Walvis Bay, Namibia... feels like coming home!
Well I arrived back in Walvis Bay after dark last Monday and went straight to the container.
Fortunately the wickedly abrasive Walvis Bay air hadn't corroded the multiple locks too badly and they all popped open.
Everything was exactly as we left it.
In one respect it felt like we had been gone for ages and yet on returning it was as if we had hardly left.
I wheeled the RIB out of the container and sleapt on the floor in its place. One thing had changed. It's alot colder now of a night!
I froze my arse off!
In the morning I began to get everything out and in position. God it felt good to be back. I turned on the stereo in the container and the same CD cranked out the tunes that said 'farewell' on our departure. I got Hiskia back down to help out as Helena isn't arriving until this Saturday. We wheeled out SAILROCKET as tghe wind began to build. It was only when we fitted the beam that I was reminded of the big repair job we had carried out at the end of our last stay. It sort of brought it home as to what had gone... and what lay ahead.
I have already begun on the necessary mods to prevent those crash scenarios from happening again. One major one to tame the boat and one to tame the wing.
It will take around a week from now to be ready for sailing.
I can't wait for Helena to arrive.
Meanwhile the place is buzzing as all the contestants arrive in preperation for Walvis Bay Speed Week. All the worlds fastest sailors including Finian maynard (current world record holder) will be here and going ten tenths to be the fastest. These guys are bloody competitive and events like these can be real pressure-cookers. I hope like hell that we can get SAILROCKET ready and do a demonstration run for then during the event. But we won't risk anything to do it as we can't rush the first few runs.
So it's great to be back and I mean it. I'm stoked to see all the familiar faces, sights, sounds and smells of the place which will be the setting for a future we remain very optimistic about.
There is no place I would rather be.
Cheers, Paul.
Fortunately the wickedly abrasive Walvis Bay air hadn't corroded the multiple locks too badly and they all popped open.
Everything was exactly as we left it.
In one respect it felt like we had been gone for ages and yet on returning it was as if we had hardly left.
I wheeled the RIB out of the container and sleapt on the floor in its place. One thing had changed. It's alot colder now of a night!
I froze my arse off!
In the morning I began to get everything out and in position. God it felt good to be back. I turned on the stereo in the container and the same CD cranked out the tunes that said 'farewell' on our departure. I got Hiskia back down to help out as Helena isn't arriving until this Saturday. We wheeled out SAILROCKET as tghe wind began to build. It was only when we fitted the beam that I was reminded of the big repair job we had carried out at the end of our last stay. It sort of brought it home as to what had gone... and what lay ahead.
I have already begun on the necessary mods to prevent those crash scenarios from happening again. One major one to tame the boat and one to tame the wing.
It will take around a week from now to be ready for sailing.
I can't wait for Helena to arrive.
Meanwhile the place is buzzing as all the contestants arrive in preperation for Walvis Bay Speed Week. All the worlds fastest sailors including Finian maynard (current world record holder) will be here and going ten tenths to be the fastest. These guys are bloody competitive and events like these can be real pressure-cookers. I hope like hell that we can get SAILROCKET ready and do a demonstration run for then during the event. But we won't risk anything to do it as we can't rush the first few runs.
So it's great to be back and I mean it. I'm stoked to see all the familiar faces, sights, sounds and smells of the place which will be the setting for a future we remain very optimistic about.
There is no place I would rather be.
Cheers, Paul.
Paul Larsen
Mobile: + 44 (0) 794 684 1929
E-mail: paularsen1@aol.com
www.sailrocket.com
Mobile: + 44 (0) 794 684 1929
E-mail: paularsen1@aol.com
www.sailrocket.com
posted by Paul at 8:52 am
1 Comments:
Good luck mate,
I'm really glad you are all back on board. Reading your updates takes me back to some projects I was involved in, it's such an incredible buzz :-)
I'm sure you'll get there, and if nothing else I reckon you might be able to get Finian to sign the wing...
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