Circumnavigation - Chapter 11

[TalonRider]

Chapter 11 has been posted.

[MikeL]

Great chapter, Cliff. Trevor's plan for his circumnavigation begins to take shape. After a near disaster, he gets some very good news.

[hh5]

I am happy that Trev ok after that freak near accident.

 

I can imagine Trev imagining his friends and father being horrified at his own death.

I guess now he will be more careful and hopefully for Joel.

 

hehe - I hope Joel - decides to stay with Trev for the entire route to austrailia.

f**k school - seeing the world is one - but insuring the safety of his friend would be much more important.

Look if Trev drops off Joel - its going to be five months before he gets to austraila and then to home in two months.

 

If he makes it to austraila - I'm sure that his first time relatives are going to explode. Making the trip might be news worthy. But the adults will go out of their mind.

I suppose its not going to take five months since he stay for a spell. Maybe four months or less. So he'll stay for 2.5 months before heading home.

 

So far Dirk hasn't been contacted from Lisbon. Is Trev going to call from Gibraltar?

 

Sure CJames says Trev is a teen that will get into trouble. More so than adults.

Well - I have to say Trev is so lucky he's never been abused - that certainly would add more to the troubles.

Well if Trev is trying to see if this will make a man out of him (cough, a gay one)

 

I don't know if any of us would be a crazy or brave as Trev?

or Would any of us have a friend like Lisa and Joel to be there for us?

I suppose Trev does now know how much Joel means to him - that certainly he's gone on the limb for his friend.

 

Now - I still wonder if now Joel would see Trev need of love and sex. There is no indication that Trev has relieved his sexual tension. He gonna explode soon and I hope Joel can help him out:funny: You can call that experimenting or helping out a friend. The favor can go visa versa since Joel wont see Lisa for 5 to 6 weeks that if Joel decides to return.

 

I think in time Trev troubles will fade in his memory as he's busy to survive and make the journey. But as soon as he sets foot to relatives or seening Dirk again - all thats going to bring some thoughts - like will they forgive each other. Will Dirk learn to never push his son away? to be truthful? To be his son best friend??

 

It sounds like in the coming chapters that Joel and Trev will have such a bonding experience.

Certainly they will much to talk about regarding things going on back home from all those concerned.

 

Its surprising how Lisa father and Joels father isn't so much concern for Trev.

Its heart break there's empathy somewhere except letting Joel go there.

I hope Joel will fill us in on how his Joel dad feels about Trev and how he is helping through Joel

I not sure if there's anything Dirk gave to Joel when Lisa and Joel visited him.

I look forward to Joel reporting about Dirk?

 

We have no indication what happen with Dirk since his sons disappearence.

The story seems to center with Trev and maybe what Joel and Lisa have told him.

 

So without any knowledge then know what going on with dirk is left to question.

I hope Dirk wrote a letter to Trev being carried by Joel.

We know that Dirk mouth gets him in trouble with his son.

 

Too bad I'm a landlover by health choice.

I'd love to be with Trev even if it was to give him so relief

 

I look forward to Joel and Trev shopping for the important stuff.

I wonder if Joel father gave more money for the trip and survial.

 

I presume its pretty much a safe journey throu the med.

Its the rest of the few months to austrila that can be dangerous

 

It could be the sea or it could be other boats other pirates or the country itself that Trev be visiting.

 

Sure Azores, Lisbon, and Gib ... turned out to be safe but who's to say other places are?

more of that Teenage mischief to see

 

Will Trev meet a gay boy along his journey

will he have a stowaway after joel leaves him

 

Will Trev make the journey alone in that final leg to austraila

[Conner]

OMG! He's gone and done it! The story line is still advancing though. I was worried about that.

 

If Dirk comes out of all this smelling like a rose, I'm gonna be pissed.

 

Joel's on his way! Speedos packed of course.

 

Looks like the Goat's world travels are really gonna pay off in this story!

 

That scene where Trevor fell off his boat and the way CJ walked us through the "other" scenario, well, I just about pissed myself. Thanks for that, CJ.

 

Looking forward to Joel's arrival.

[Benji]

..................Great chapter CJ, almost ended the entire story before it started with Trev taking the spill overboard. Well, that was one mistake he will never make again. I'm glad Joel is going to be with him for a portion of the voyage. I see a problem ahead, looks like Trevor plans to go through the Suez canal to reach Australia.

......"I'll get to see the Seychelles and Mauritius on my way to Australia." A very perilous route, considering Iran patrol boats, and pirates running around in that area of the world. Another thing is the fee associated with using the Suez canal, I tried to calculate it, but someone didn't give out the tonnage for the boat! It could be very expensive!!

Edited February 2, 2010 by Benji

[wildone]

Great chapter CJ, thanks .

 

First off, I want to compliment Trevor on his writing, it is so clear and legible, he must be gay .

 

I guess we now know that the title of the story has nothing to do with how Dirk drives to Miami or about Trevor sailing around the Bahamas. I think it is really a rash decision on Trevor's part, but I guess that he has proved to be someone to not think about things through before reacting, otherwise he could be a normal 17 year old . There was the time that he mentioned about hoping his Dad was okay because he was like him now, alone, that kinda of made a lump in my throat. It was the first glimmer of hope that I had for their relationship to improve.

 

Like Benji mentioned, the story just about ended before it got going with Trevor falling overboard. I guess I wasn't to scared due to that fact. Since there really isn't any other characters to step forward, Trevor is kind of it.

 

I do look forward to Joel's arrival to Gibraltar. If Trevor sits the boat at the west end of the runway, Joel should be about to see him when landing if the wind direction has the plane landing to the east. From there, I imagine they will have some fun, visiting places like Ibiza would be first on my stops . I just wonder if they're age may become a factor in some of the fun they can have .

 

Great chapter, thanks again CJ.

[C James]

Great chapter, Cliff. Trevor's plan for his circumnavigation begins to take shape. After a near disaster, he gets some very good news.

 

I love your new avatar: a skiing frog!!!

 

Yes, Trevor did have a very close call. I'd also like to mention this: If I had cut the chapter just after he hit the water, it would be a cliffie, wouldn't it? But, I didn't! So, can we get an Amphibious Certification of Cliffhanger-Free for this chapter?

 

I am happy that Trev ok after that freak near accident.

 

I can imagine Trev imagining his friends and father being horrified at his own death.

I guess now he will be more careful and hopefully for Joel.

 

hehe - I hope Joel - decides to stay with Trev for the entire route to austrailia.

f**k school - seeing the world is one - but insuring the safety of his friend would be much more important.

Look if Trev drops off Joel - its going to be five months before he gets to austraila and then to home in two months.

 

If he makes it to austraila - I'm sure that his first time relatives are going to explode. Making the trip might be news worthy. But the adults will go out of their mind.

I suppose its not going to take five months since he stay for a spell. Maybe four months or less. So he'll stay for 2.5 months before heading home.

 

So far Dirk hasn't been contacted from Lisbon. Is Trev going to call from Gibraltar?

 

 

We have no indication what happen with Dirk since his sons disappearance.

The story seems to center with Trev and maybe what Joel and Lisa have told him.

 

Wow, GREAT post!!! I trimmed it a bit to quote, because I dare not comment on much of it, but I can say that Dirk is not out of the story.

 

I also very much like your point about school. When I was 11, my family had a chance to spend eight months going around the world. It was then or never, because we weren't the ones paying for it. My teachers were adamantly against it "Oh, he'd miss almost a year of school". Fortunately, my parents were wiser than my teachers, and we went. I learned a heck of a lot more in that eight months than I ever would have in school! It was also the birth of my travel addiction.

I didn't even get held back a year; all I had to do was take a series of tests, and although I'd missed most of the school year, it was no problem.

 

OMG! He's gone and done it! The story line is still advancing though. I was worried about that.

 

If Dirk comes out of all this smelling like a rose, I'm gonna be pissed.

 

Joel's on his way! Speedos packed of course.

 

Looks like the Goat's world travels are really gonna pay off in this story!

 

That scene where Trevor fell off his boat and the way CJ walked us through the "other" scenario, well, I just about pissed myself. Thanks for that, CJ.

 

Looking forward to Joel's arrival.

 

Yep, Trevor is now (per the text, so I can finally say it) attempting to circumnavigate the world.

 

And yes, let's just say it's been handy having first-hand knowledge of many places. It's not always the case though... For example, I've been to Lisbon, and to the Azores, but not to the same island Trevor went to in the Azores.

 

..................Great chapter CJ, almost ended the entire story before it started with Trev taking the spill overboard. Well, that was one mistake he will never make again. I'm glad Joel is going to be with him for a portion of the voyage. I see a problem ahead, looks like Trevor plans to go through the Suez canal to reach Australia.

......"I'll get to see the Seychelles and Mauritius on my way to Australia." A very perilous route, considering Iran patrol boats, and pirates running around in that area of the world. Another thing is the fee associated with using the Suez canal, I tried to calculate it, but someone didn't give out the tonnage for the boat! It could be very expensive!!

 

Trevor does indeed intend... err, let me be careful here, in case the Echidna is watching:

 

Cyprus wasn

[hh5]

The tonnage of Atlantis is 28,000 pounds: 14 tons. Sorry, I forgot to include that on Atlantis's page, but thanks to your mention of it, it's there now.

 

However, the Suez fee structure was at that time (And I think still is) based on volume. They measure the length and breadth of the ship, and then run a measuring line under the boat. Due to a catamaran's shape, this can result in a fee larger than her length or tonnage would indicate.

 

But the fee would be for a passenger boat not an ocean liner or a freighter.

 

Well it better not cost him more than $15,000

 

I don't think bartering the red and blue speedos is going to help

or if they take kindly to two 17yo running naked in the canal locks

 

then he won;t have much for food and repairs and maintenance

[MikeL]

I love your new avatar: a skiing frog!!!

Thank you.

 

 

Yes, Trevor did have a very close call. I'd also like to mention this: If I had cut the chapter just after he hit the water, it would be a cliffie, wouldn't it? But, I didn't! So, can we get an Amphibious Certification of Cliffhanger-Free for this chapter?

The ending was actually sweet...that airport scene with Lisa and Joel. Unfortunately, air travel can be risky, so we can't really judge the full potential for a cliffhanger until we know Joel has made it safely to Gibraltar via London.

[hh5]

The ending was actually sweet...that airport scene with Lisa and Joel. Unfortunately, air travel can be risky, so we can't really judge the full potential for a cliffhanger until we know Joel has made it safely to Gibraltar via London.

 

You expect the plane to land in the water and Trev will save joel and the survivors??

or they will dump joel out the plane so the both of them will meet in the water??

 

air travel is much safer than you traveling to work.

 

better check what airline (joke) like not the concord

[MikeL]

You expect the plane to land in the water and Trev will save joel and the survivors??

or they will dump joel out the plane so the both of them will meet in the water??

 

air travel is much safer than you traveling to work.

 

better check what airline (joke) like not the concord

Hey, can't I have a little fun with the goat? As for air travel being safer than traveling to work, that's not true in my case. I'm retired.

[wildone]

So I have some questions to ask and hopefully the answers won't be considered spoilers .

 

A land lover like me knows very little about sailing or yachting, cruising, etc. Now I understand that Trevor has a on-board GPS, VHF Radio, and proximately radar all on the Atlantis. My question has to do with maps/charts. Since Trevor has been more or less restricted to the Caribbean, would he only have charts available for that area? I just don't see him storing on-board charts for crossing the Atlantic, sailing the Med, cruising down to Australia across the Indian Ocean. Or would he?

 

Now the weather maps/reports, could he get those off the radio? Once again, I really don't see why Trevor would have these readily at hand for a trans-Atlantic crossing.

 

I thought he maybe had a laptop on board and he could download them but dismissed it due to the fact I don't know that there would be many WI-FI access points out in the middle of the ocean. Even at his distance of less than a mile from the coast of the US, I don't believe he could make a connection.

 

Does he have some kind of satellite equipment which would give him access to these reports/maps/charts? Or does he need them?

 

Just curious,

 

Steve

[C James]

But the fee would be for a passenger boat not an ocean liner or a freighter.

 

Well it better not cost him more than $15,000

 

I don't think bartering the red and blue speedos is going to help

or if they take kindly to two 17yo running naked in the canal locks

 

then he won;t have much for food and repairs and maintenance

 

The formula is very complicated (based on volume, not tonnage, and is calculated with an under-the-keels measurement, plus length and beam) and to make it even more complicated, the toll is only part of it; there are a huge number of "extras" like quarantine fees, pilot fee (Yachts require a pilot aboard for transit) ministry fees, etc, etc. Making it even harder to figure,

it does not appear to be overly consistent. I've seen reports ranging from $4700 for a 70' catamaran to $450 for a 30' monohull. Also $1600 for a 48' catamaran. That should give you an idea of the high and low ends possible. As for Trevor, we, and he, cannot know until he gets there. (if he does indeed get there; I'm not stating it as a fact that he will, only that he intends to.)

 

As things stand, he's already short on funds for a circumnavigation. If there's one common denominator about things on yachts, it's this; when they break they are expensive.

 

The ending was actually sweet...that airport scene with Lisa and Joel. Unfortunately, air travel can be risky, so we can't really judge the full potential for a cliffhanger until we know Joel has made it safely to Gibraltar via London.

 

<Cough> Hey now! Flying is safer than driving! You can't very well call everything a cliffhanger, oh writer of that rarest genre: cliffhanging limericks!

 

 

So I have some questions to ask and hopefully the answers won't be considered spoilers .

 

A land lover like me knows very little about sailing or yachting, cruising, etc. Now I understand that Trevor has a on-board GPS, VHF Radio, and proximately radar all on the Atlantis. My question has to do with maps/charts. Since Trevor has been more or less restricted to the Caribbean, would he only have charts available for that area? I just don't see him storing on-board charts for crossing the Atlantic, sailing the Med, cruising down to Australia across the Indian Ocean. Or would he?

 

Now the weather maps/reports, could he get those off the radio? Once again, I really don't see why Trevor would have these readily at hand for a trans-Atlantic crossing.

 

I thought he maybe had a laptop on board and he could download them but dismissed it due to the fact I don't know that there would be many WI-FI access points out in the middle of the ocean. Even at his distance of less than a mile from the coast of the US, I don't believe he could make a connection.

 

Does he have some kind of satellite equipment which would give him access to these reports/maps/charts? Or does he need them?

 

Just curious,

 

Steve

 

These are great questions, and ones I can absolutely answer! I can answer any kind of tech question or geography or sailing question, as that's not a spoiler, and thus I'm safe from Graeme.

 

The information, to my chagrin, isn't on Atlantis's page. I need to correct that. OOps.

 

Here's what's there for the navigation system;

# Nav desk is amidships port hull

# Robertson AP20 primary autopilot

# Robertson AP200 backup autopilot

# Trimble Navtrak GPS plotter

# Garmin GPSMap 220 chart plotter

# 3 B&G wind, speed & depth helm

# 1 B&G network disp (nav station)

# Furuno radar display & radome

# Icom M700 150 watt SSB radio

# Icom automatic antenna tuner

# Icom 25 watt marine VHF radio

# Icom M59 25 watt marine VHF

# Icom M55 5 watt HH VHF radio

# Ship's intercom sys

 

The chart plotter has the ability, via the Icom antenna, to access weather services such as Clearpoint, which give access to weather maps and forecasts. The transmission is via satellite, but it's a one-way link: download only.

 

For electronic charts, the same chart plotter is used, and the charts come (for that model) on cartridges. Trevor would have needed US charts and also Bahamas and Turks and Caicos at a minimum.

 

One problem in doing research for this; the electronics have changed drastically in the four years since 2006 (when the story is set). The map cartridges for the GPS220 are no longer available today, and thus I can't see the specific covered regions for each cartridge set, but I believe it to be the same regions system as the later version. (which come on SD cards, not cartridges).

 

The more recent models of the GPS system he has are very similar, and here's an example of the map software and what it can do.

 

Those mapsets are laid (there's an interactive system at the top of the page) out in a similar way (for example the map regions for land-based GPS units haven't changes much); he'd need the ones for the US and also the Caribbean, and then there is another for all of Europe. I do know that for some current systems, you get to pick three or four mapsets as a bundled package (I did for my land-based one, too).

 

Basically, I'm operating on the assumption that, until he passes Suez (assuming he does) he's fine for electronic maps and charts (actually, the Europe charts run about 30 miles past Suez, plus coveres the entire Mediterranean), due to having a set of three: Caribbean, US, and Europe, because they came with his system or he later expanded his set. (That's a bit of a strech, I know, but I was trying to minimize the tech detail). The Europe one would give him the mid-atlantic islands, such as the Azores, Ascencion, Canarys, etc, that he might have interest in as a possible long-range charter or emergency destination (such as if running to get out of the way of a hurricane) so he'd have at least a small motive to have it.

 

You're right on the Wi-Fi: he can use that, but only if within a few hundred feet (up to a couple of thousand, depending on conditions) of the antenna, which rules out using it at sea. In 2006 there were things like Sailmail, which is satellite-based e-mail for boats, but, it was expensive and he wouldn't much need it in the Bahamas. So, he has no internet access while at sea. (he does have a couple of laptops though). Many yacht clubs, even then, had WiFi or similar.

 

As for getting a laptop connection at sea; to be specific, he can't send, but he can receive, sort of. The clearpoint weather data can be transferred to his laptop from the nav system, so he can run advanced route-panning software, etc. However, it's one-way only; he can't send via satalite.

 

When at sea, he has the VHF SSB (single Side Band) radio, and the latter utilizes reflection off the ionosphere to give it over-the-horizon range of over a thousand miles *IF* conditions are right. VHF is pretty much line-of-sight.

 

The EPIRBs can transmit via satellite. They are, however, distress becoons; at most, he'd have a pre-registered "I'm ok" message he could send in liue of a distress call (not all models have this). That message would go to a pre-set (with the issuing company; all EPIRBS are registered upon purchase for the owner) e-mail or phone: Dirk's, in this case. The emergency beacon mode would be an automated via satellite distress call, including GPS-derived coordinates.

 

And a trivia item of the day (If I haven't given everyone a tech headache already) Atlantis has three nav displays: one at each helm, and one in the Nav desk on the port side of the salon. This also means Atlantis can be controlled from the Salon, via the autopilot controls. That's only for directional control though, or for operating on engines. The sheets (ropes) and winches that control the sails are in the cockpit, so all alterations of the sails have to be done from there.

 

BTW, the next chapter title is "Monkey Business".

[wildone]

Wow

 

All I can really say to that is that you definitely research out your details to a story.

 

Now my next question, have you been on boats with a similar setup, or is this something that you came up with yourself, or your team help you out?

 

Either way, I'm still amazed.

[TalonRider]

Wow

 

Now my next question, have you been on boats with a similar setup, or is this something that you came up with yourself, or your team help you out?

 

Either way, I'm still amazed.

I think it's a combination of that list.

[C James]

Wow

 

All I can really say to that is that you definitely research out your details to a story.

 

Now my next question, have you been on boats with a similar setup, or is this something that you came up with yourself, or your team help you out?

 

Either way, I'm still amazed.

I think it's a combination of that list.

 

Thanks Steve

 

Talonrider has it pretty much right; I've never been on a catamaran like Atlantis, but I have been on seagoing yachts occasionally, and I do know how to sail (I used to race, 14 foot Lasers, when I was a teen). Also, and more importantly, RedA is an expert, and he gives me ideas, and also lets me bounce scenarios off him. I also sometimes bug friends, like you, who have a specific area of knowledge that I need (Such as Scuba diving) and ask for advice.

 

I'm lucky also in that I have a fairly good range of knowledge about some of the systems involved (a some of the gear is similar to what I used as a pilot) plus I've done loads of online research (my bookmarks category for Circumnavigation is well over a hundred sites and grows steadily).

CJ

[Red_A]

Thanks Steve

 

Talonrider has it pretty much right; I've never been on a catamaran like Atlantis, but I have been on seagoing yachts occasionally, and I do know how to sail (I used to race, 14 foot Lasers, when I was a teen). Also, and more importantly, RedA is an expert, and he gives me ideas, and also lets me bounce scenarios off him.

CJ

 

 

Well at this point, I must say that CJ gets it right 98% of the time. And although I been in/on canoes, ribs, sail boards, firefly dinhgy, lasers, variety of bermuda rig yachts from 18 feet to 50 feet, and gaff rigged boats from 37 to 75 feet, the experience and idea are mine and MY FRIENDS. From R who has pitch polled at least 6 racing catamaran dinhgys, to friends of friends who gave me 2 hours of their time telling me of their 2.5 year Circumnavigation in a 55 foot catamaran.

 

What Trevor has done is realistic, but reckless. Yes, a good swimmer can free dive to 100feet, but only Trevor would do it on his own. Being trawled (trolled) being a boat, is a common pass time, but behind an automatic piloted boat??

 

The boat coures, are very realistic. Going to Cape Hatteras in the fast moving warm Gulf stream, and then the Azores is a well worn path.

 

Now I must run and check the last chapter, to see if C J has introduced any errors.

 

PS I am worse than C J at spelling, so those errors are not my responsibilities.

[C James]

Well at this point, I must say that CJ gets it right 98% of the time. And although I been in/on canoes, ribs, sail boards, firefly dinhgy, lasers, variety of bermuda rig yachts from 18 feet to 50 feet, and gaff rigged boats from 37 to 75 feet, the experience and idea are mine and MY FRIENDS. From R who has pitch polled at least 6 racing catamaran dinhgys, to friends of friends who gave me 2 hours of their time telling me of their 2.5 year Circumnavigation in a 55 foot catamaran.

 

What Trevor has done is realistic, but reckless. Yes, a good swimmer can free dive to 100feet, but only Trevor would do it on his own. Being trawled (trolled) being a boat, is a common pass time, but behind an automatic piloted boat??

 

The boat coures, are very realistic. Going to Cape Hatteras in the fast moving warm Gulf stream, and then the Azores is a well worn path.

 

Now I must run and check the last chapter, to see if C J has introduced any errors.

 

PS I am worse than C J at spelling, so those errors are not my responsibilities.

 

One minor correction to the above: NOBODY is worse at spelling then me!

 

I am the King of the Typo! :king:

 

And if you don't believe me, look two lines above and you'll see that I typed "then" when I mean "than".