At last..... in the next few days, Shearwater and I will throw our lines off and head out into the Coral Sea then up the east coast of Australia over the top and into the Indian Ocean, with a destination of S Africa.

I cant say Im not daunted by it, for I am. I have spent long days trying to anticipate any possible problems after equally long days fixing the known problems or tending to weaknesses. We have come almost 10,000 miles and we now have almost 10,000 miles ahead of us to South Africa.

We have 100 gallons of diesel, food for many months in the case I make no stops before my first anticipated stop, that of Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean. We are as ready as can be and now we let fate decide a few steps

I want to share one parting thought. Am I fearful? Perhaps, but that which I fear the deepest would be: one day, as I sit, an old man in a rocking chair, and ask myself why I didnt carry on from Australia, my only and sad response would be "I blinked". And that I cant face.