Hooroo Hobart!
(Written on Dec 30, 2013)
The WAVES team holding The Explorers Club Flag Number 69. From top left: Simon Kenion, David Davenport, Russ Andrews, Dale Peterson, Micheline Jenner, Curt Jenner, Tasmin Jenner, Rob McCauley, Sam Wright. From bottom left: Inday Ford, Resty Adenir.
Photo credit to Wayne the Taxi Driver.
With sixteen days spent in sunny/rainy/sunny Hobart before departure (from Dec 15 until Dec 30, 2013) the crew had ample time to source any necessary unusual gear and equipment and fully load our small ship with stores and even catch up with dear local friends. Sampling the local fare, we enjoyed the seafood (oysters, prawns and scallops) as well as local wines, honey, chocolates and herbal bush teas.
The bustling downtown waterfront with the Saturday Salamanca Markets, the Sunday fresh markets and the preparations and commencement of the Taste of Tas Festival, as well as the exciting arrival of the Sydney to Hobart yachts, was a fun place for the crew to join the action!
Pretty soon we were ready to depart! Thirty-four baguettes, 34 chocolate bars, 50kg of meat, 5kg of fish, 710 coffee pods, 30 coz lettuce and 30 sliced loaves of wholegrain & ploughman’s white bread and many rounds of local cheese, together with 20 kg of pinkeye potatoes and 40 kg of rice… I think we’ll have enough to get us through until lunch!
After a morning taking care of all the funny last bits – 2 jars of all-important allspice, reserve quantities of laundry supplies, face foundation from the chemist, a digital watch for my clipboard, boxes of tissues, then the engines were started and warmed before an imminent departure. At 1510 we dropped our lines and pulled away from C Jetty at the Prince of Wales Bay Marina. Kindly, Noel the partner/owner of the marina passed over our lines as we let go from this form of civilisation. With cameras clicking and tears streaming (from yours truly, out of sheer excitement and happiness!), Curt tooted our horn three times (indicating our movement in reverse) and we gently moved into the middle of the river to commence our journey southward.
A patch of sunshine reached the waterfront downtown of Hobart as in passing we bid our fond farewell to this lovely city. White sails glowing in the sometimes-sunshine were accentuated against the grassy knolls and sandy coloured hills of East Arm, as competitors in the famed Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race made their way towards Hobart and finishing this gruelling event.
Spitting rain tried to dampen, but could not our spirits. We are underway! This is the culmination of twenty-odd years of dreaming by Curt and I. We have wished to follow humpback whales in their “kitchen”, the southern polar feeding grounds, as well as in the Kimberley, their northern tropical “bedroom”. Both Curt and I have been south before and thus going together on our own vessel, has been an expedition we have been planning and wishing to conduct for a long time. Yahoo!
As we wound our way south and across Storm Bay, the scenery was beautiful. Rolling mountains, as though etched in silver surrounding bays and coves dotted with nets of aqua-culture. Into the sunset, we sailed with pink-toned cumulus above heavily rain-laden cumulo-nimbus taking photos and calling loved ones to say we had left.
The Waves team down to 10 onboard ‘Whale Song’.
Photo credit Wayne the Taxi Driver.
Curt and I wish to dedicate this voyage to the late Grant Wilson, the previous owner of Whale Song. Grants’ forward vision has made this expedition possible and the previous three years of science and adventures. We also acknowledge the involvement of John and Lynn Lally and David and Michelle Davenport from the outset of our career in Western Australia, as well as our wonderfully understanding families for supporting our crazy dreams. In recent times, our work with the Australian Department of Defence under Chris “Daffy” Donald, has been invigorating and re-inventing and immensely satisfying, particularly as Whale Song is such a quiet vessel and useful for all manner of acoustic operations.
This expedition is an Explorers Club Flag Expedition, our WAVES Expedition is carrying Flag 69. This flag, which was first carried on an EC Expedition in 1937, will accompany us among the whales in the Antarctic. The 202 flags of the Explorers Club have been to the moon, the depths of the ocean and to the heights of the mountains. It is with great honour and privilege that Curt and I carry this flag with this expedition and are humbly reminded of the courage and determination of the explorers on the previous five expeditions on which this flag has been carried.
Our crew has been decked out in top quality clothing and gear from outfitter Eddie Bauer. For their sponsorship, attention to detail, careful and kind service our expedition is grateful to Eddie Bauer. You will keep us very warm and toasty! Thank you Damien and Deborah!
Passing gorgeous scenery winding our way south and literally stirring the pot while speaking with Wayne and Pam, I prepared First-Night-Out-Pasta and the crew happily celebrated getting underway and on the road! Several phone calls to our dearest Daughter Number One later and all on the land is ok, as we break free…
Four boats, one bloke & one gal, a good dose of sheer determination with a healthy mix of dedication have got us most of the way. Now with an excellent crew and specialist team – we are about to make good our dream and sail to the Antarctic… I fear my soul will burst in anticipation.
From the swirling waters of the D’Entrecasteaux Channel, under a stunning rose and silver-tinted sunset we head southward…
Mich
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