Mike SullivanMar 1

Hello Fediverse! ⚓

I joined Mastodon because I miss the "old internet" feel where you could actually get to know someone through a long-form exchange. I’m a fan of details, technical specs, and hearing about people's lives from different corners of the globe.

Give me a follow if you like ocean views, boat talk, or just want a pen pal who actually writes back.

#Introduction #NewHere #OceanSurveyor #StuartFlorida #Maritime #LongForm

Show threadMarius Coomans

@sully007 Interesting.... My father was a hydrographic draftsman at the Royal Netherlands Navy from 1947 to 1967. In the days that charts were drawn by hand and if a ship went aground, anywhere around the North Sea, there was an immediate panic at the office, to check whether the chart was at fault.

I did not follow him into that trade, elected for a career in electronics & software instead. However in my middle age I took to sailing. Ending up with a 38ft catamaran which my wife and I sailed north from Sydney to the Great Barrier reef in North Queensland.

However, at 78, I now just dream about sailing... :-)

Mar 2 at 7:13amWeb
Show threadMike SullivanMar 2

@Mariushendrik You picked the right side of history for your paycheck, even if it took you away from the drafting table. But I’ll tell you, there's a certain irony in an electronics guy ending up on a 38ft cat. I bet your NMEA network was the cleanest thing on the Great Barrier Reef.

Don't feel too bad about the dreaming part. At 78, you’ve earned the right to let your mind wander where the draft is shallow and the wind always on the beam.

What was the name of that cat? I bet she was a beauty.

Show threadMarius CoomansMar 2
@sully007 actually... My reason for going sailing was a longing for an uncomplicated life which goes back to basics. Ok... We did have a chart plotter and a VHF radio, but the last thing I wanted was trouble shooting a NMEA network on the high seas....
Anyway, we all find our own compromise. For us, it was a boat large enough to be safe, simple enough to handle single handedly. A place to hide on weekends and the best way to leave work behind.
Edit: Ahhh.... I didn't answer your question, her name was "Te Moana", the Maori name for The Ocean"... Maori = original New Zealand inhabitants.
Show threadMike SullivanMar 3
@Mariushendrik To me, that’s the definition of a true 'escape.' If you’re troubleshooting software, you’re just in a floating office. If you’re trimming a sail and watching the horizon, you’re actually gone. Work can’t find you when you’re operating on basics.