Anone up4 joining SeaGypsy?

[Ferretlover]

Currently I am based in Philippines fly in fly out to Central Australia to work. I am finalizing plans for my 'Doomship' which certainly won't be called that.

I am a devotee of Dmitry Orlov. His article 'A new Age of Sail' is along the lines of what I want to try. http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dtxqwqr_23grsfpp

The fleet would need to be several yachts of very shallow draft. The base of operation: Northern Australia/ South East Asia (if safe). Food sources: this area contains the richest natural food source with the lowest population in the world. Many navigable rivers in the right vessel.

Attitude: cooperative, councilatory; defensive where necessary.

Skills required: boating, sailing, fishing, hunting, feral permaculture gardening, musicians, cooks, woodworkers, productive genius', natural medicine practitioners etc. etc.

Anyone keen to join in? Or do similar in other regions of the globe?

[Jotapay]

Who's going to have skills that knows how to shoot and repair firearms? Who knows how to repair electronics and engines? How about the most basic skill, maritime navigation? Sounds like a bunch of hippies who are well-intentioned but up to this point sheltered from the real world.

Let me tell you a quick story. When I was 23 and living in Europe, two of my more hippiefied friends wanted to take their VW Camper from our home in Germany on a circuitous trip to Gibraltar, down the western coast of Africa, turn east across sub-Saharan Africa and back up the Nile valley towards home. I said, "Fine, but let's do the research first and call all the US embassies along the way to find out places we need to avoid due to war or lawlessness, and buy lots of spare parts for the van and take them with us." They replied, "Dude, dude, dude, don't worry about that man! It'll be fine!" So I dropped out of the trip right then. They made it as far as Cadiz in Spain (close to Gibraltar) and were living on the beach when they ran out of money. When it started to get really desperate, one guy's parents flew him out of there. The other guy made his way back to Germany with money he made from playing guitar. He lost a lot of weight and was so malnourished that he had scurvy. He had been bathing in the Mediterranean and his skin and hair were in a terrible condition. My friends back home in Germany nursed him back to health in a few weeks.

The base of operation: Northern Australia/ South East Asia (if safe).

With all the stories of piracy in the area, and the Chinese government basically sending its navy to the region to try and put an end to it, I'd assume there are a few issues. I hope you have fast boats.

[Newfie]

SeaGypsy,

Off to look at a big old cat this weekend. NE US but..........maybe.

Our intention is to buy a "get away boat." We have land but need a way to get there that does not involve car or gas.

I'll see if I can post a pic of my current boat later.

[ReverseEngineer]

Cruising about with the Yachties has a nice romantic flavor to it, but in a crash scenario would have a lot of problems, from safety to spare parts to keeping the galley stocked and having fuel to cook with. Several boats travelling as a flottila would improve your safety, but at least for now with the laws as they are carrying weapons to defend your Doomship is problematic.

Mainly I'd look at a sailboat as a short term housing solution locally (US Coastal waters if US based, Australian waters for the Aussies, etc) and as a possible intercontinental Bug Out vehicle if things got real bad. I think extended living on such a boat and cruising around just would be too dangerous.

One option which would be safer would be Fresh Water, aka the Great Lakes or other large Canadian Lakes could be good. I think Lake Superior or Lake Winipeg might be pretty good places to live on a boat and not too dangerous. Still tough to get spare parts though.

Reverse Engineer

[SeaGypsy]

My reasons for this choice:

In my opinion there is no predictable fixed position outcome. This makes being on land as insecure as being in a boat.

Nothing has the flexibility of a shallow draft 30ft sailing yacht. Add a good mountain bike for each crew& you have flexibility unmatched post oil by any combination of gadgets.

To be blunt; there aint no security like being in a river full of saltwater crocodiles, degue mosquitoes, leeches, wait a while vine, a few hundered km from the nearest sealed road.

Believe it or not it is fully possible to coexist with these elements fairly easily with the right start. I have been swimming in most of these rivers.
Not in the wrong part of the river or the wrong time of day etc.

Nature has rules. We have broken them.
If I swim in the wrong part of the river I am dead.
If I get eaten by mosquitoes I will get sick or dead.
If I upset the local rednecks, aboriginals or roving military units; I am dead.

As for roaming Zombies. I don't farking think so.
This is one of the roughest toughest places in the world with some of the roughest toughest people.

In the event of full collapse globally I am confident this area will be one of the most secure. The army is ready. The civilian locals are mostly armed.
There is an innate sense of community across somewhat divided racial lines. There will be tensions when the farmers et al are not getting their pay checks and the aboriginals are not getting their welfare. That's for sure. But compared with the nightmare numbers of most habitable places in the world, this area may come out almost unscathed in terms of deaths.

In the meantime I can live a resort lifestyle for next to nothing in a thousand places in Australia; cheaper in Asia.

[Jotapay]

In the meantime I can live a resort lifestyle for next to nothing in a thousand places in Australia; cheaper in Asia.

Personally, that is what I would look into. It will be a little difficult to recreate a modern Viking community.

[SeaGypsy]

The skills you mention would come in handy before or after collapse Jotapay; as would my boat, as would not the turkeys in Africa.

[vision-master]

One option which would be safer would be Fresh Water, aka the Great Lakes or other large Canadian Lakes could be good. I think Lake Superior or Lake Winipeg might be pretty good places to live on a boat and not too dangerous. Still tough to get spare parts though.

Lake Superior - Nasty and dangerous weather!

[SeaGypsy]

In reality I think the Viking Navy would assemble itself pretty quickly; marina by marina according to boat and crew capability, if the need suddenly arises.

[wisconsin_cur]

It is important to plan with what you know. I have visited the ocean twice. I have never been on a sail boat. The idea of planning with that in mind is mind-numbing. It is a function of my experience and ignorance. I might have some questions about your plan but I think we can trust those who know the realities to make the plan for themselves.

In the same way staking out a claim where winter is 6 months long is frightful to some. They might ask me some important questions but I am fairly confident that I know what I am doing. The very obstacles that frighten some are what I call advantages. the plan depends upon people not coming here (and preferably people currently here departing).

That being said,

How often would you need to go into dry dock for a painting or whatever is done to protect the hull from salt water?

Can you pre-position the supplies that you would need to do this yourself? It seems even an appropriately positioned rented storage facility would get the job done.

Is there a limiting resource that you would be unable to obtain? What are your plans for storing it or appropriating it?

Again, I am asking questions from a position of tactical ignorance... but hopefully strategic intellegence.

[SeaGypsy]

It is important to plan with what you know. I have visited the ocean twice. I have never been on a sail boat. The idea of planning with that in mind is mind-numbing. --snip--
Again, I am asking questions from a position of tactical ignorance... but hopefully strategic intellegence.

OK Check out Phil Bolgers designs. :http://www.ace.net.au/schooner/jochems.htm
Beachable, trailerable, livable, low draft water ballasted brilliance. Only needs to be IN the water when underway.

Excellent thinking on the storage of bits& plans! Initially there would be use of modern epoxy resins; as well as for repair. There are issues with how long this stuff stores for; it varies a lot but its many years if kept properly. I would be using and carrying plastic house paints also. Post collapse these things will gradually become impossible to get; I plan to go back to ancient methods of building and maintenance as they become essential. To this end a collection of really solid woodworking tools is high on the list of must haves. I think the same can be said of any stuation on earth post collapse.

[Newfie]

Who's going to have skills that knows how to shoot and repair firearms? Who knows how to repair electronics and engines? How about the most basic skill, maritime navigation? Sounds like a bunch of hippies who are well-intentioned but up to this point sheltered from the real world.

These are skills you will need on land as well as on the water. On land the "hordes of zombies" will be beating at your door. On land you can run, for a couple of miles. I can sail and pick alternative location.

Cruisers are about the most sustainable people around.

[jbrown]

I had the boat dream years ago. Built a number of Bolger designs. Great boats and a lot of fun. I had enough water experiences to realize living on the water just wasn't for me.

Recently with the long winter the dream came on again. Found a really kool sharpie design, inspired by a Bolger boat. While researching this boat I found a blog by a builder of this boat and also their experience for a year on the east coast of the US. Great story and enough reminders of why I nixed the living on a boat long ago!

http://bradsboat.tripod.com/

[Pretorian]

aren't there thousands of inhabitant islands in that region? It would be neat to find a nice one. And what about women, Seagypsy?

[strider3700]

I think Lake Superior or Lake Winipeg might be pretty good places to live on a boat and not too dangerous. Still tough to get spare parts though.

I believe that lake winipeg feezes each winter and I'm not to sure that frozen in the middle of a lake in a boat while it's -20 or so outside is the best survival choice.

Lake superior freezes over completely roughly every 20 years. As was pointed out though even when not frozen winters are harsh. Lots of good wrecks on the bottom of it.

[JJ]

hey seagypsy need a thug? Brother in law was fighting with Moro Islamic Liberation Front for awhile (not now). Abu Sayaf had a pretty good business snatching people up in Indonesia and spiriting them away to Mindanao...

[Newfie]

Try reading North to the Night: A Spiritual Odyssey in the Arctic


In 1994-95 the author, his wife Diana, and their cat named Halifax, sailed to the Arctic in their 36-foot cutter, the Roger Henry, for an arctic experience. They spent a year in Baffin Bay, off the coast of Greenland, completely frozen in during the winter. His excellent writing is full of facts, from the mechanical details of getting making their boat seaworthy, to the history, geography, wildlife and interactions with the Intuit people.

Beyond that, though, there was something more. The challenges he faces are stark and realistic and he makes mistakes along the way nearly costing him his life, grappling with internal challenges as well as external ones. Along the way he learns great lessons in life.

As I read this book, I was right there with him, feeling his awe at the natural beauty, his thrill of the adventure as well as his loneliness and his fear. I was also constantly impressed by his ingenuity in solving the many constant technical unforeseen problems.

I couldn't put the book down, staying up almost all night to just keep reading and reading. I know I'll never take a trip like this. But I thank him for writing the book and giving me the privilege of experiencing just a little bit of this wild and frozen landscape.

Highly recommended.

[Newfie]

Bug out boat


http://s23.photobucket.com/albums/b384/hpeer/?action=view&current=2005_0720_062207AA.jpg



Could someone please, please tell me how to post an image so it appears here?

I tried the image function and the upload attachment function and neither seem to work.

I've done it in the recent past but something now seems different.

Thanks

[ReverseEngineer]

I believe that lake winipeg feezes each winter and I'm not to sure that frozen in the middle of a lake in a boat while it's -20 or so outside is the best survival choice.
Lake superior freezes over completely roughly every 20 years. As was pointed out though even when not frozen winters are harsh. Lots of good wrecks on the bottom of it.

Pull the boat out of the water in the winter. You could still live in it, you don't necessarily have to build an Igloo How about a Houseboat in the Lousiana Swamps? Plenty of alligators, and they are dumb easy hunting.

Reverse Engineer

[SeaGypsy]

aren't there thousands of inhabitant islands in that region? It would be neat to find a nice one. And what about women, Seagypsy?

My wife is Ilokano, (people of the bay) Filipina, fluent in Bisayan, Ilokano, Tagalog& English. I studied Bahasa Indonesia/Malaya for four years, I am learning Ilokano. I am very familiar with Northern Australian Creole; having worked 3 years with these people.

(She is also georgeous& nearly 20 years younger than me. She is my 1st and only ever wife.No divorce in Philippines.)

There are at least 6000 uninhabited islands in the Philippines alone.
Another 20,000+ in Micronesia, thousands more around Indonesia plus a hundred odd around Northern Australia.

The ones with year round easy water supply are virtually all inhabited.
So to get one to yourself, you need to be able to catch or dig water.