(News?) ENCAPSULATED   ...   OR   ...   DEAR LOGBOOK

1986 was heralded with the ship being in Zhuahi, and the commencement of the filming of "Taipan".

January

Galley Girls invited to the 'ball' in Taipan's house in Hong Kong. Not to be outdone, the male crew members featured in the 'whore house' scene in Macau.

February

Saw in Chinese New Year alongside the naval wharf in Macau. A week of continuous fireworks, with approx. 1,400 fishing vessels pointing their bows to the temple ashore and discharging massive strings of red crackers – headache tablets and earmuffs were in great demand.
Commencement of the remodelling of the storeroom, freezers and fridge - completion of capping rail.

March to June

Departed from Macau to Palau. Stern gland problems – returned to Hong Kong. Hauled out in Hong Kong - repairs made to stern assembly.
Departed Hong Kong for the voyage which was to become known as the "Tropical Depression" cruise of 1986.
From 7 April to 2 June, the ship powered 5,342nm. During that period we had only 2 days under sail, and experienced 5 tropical depressions or typhoons in Micronesia. Fortunately for the ship, we somehow managed to avoid the 'eyes'. At Kosrae, we experienced winds of 60 knots +, and 200 miles to our north, they were experiencing winds of 175 mph. And 45-ft seas in a 20 mile radius of the typhoon's centre.
Diving at Truk, the ruins of Namadol and Kosrae more than compensated for the attrocious weather conditions.
The ship crossed the line for its 7th time. King Neptune and his entourage paid us a visit, and all the green hands became 'shell backs' on the fore-deck.

The most outstanding achievement during this time of trials and tribulations - a son, Jesse, was born to Linda and Tim Nossiter in Hobart hospital.

June

Vila and its delights, especially a week of sunshine (when the upper saloon was varnished and refurbished) Eric Matson and his group aboard, and the achievement of looking over the rim of one of Ambrym's volcanoes.

July

The embarassment of being towed back to Palekula, Espritosanto and finding that the Hong Kong marine engineers had not tightened the locking nut on the propeller.
Rick Officer became a true seaman after 'flogging his dead horse' around the deck.
The ship's 4th visit to Tikopea.
Fred Saunders' faithful old WW2 compressor emits its last sigh!

(Oooops, looks like we're missing a page! – Ina)

a long land rest at home with his parents.

• Paul Hill departed the ship in Hong Kong and is now dive master/mate on a vessel out of Devon doing dives in the Scilly Isles
• Angela Keeble is in her final year at University, and has changed from 'Miss Piggy' to 'Miss Twiggy'
• Marriage News.....the bells acegringing for Fred Christie again - to an old childhood sweetheart. After skippering tankers out of Fiji and Singapore, Fred will soon be residing in Toorak. Good luck to Fred and his future wife.

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Anyone like to commission paintings of the ship? The lower saloon has 2 near super paintings -by Peter 'Spider' Anderson, who spent 2 1/2 years asMate on the ship from the Mediteranean phase to the end of Operation Drake.

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FUTURE PROJECTS

A return to Pitcairn Island in 1989 for their Bi-Centennial.

We know quite a few people are already interested. So far no definite details have been drawn up...as soon as they are we will let you know.

SUGGESTIONS

We would like to hear of any ideas and suggestions from you all as to where you would like to travel with the ship. Tiger has toyed with the idea of another world voyage and/or an excursion around the Indian Ocean. We need to know how many might be interested and for how long - please help us. No doubt some of the ideas will be possible, but who knows.......

If you have any information, ideas, poems etc, anything we can use in the newsletter, please write to any of the owners - we would be glad to hear of any.

In closing, thanks to you all for your continued support and loyalty.

The Owners
Adventure Under Sail