still ashore...

[Hal Mueller <hal@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

<x-flowed>distance to Cape Horn:  3200+ nm

First, a welcome to a lot of new subscribers who are friends and 
family of  Europa crew members.

Europa is still enroute to Easter Island.  As of last weekend (19-20 
Oct) her position was 18.26 S, 122 W (880 nautical miles away). 
Sailing conditions have been poor, and there have been unexpected 
difficulties in arranging a fueling stop due to changes in 
governmental rules.  As of Monday morning (21 Oct), the ship's home 
office in Amsterdam reported Europa was 700 miles northwest of Rapa 
Nui/Easter Island, motorsailing at best speed.

There are now 8 of us waiting on the island for the ship, half at 
Aloha Nui guest house and half at Hotel Orongo.  Ship's office has 
gone far beyond anything that could be reasonably expected regarding 
information and our own needs and expenses.  We 8 have gotten to know 
each other well and are looking forward to embarking on the ship.

Two of the prospective crew have just finished 8 months work on the 
first movie version of a Patrick O'Brian novel, "Far Side of the 
World".  I am very excited about the movie based on what they've told 
me--they're really jazzed about it, say that everything was done the 
way a seaman and O'Brian fan would hope, and they think it's going to 
blow the doors off any other sea movie.

I also want to say that I am happy to have these notes forwarded to 
others not on the subscription list--no further permission needed.  I 
am hoping that the next note will be sent after Europa arrives at 
Easter Island, which we believe will be sometime between Friday and 
Tuesday.

Hal

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