123 days under the Southern Cross

Join me for my epic travels in Australia and New Zealand. I'll be sailing there on board STS Lord Nelson and exploring the land in between sailings. You will find here daily updates and picture of the day ( subject to Internet connection availability ). Travel with me from 20th July. It's gonna be fantastic! [email protected]  Marcin Dobrowolski 2013

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123 days under the Southern Cross turned 3 today!

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THE END OF ONE ADVENTURE, THE BEGINNING OF ANOTHER.

THE END OF ONE ADVENTURE, THE BEGINNING OF ANOTHER. It was hard to finish this blog, yet 123 Days under the Southern Cross came to the end. This blog was my joy and my curse over these 4 months. It forced my everyday to take pictures and, even briefly, described what happened on that day. Although there are some unfinished stories so I will post updates in the future. Nevertheless sail training ship Lord Nelson continues her journey around the world and I am there too. We are now on the Southern Ocean heading for Cape Horn. Stories and pictures from this challenging journey are posted on the new blog: http://southvoice.tumblr.com Please join me! You can also track Lord Nelson’s progress thanks to Yellow Brick - satellite tracking system: http://yb.tl/PI3CZTJ9 Meet the crew who are taking part in this voyage: https://vimeo.com/82666938 AROUND THE WORLD SAILING CONTINUES!

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Sail the World - Day Five

SPECIAL POST #12 EXCLUSIVE REPORT FROM RICHARD JONES, ITV MERIDIAN THIS IS MY FAVOURITE ON!

Among the crew aboard the Sail Training Ship Lord Nelson on her maiden circumnavigation of the globe are soldiers injured fighting for their country. It's a way of helping them recover and gives them a break from the stress of coping with their changed lives.

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Sail the World - Day Four

SPECIAL POST #11 EXCLUSIVE REPORT FROM RICHARD JONES, ITV MERIDIAN

The Sail Training Ship Lord Nelson was forced to pull out of a tall ships' race between Sydney in Australia and Auckland in New Zealand. But that didn't deprive the Southampton-based Sail Training Ship Lord Nelson of her part in a festival to celebrate the event.

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Sail the World - Day Three

SPECIAL POST #10  EXCLUSIVE REPORT FROM RICHARD JONES, ITV MERIDIAN

We're following the fortunes of the Sail Training Ship Lord Nelson as she takes part in a tall ships' race from Australia to New Zealand.

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SPECIAL POST #9 EXCLUSIVE REPORT FROM RICHARD JONES, ITV MERIDIAN

All week we're catching up on the progress of the Sail Training Ship Lord Nelson which has reached the half-way point of her maiden voyage around the world.

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SPECIAL POST #8 FIRST EXCLUSIVE REPORT FROM RICHARD JONES, ITV MERIDIAN

Just over a year ago the Sail Training Ship Lord Nelson left her home port of Southampton on her longest ever voyage - her maiden circumnavigation of the world.

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SPECIAL POST #7

Next week we'll be featuring exclusive reports on the progress of the Sail Training Ship Lord Nelson. Here's a preview by Richard Jones:

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SPECIAL POST #7

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Special Report: Tall Ship at sea

SPECIAL POST #6 I had a great pleasure and honour to support British ITV MERIDIAN'S reporter Richard Jones during his work on board Lord Nelson from Sydney, Australia to Napier, NZ. Helping Richard was an exceptional opportunity for me to learn. Enjoy absorbing text from Richard with his selection of my photographs. (Please click the link above)

When it's the middle of the night, pitch black, freezing cold, the wind is howling around your ears, and the sea is as rough as you've ever seen it, you do begin to wonder whether filming a series on a tall ship was such a good idea. I joined the Lord Nelson in Sydney in early October knowing that crossing the Tasman Sea to New Zealand almost guaranteed at least some bad weather. I also knew that getting any useable footage while the ship was moving around so violently would be a challenge for me and for my equipment. We use Sony Z5 cameras, which are reasonably light and easy to handle. But when you need both your hands just to hold on, they're not much use. So ITV provided me with a GoPro minicam which is not only small - about the size of a cigarette packet - but also designed to be used in bad weather. It is completely waterproof and comes with a range of attachments, one of which means you can use it strapped to your head. That meant I could actually get some shots as the ship was bouncing around.

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Day 122, Day 123 In the morning of 22nd of November I arrived in Gdansk airport. Exactly 4 moths since I arrived in Fremantle, Western Australia. Low heavy clouds, wet and cold weather reassured me that it is late autumn. And the life at home begins. For a short while though. There is a line from the song "Hopeless wanderer" by Mumford & Sons which is in my head: "(...) And hold me fast, Hold me fast Cause I'm a hopeless wanderer And I will learn, I will learn to love the skies I'm under." I love my skies anyway and I'm actually learning to appreciate them even though they are not as bright and warm as Australia's Cairns or New Zealand's Tonga Roadstead. But when you coming to your kitchen in the early morning, starting coffee machine and look through the window to see very intense colours of the sunrise above the cold Baltic waters, you know your place is beautiful. I am at home!

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Day 121 Three planes, four airports, 18 774 km travelled over 30 hours. That was the long journey which started in Auckland in the afternoon. In friendly Singapore Changi Airport I arrived in the evening. 5 hours brake leaves enough time foe shower, snack interneting and some walking around before another long flight to Copenhagen. Danish main airport has a touch of swanky design and natural scandinavian simplicity. Dark wooden floors are all over the airport. This is my favourite hub. In CPH was very early morning and just two hours until my final flight. I spent this time in the best cafe ever: Joe and the Juice! While the little CRJ900 plane was waiting in the queue for take off I have seen through the window vast plain of the airport in the grey light of early winter morning. Somewhere between the runways there was Christmas tree with bright white fairy lights and in the background the pylons of the Oresund bridge under heavy grey clouds.

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Day 120 Final day?

Well, last day of exploring, discovering, feeling. This is always bit nostalgic. Nothing has changed since South Africa :) Still long travel home to come. Planes and airports. It was great and enjoyable day in Auckland, City of Sails. I spent best part of the day in Voyager New Zealand Maritime Museum. You can really get a grip on this nation maritime history. Journey starts from Polynesian sailors and their migration to New Zealand. Then you are meeting Abel Tasman, James Cook and Jules Dumont d'Urville - European explorers. There are emigrants and their ships, local shipping and trade and the coastal story. Yachting has separate big exhibition in this museum. Black Magic - Americas Cup winner, suspended from the ceiling, makes the biggest impression. The history of the NZ team is also rousing. Next exposition is dedicated to Sir Peter Blake. This man was an outstanding sailor and leader full of respect to the environment in which he spend most of his time. He had ability to talk to people and listen. He kept things simple. He loved playing scrabble and reading books. Despite busy and intense life, mostly "out there" he put his family in the first place. After retire from racing he led expeditions to Antarctica and Amazon on his yacht Seamaster. On the 6th of December 2001, pirates shot and killed Blake while he was on expedition in South America, monitoring global warming and pollution for the United Nations. Sir Peter Blake's story and legacy is very inspiring for me. His life is an example to follow. Blake's death put hundreds of thousands people in mourning. This poem was read during his funeral in England: SEA FEAVER By John Masefield I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky, And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by; And the wheel’s kick and the wind’s song and the white sail’s shaking, And a grey mist on the sea’s face, and a grey dawn breaking, I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied; And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying, And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying. I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life, To the gull’s way and the whale’s way where the wind’s like a whetted knife; And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover, And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick’s over.

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Day 120 AUCKLAND - CITY OF SAILS

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Day 119 NORTHERN EXPLORER My Mum and me. Early morning in Wellington. We collected our 6 bags and the old chart in the box and joined the train in Wellington - Northern Explorer. Train took us right through the middle of the North Island. In the beginning we passed just by the coast edge looking at the NW entrance to Cook Strait. Then through lushness of green plants, crazy bridges, vast plateaus, by steep volcanos and the green hills and valleys populated by (surprise surprise!) sheep. Train arrived at Auckland 06 45 p.m. Evening was early and warm. And there is actually a bath in the hotel we are staying. Luxury!

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Day 118 First night in proper bed. First day without work. Pleasure of being on leave. With my travel companion - my Mum Kate we drove from Nelson to French Pass. This is scenic slow drive on a dramatic windy road. French Pass is small navigable channel between Marlborough Sounds and Tasman Bay. Precisely this is 500 meters gap between the South Island and D'Urville Island. But the channel which is actually navigable is about 100 meters wide. There is up to 7 knots of tidal streams. On the picture there is visible the line of white water. Thats how fast and turbulent is the flow in this place. In the late afternoon we dropped the car at the tiny Nelson Airport and flew over the Cook Strait to Wellington. Good old Welly again!

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Day 118 TOTAL FREEDOM! First day on leave. French Pass, South Island, New Zealand.