Good evening,
MMA evening report at 1800HRS 26/6/21
POSITION
10 59.5S 158 30.7W CO 020 SP 4.5KTS
WEATHER
WIND SE 7/8KTS, SWELLS SE 0.5M, SEAS CALM, SQUALLY DAY WITH CLOUDY SKIES
COMMENTS
A lot of fresh water shower today. The wind have finally blowing from the right direction for us to sail to Penrhyn. Even though its still light but its all good.
MMA CREWS
“Hey can you sit downwind of me mate” says Terii rather formally. “Don’t get offended but you have bad B.O”. Later I consult with watchmate Kura Happ. “Did she say that? Wow! I was thinking it, but wasn’t going to say anything. Don’t worry my tane Iakapo is the same, you guys don’t use deodorant and your stink gets ingrained I your clothes”.
At this point I consider that maybe my wife was right. Kura continues “it’s not your dreads, in fact I can’t even smell it now, lift your arms. Oh there it is”. The next day I shave my armpits, it’s a small area we share, not that you’d know it. The space is filled with laughter encouragement, sharing of knowledge, young enthusiasm, heart felt music and the greatest meals.
I feel very privileged to be apart of this voyage, Taua e Moana. This anau brought together by Teina Rongo and Kelvin Passfield under the clear guidance of Captain Cool.
Aroa nui
Shane
—
In the navigators seat,
A poem by my daughter Pipi Warren (aged 8)
I look up to the stars on a dark clear night
I look up to the stars and I feel just right
but don’t forget the stars when the sun shines bright
Don’t forget the stars
Don’t forget the stars
Don’t forget the stars
Day 2 and I find myself in the navigators seat. The thrill cannot be justified by words. 4 years since starting this journey with Te Toki Voyaging trust and I get to tentatively rest my bum on the podium of traditional Voyaging. I watch and feel the wind and swells, keeping check on our course. I watch the few stars I am familiar with rise and set. These are baby steps, but life is a place of learning and I am a willing student. I find myself walking the railings of our Vaka peering into the night looking for expected stars. I greet them with excitement and glee like I would distant relatives – which of course they are for I am the universe and the universe is me. I appreciate the distance we can travel by Planets alone.
Day 7 and I’m feeling pretty chuffed with myself. Ready to celestial navigate my way around the world. Often in my life I’m told things over and over But don’t really hear it till it slaps me in the face. “Observation is paramount” – says Pwo navigator Tua Pittman. This night i’m happily churping away informing Cap that we are travelling NNE and that the GPS system must be faulty.
Cap lets this go till he’s had enough and shows me that due to lack of wind and speed although I was pointing the vaka NNE we have been drifting NNW for the last 3 hours! . This very chilled out Captain Peia’s words were now reverberating very loudly in my memory. “You have to watch your wake man” “You need to see where you’ve been to know where you’re going”. This morning as the Sun rose in Kainga, we heard the chirping of 2 Sooty Terns as they circled our Vaka – land birds that fly a radius of 100 NM out to sea.
Life on the ocean is swell.
Shane
