Advanced Sea Survival Course

Off to do the Sydney to Hobart yacht race this Boxing Day and a prerequisite was to do a Sea Survival Course.  More on the Sydney to Hobart later…

Wow!  What fun?!  Sloshing around in a wave pool fully clothed pretending to be able to survive at sea for days on end.

It was a long day, we packed as much theory in as we could in the morning and spent the afternoon swimming around in the pool, up righting a life raft and generally getting a feel for what it could be like if you had to try and survive at sea for days or months on end.  We could hardly last 10 minutes without feeling sea sick.

Went to the RYCNZ afterwards to meet a few of the members and listen to the war stories from the ‘table of knowledge’ ex commodores etc – very entertaining.

So what is the key message I learnt from the day?  Do not abandon your boat unnecessarily!  Most people died either leaving the boat getting to the life raft or in the life raft to later find the boat was still intact and safe.  Only leave the boat if you have to step UP to the life raft or the boat is on fire and cannot be put out.

Also the importance of a good life jacket with leg harnesses. We compared it to what most boats ahve on board – scary stuff.  Pays not to rely on other peoples equipment.

We also enjoyed hospitality aboard a lovely old 60ft vessel, Ta’aroa, that still holds the record racing Auckland to Fiji. 12 years in a row I think it was.

If you want to do any sailing or sea survival courses then Alan Gwyer is one of the better people out there to teach you and show you how to survive if need be.

Wallace Art Awards 2008

We went to the New Dowse last night in Lower Hutt to attend a cocktail function show casing the winners and other entrants of the Wallace Art Awards.

Some interesting pieces of art and others that made you walk on by.

The winner a piece painted in acrylic on pool table cloth was better from a distance and than in print. I liked the little model army figures shaped as a tree, the acrylic mould of a typewriter, an artists hair stitched into linen, the naked older lady sitting on a chair and various other artworks.

Definitely worth a look if you are in the neighbourhood, and I hear the cafe is worth a visit as well.

The Sound of Music Show

I ended up getting landed with a ticket or three to the Sound of Music last Saturday afternoon. It was funny watching everyone sing away – reminded me of my mum and her singing, little choir girl.

The Wellington Opera House was packed full of mum’s, dad’s and their numerous offspring, half of them I don’t think will every remember the experience as they were too young. Near the beginning of the second half the crowd din was at a peak – the kids had had enough of sitting still for so long and were getting very restless to say the least.

Jessica Graham definitely looked like Julie Andrews, a nice touch for the part.

I think my mum would have enjoyed it…