Category Archives: Goose Freckles

01/10/2009

mixed days

By hairygoose
 
funny when things are like today.
 
at work, it seemed that every time i went into the engine room, there was an absolute banging tune on the iPod – so i cranked it up and worked to the tunes.
 
then again , getting home this evening at the crew house, is almost like work never stops.  the modern day clammer for the ‘must have internet’ gets right on my fucking tits i have to say.  But i am bias of course – because i am the stupid cunt that has to get everyone hooked up.  And then, there are those error messages that you just don’t want to see.
 
‘If the problem persists, contact your network administrator’
 
yes – thats me too.  Now people, please let me give you a tip. if you need such urgent internet access, take a tip from me……
 
Buy a ‘3’ dongle for when you are in a country that has a 3 network and a ‘vodafone’ dongle for rest of the world, then whenever you have that ‘must have internet’ urge, you can plug your dongle in, connect, pay for it yourself and leave me in peace.
 
thats all for now
 
leave me alone

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26/09/2009

Season 1 – it’s all over – 10764nm

By hairygoose
 
but only for a few weeks.
 
we arrived safely back in palma on wednesday night for a short rest bite – well for the rest of the crew anyway.  I have 5 weeks of flat out preparations to get the boat up to speed for a transatlantic crossing in november and maybe, a real maybe, onto Panama and through the canal to the pacific.
 
the journey of a lifetime is about to unfold. Tahiti, Galapagos, new zealand maybe even australia if we decide to slum it.
 
the new surfboard is taking shape – i will be collecting that from Davey on october 22nd, a blissful weekend in blighty awaits me.  Mother will be 70 years old so i am expectign a swinging party that weekend.
 
Palma is better than i expected it would be.  i wasnt due back here for a good year or more but it has revived my passion a little.  I even rented a scooter for the 6 weeks we are here – a massive 460€ for the period, musn’t grumble at that.
 
The engineer in portugal who is designing my new house promised the plans a week ago but they are yet to materialise – i feel another email coming on shortly.
 
Was surprised and surprisingly a little disheartened to learn that fat pat got married – if there ever was a case of ‘the one that got away’ she was it – and of course it was all completely my fault.  Maybe i am just getting old………… i worry too much.
 
so a few weeks of hard graft await me, and then a long weekend in england. before a few more weeks hard graft and then set sail into the setting sun for a year i would guess.
 
thats all for now – i will write soon with more inspiration
 
Paddy Whitelaw – please get in touch +34 697 390 527
 
 

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02/09/2009

season finale

By hairygoose
 
I always love a good long board movie.
 
we just sat and had a quick burst of ‘singlefin yellow’ while eating dinner.  it always reminds me what life is all about.  the chilled and relaxed beach style.
 
Shame i am away working at the moment but every cloud has a silver lining as they say.  Watching the movie reminded me about Davey the ding man down in Kernow.  I have ordered a new board with him, to be ready in october. 9’2” 1960’s retro style, in powder blue and a full deck paint with gloss finish and the number 40 in cream just above head height to the left of the stringer – it is going to be orgasmic.
 
I appreciate fully how lucky i am in life to be able to have all of my boards custom built.  the up side of this is when Davey signs the underneath of them for me, with those immortal words ‘ for wayne ‘  – it just makes life a hell of a lot better – i can’t really explain it, but it does.
 
This will be my third Groovy surf board now, each one custom built for me.  8`6“ , 10’2” and now , added to the stable, a 9’2” charger.  Gunn like in dimensions, with a little less float than the big purple.
 
As we still havent decided where we will be next year, i will be bringing the new board along with me just in case.  there is talk of another caribbean trip, then through Panama and into the open Pacific.  Tahiti and the Galapagus have been mentioned a lot, as have the Maldives and Seychelles.
 
Any road up, it looks like we will be in warm water with excellent diving and great potential for surfing.  Best is, that as the boss will still be in the UK, he will have a long way to travel to get to the boat and i am sure this will limit his usage a lot.
 
Last time the boat went to the pacific, the boss never showed up for 18 months.
 
So here i sit – off the coast of italy waiting to finish the season and head back to palma for a quick yard period.  The end of the year is fast approaching – all i need now is for the house engineer in portugal to finish the project for me and we will definately be cooking with gas.

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27/08/2009

Show me the way

By hairygoose
 
Oh man, i am so tired!
 
the heat is a killer and add to that the itinerary……….we have hopped along every city along the french coast from St Tropez to Monaco then dropped down to Portofino again on the Riviera.  I am completely shattered.
 
We have another week of manic activity to go.  The yard is calling soon and hopefully by the end of next month, we will be securely tied to the dock getting ready to haul out.  Even then – i will be facing a 6 week period of flat out work.
 
It has been a gruelling schedule since April when we left Palma – we have covered the equivalent of 4 atlantic crossings already and we still have 1 more to do before the end of the year.  AFter that, hopefully we will be rested a little as the boss will have to fly a lot further to get to his boat.  That means Caribbean diving again and hopefully completing a dive master ticket while i am there – the next sequence in my plan.
 
Of course, we could always go east instead.  there is talk of the maldives, Vietnam, Asia etc etc but until we get there – we never know where we are going, which at first was terribly exciting but now is beginning to wear a little thin.
 
Anyway
 
enough for now
 
 
 
 
authors footnote – i will be heading back to blighty for almost a week in october.  my new surfboard will be ready – the 40th anniversary edition, and my mother has also reached the pensionable heights of 70 years old.  arriving on 21st, leaving on 27th…………….07833 787 117

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12/08/2009

Palma bomb forecast- 9226nm

By hairygoose
 
Made it back to my second home.  Seems i have missed some news too – three more bombs yesterday.  word on the street is that tomorrow there will be yet another!
 
So, what have you been doing all summer?
 
On the trip back into the med, we actually saw a whale.  the big beauty was sleeping on the surface when the skipper spotted it so we slowed down and drifted alongside it, maybe 50 feet away.  As we prepared to get in and swim with it, it woke up and made it’s dive to freedom.  I managed to get one picture off, just as its tail was in the air and it went down for cover.
 
We also ran into the biggest pod of dolphins i have ever seen.  they were all around us.  8 abrest at the bow and flanked on both sides by others as they played and jumped in our wake.
 
I have added a few photos for your viewing pleasure.
 
Back in the Med, things are hotting up.  we are preparing for the bosses last few trips before we hit the yard again.  We have already covered enough miles since april to have crossed the atlantic 3 times or more and come november we might just do it for real too.
 
To celebrate my 4th decade on this planet, i have also ordered a new surfboard.  details are winging their way to Davy in St Agnes and hopefully it should be ready for me to collect within a month or so.  I may just head back to the UK in october to celebrate my birthday so keep checking in for details.
 
Thats all for now – stop by and say hello soon.
 
 
 
 

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31/07/2009

Due South 6886nm

By hairygoose
 
SHort lived, i know, but tonight we are leaving the rugged natural beauty of scandinavia behind us, in favour of the cheese and commoness of the med once more.
 
It was too cold up here for the boss, so he has asked us to return to tourist hell.  Shame really, we spent almost 2 weeks getting here, it will almost be 2 weeks to get back, and we stayed here for just 3 weeks, the boss just had 6 days. 
 
think about it – 40,000 litres of diesel for a 6 day holiday!!
 
Never mind.
 
we leave tonight, just after midnight so will be at sea for some time – expect me in palma any time from the 10th of august.  Skipper has agreed to stop at home in sagres to let me off the boat to go to the bank but then its onward and upward.
 
i better get back to work

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17/07/2009

Aker Brygge – 6683 nm

By hairygoose
 
it’s been a decade since i was last here – muchos agua under the bridge thats for sure!
 
It is fair to say that the scandies – they have it right.  Ok, things are a little more expensive here than in mainland europe but in general, they have got it right.  On the side of the fjords and lakes you see Lido’s.  these are just about extinct from the UK now i reckon.  It doesn’t stop there!  at the Lido’s they also have diving boards on the first floor so that you can dive into the water.
 
Imagine that ??  the HSE in england would be shitting themselves if they saw this stuff.  Not because they are dangerous places, but simply because they are there!  the nanny state simply doesn’t exist here, if you want to do it, you can.  If you are stupid enough to get hurt doing it – then thats your own stupid fault.
 
Everybody – please say hello to Monica.  she is a little bit mental, but she is a norgy after all. Young – 21 years old, a little cute thing who is an ex girlfriend of the Viscount.  I am not sure why the Viscount would leave Norway and leave her behind – but he did – the dumb ass !!  In my honest opinion – she is a keeper and The Viscount needs to correct his error immediately and without delay.
 
On a lighter note – more infact , a note on my previous matchmaking skills – on sunday, i am meeting with Carl and Benedikte and no doubt the family too.  Longer term readers of this blog thingy will remember these people from many years ago – i know for sure that a certain Ms. Cannon from Canada will undoubtably remember – she remembers everything.  Carl and Benedikte married some years ago now, i am guessing around 2000 but my memory escapes me.  I am wondering how many children i will be introduced to on sunday.  Probably many.
 
It would be easy to find a stunner here and never leave – so i will be guarding myself closely and making sure that we do infact leave and head south again in search of warmer climates and  limitless sunshine.  We still hope to ‘yard’ in Pendennis in September – and after that – who knows……….wherever the boss decides he wants to be.
 
well – i really should be thinking about going to bed now – it is 04.30am here in Oslo.  it never really got dark, and it never really got offensive. 
 
i like it here.
 
 
 
 
 
Authors fotnote – i would just like to add that my new touch screen phone is completely fucking shite – please, do not waste your money on this crap.  I cannot forward text messages on, save a number contained in a text message, nor can i edit or delete existing contacts.  things have no reason to be this hard to work out.
 
 

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06/07/2009

Scandinavian Beauties !!!!! 5866nm

By hairygoose
 
You really do have to love these women !!
 
On the 6th day, god made latina chicas, on the 7th day, he went 1 better and created scandinavian hotties.  I am in heaven……i may not leave this place without getting married several times !!
 
Bigamy – some people say that is having one wife too many – I call that ´marriage´.
 
I treated myself to some very serene moments on the way up here from london.  the trip itself was just under 1200 miles but supplied some wonderfully blissful moments.
 
when we are underway on the boat, all of the crew work on a shift rotation.  Normally its a 2 hours on, 4 hours off shift system, with 2 people on each watch.  As i have machinery to look after, i am generally kept out of the watch system, but instead pull just 2 shifts a day, from 6-8am and again from 6-8pm.  I think these are the best times to be on deck , and not only that, but i get to do it alone too – so the mood is completely all mine.
 
Sunsets with Ravi Shankar, sunrises with the foo’s, to name but a few.
 
I also witnessed my first early morning sunrise while we were anchored off one of the small islands on the way in to stockholm.  it was just 03.30am when the sun spread a red glow over its clouds.  the night had never completely hit home, it stayed a dark twilight all evening long.
 
Sweden is more beautiful and calm than you would ever believe – but it still ‘aint no Lisa Melvin.
 
I am still surprised by how much stunning countries are on your doorstep.  I am even more amazed that more people don’t travel closer to home.  There are many places in europe that offer more than other places around the world – a prime example – compare the caribbean to the greek islands – i would go greek every time.  I had a short stay in Sardinia earlier this year.  I would really like to get back there with some dive gear and explore – the waters were simply lush.
 
While on a stroll through the labyrinth of olde worlde streets in stockholm tonight, i mentioned to english harry – why , as a refugee, would you want to go to england ?  there are many many more better places in europe.  why choose england ?   beyond me !!!!!
 
Anyway – take a look at my new photos, and even a video of a party on the aft deck.  might take me a few minutes to upload them all but please be patient with me.

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28/06/2009

Stockholm bound.

By hairygoose
 
Orders are in – 09.30 on tuesday morning, we will leave the quay here in london.  A couple of days slogging across the north sea and we should be reasonably sheltered again and out of harms way.
 
After that – i have no idea what the plan will be.  there is talk of another trip into the arctic circle again to see icebergs and the northern lights – only one thing is for sure on this boat – plans always change!!..
 
I just had a quick weekend up in Rugby.  I decided to get the tube to Euston and then the express up to Birmingham international, hop on the monorail to the airport and pick up a hire car there.  I even treated myself to a 15 quid upgrade to first class for the return trip.
 
I was lookng forward to the return leg.  First class keeps you well out of the way of the chavs and serfs and to pay a little extra for this – was not a problem…….until i got to the station.
 
As always , i got there early.  My train was cancelled but there was another due in ten minutes, so i would be ahead of schedule by half an hour or so.  I figured now that i would loose my reserved seat, facing backward, with a table and an outlet to power the laptop……….suddenly that upgrade was looking a bit gloomy.  Then when i clambered on board, first class was busy and they were letting commoners sit in 1st class – how terribly unfair.
 
I did get my free coffee, buiscuits and crisps though – but never opened up my laptop to make the most of my free internet connection on the train.
 
When i got on the tube, transfered to the DLR and then foolishly got off a stop too early and had to walk a bit.
 
Bumped into an old friend called sue in the warwicks too – she was a little drunk but was most impressed that i remembered her name – like i was the drunk one??  Her friend was a real wierdo too – didnt want to acknowledge that we were there – certainly didnt want to talk to us and appeared hell bent on dragging sue off somewhere else – no doubt she was chasing some complete waste of space , shell suit wearing, wanker of an ex boyfriend around the town.
 
each to their own
 
Dean the twat -ordered the biggest pizza from the shop without telling me.  it measured 60cm x 45cm (it was oblong in shape of course)  it lasted us until teatime the next day – mind you, for 26 quid you would expect something substantial.
 
 
enough for now – i have to go and unpack and prepare for tomorrows preparations.
 
 
salty sea dog
 
Hurrah for Max
 
Shame on Sharon
 
a raspberry for dean
 
and a coal shovel for rupert

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24/06/2009

Back in the day – 4726nm

By hairygoose
 
 
Back in the day when Kula Shaker were a radical new band – i used to know how to work stuff without reading the instruction but my new phone has caused me some problems.  I tried to send mason a message of abuse but the word ‘wanker’ was not in the phone so i ended up sending ‘waxed’ instead.
 
I could never understand why they leave swear words out of a phone dictionary – not even a simple ‘shit’ will be there.  I finally found out how it all worked , and also realised after a couple of days that there was a clear plastic layer ontop of the touch screen, so that probably wouldn’t have helped much !!
 
I waved to a friend at Selsey Bill yesterday but she wasnt on the beach. 
 
Today we motored up the thames to West India Quay – thats next to Canary Wharf to Joe blogs. 
 
now think about this – the area stinks of money, big banks and corporate slags are all around.  the boat is worth a mint and costs a mint just to have going nowhere.  so the picture of a big sailing boat sitting in the middle of the london bank district is a most amazing picture
 
 
 
 

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