A True Mariner & Friend

This morning I had a wonderful Skype video call with Captain Murray Lister of our Team of Experts. He and wife Jenny live in Nelson, New Zealand, on the South Island. Murray and I have been friends since he and his shipmates welcomed Steve Pettengill and me into the Pilot door aboard New Zealand Pacific, the largest refrigerated containership in the world at the time, after our double somersaulting capsize aboard the 60′ trimaran Great American at 55°S x 79°W on November 22, 1990.

Murray is a Master Mariner. All Oceans, All Tonnage. I’m not sure of the exact nomenclature, but you get the idea. Being aboard ‘The Big Red Lady’, the ship’s nickname, for 18 days to Holland was fascinating. Notwithstanding why we were there, I wouldn’t trade those 18 days for anything.

So to have a nice chat with Murray just made my day. And earlier in the day, in the dark, when the wind went right down to 5 knots, and I knew that the rest of the group was sailing away at 10 knots faster than our 5 knots, I was exceptionally discouraged. But seeing Murray perked me up. What a terrific friendship through the years, as he participates now in our Team of Experts, as he did in 2008-9 Vendée Globe.

And later, when Enda O’Coineen turned to head to Stewart Island, to anchor for repairs, I wondered why he wouldn’t go to nearby Campbell lsland or to the Auckland Islands, both far closer than Stewart Island. I called Enda, and he didn’t have good information on harbors on either of those, so then I emailed Murray to see if he knew that information, as I didn’t. He did, and connected with Enda to explain the anchorage options, plus offer some finer points on Stewart Island if Enda decided to continue there, which it appears that he is doing. Now that’s a great friend, and a true mariner who comes to help.

Position
51° 17’S x 170° 06’E
Course
71° True
Speed
14 knots
Log
15,404
True Wind Speed
17 knots
True Wind Direction
294°
Sails (click for diagram)
Mainsail (1 reef), Fractional gennaker, Staysail
Air temperature
54°F / 12.2°C
Sea temperature
51°F / 10.5°C