Limited viewing time - two days left

[mechanic]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00hy0wb/Solitary_Endeavour_on_the_Southern_Ocean/


I dont know if this website functions out of the UK, but i strongly advise spending an hour watching this program. Its moving in many ways, something I am glad i stumbled across. What do you guys think? I doubt they will keep it online for more than another 24 hours so watch it soon.

[moot]

"Only in the UK"

[mechanic]

Thats a shame, it was about the aussie who tried to paddle across the Tasmin sea in a kyak. His name was Andrew, he didnt make it by about 30 miles and drowned whilst in sight of land. His wife and kid waiting in NZ for him. The story is around the place, this docu was very well made and moving. Alot of his own camera footage of the voyage was shown. If anyone knows anything about sailing they will know this stretch of water is often deadly to sail through even in big craft. He spent 30 days paddling through 10m waves.
 Maybe its not the kind of thing that intrests people but this really made a small difference to my life after watching it. What he did was incredible, beyond most feats of man to date.
 You wont be able to understand where im coing from unless you can watch this docu, i dont think. sorry for time wasting.

[LYNX]

How irresponsible.    Akin to walking up Everest alone in little more than a Tweed suit. How ill conceived of his casper hood designer, crew, wife and himself.   

[mechanic]

True, Lynx. Though i would rather die a thousand times like this than get old and infirm and pass out quietly.

[Vulcan]

IIRC this guy was poorly prepared, not the right emergency equipment, what he did have was not working. Fine and dandy if you want to be a hero, but rescue crews had to go out and search for his remains in a nasty bit of water. And he's not the only one, ever year we have
'adventurers' that end up statistics in the sea, mountains, snow, rivers of our country - and most of the time it is avoidable.

p.s it's the Tasman.

[mechanic]

^^ thanks, my spelling isnt even good with places that are not about 4000 miles away.


The fact that people are put out by his failiure should not discourage acts of insane bravery and suffering that some people need to feel alive. If crazy people did not do this...how much of today's world would be less colourfull? He so nearly made it too, it was almost like Fate had decided this one before he left.

[moot]

Sounds like a nice story.  If they ever hold qualification contests open to the public, for space pioneering.. Even space grease monkey stuff, I'm willing to give up everything I have down here to go get cosmic rayed while wrenching bolts up there.

[dentin]

True, Lynx. Though i would rather die a thousand times like this than get old and infirm and pass out quietly.

I firmly believe this is a statement made without (obviously) fully realizing the true meaning of death...and until you have a "NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE"..you'll not know what I'm trying to convey. BTW, I've been there...once you see your entire life flash before you, you'll realize, that perhaps "getting old and infirm and pass out quietly" really isn't so terrible...imho..ymmv.   

[moot]

YMMV being the key qualifier there.  Nearly dying pushed me closer to Bat's pov.

[mechanic]

Dentin! Just to give you some perspective as to the kind of idiot I am. This is from August 1999, Greek Island of Allonysos. The estimate of our jump off point was only 60ft but the water gets concrete enough from there. On this particular backflip i grazed that lower stack of rock as i entered the water. I did not see my life flash before me, so i didnt really come that close. But what it did do was push me one step closer to having wrecked myself for the sake of adrenalin. That kind of additction is worse than heroine from a needle. Its been with me since i could walk and jumped out of a tree with a dustbin bag as a parachute....the sad part is i have made it too far to keep it up, and am tempted by longer life and its less exciting complexities.

batfink circa 1999

[dentin]

Dentin! Just to give you some perspective as to the kind of idiot I am. This is from August 1999, Greek Island of Allonysos. The estimate of our jump off point was only 60ft but the water gets concrete enough from there. On this particular backflip i grazed that lower stack of rock as i entered the water. I did not see my life flash before me, so i didnt really come that close. But what it did do was push me one step closer to having wrecked myself for the sake of adrenalin. That kind of additction is worse than heroine from a needle. Its been with me since i could walk and jumped out of a tree with a dustbin bag as a parachute....the sad part is i have made it too far to keep it up, and am tempted by longer life and its less exciting complexities.

batfink circa 1999
(Image removed from quote.)

There are other ways to get your "adrenalin fix" without putting your life at risk, but judging from the above disclosure, you've already discovered it.