back.

      I will keep your words in mind- take as many pictures and keep as much record of the voyage as I can.

      I think I might take up your offer on the books. Could you mail me something by Llosa Vargas? I have never read him. Would love to now that I have time.

      Best wishes
      Abhilash

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  9. Dear Tomy, Sudarshini crew wishing you Fair winds Following seas and Royals all the way!. We're with you, literally.

    Cheers,
    Cdr N Shyam Sundar

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    1. Thanks sir! wish you could send me some winds too!

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  10. You write exceptionally well. The mhadei looks stunning here. Truly your pride

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  11. You write exceptionally well. The mhadei looks stunning here. Truly your pride

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