Where is Vega? - Satellite-Communication - Bottle Mail - Findus, the ship's cat
Ideas from schools - Internet in Homa Bay, Kenya - Letīs keep in touch!
The 28th of October 1995 Dennis sailed Vega out of Falmouth. On board was a very good satellite antenna, computers and other technology to make it possible to get news from Dennis every day over Internet with photos, sound, position, winds, temperatures and a lot more. The installation was capable of sending a lot of information via a satellite station in Norway to a server in Stockholm, where all information is put to the Blue Wave-site on Internet.
It was quite an investment for Globetree and the companies supporting Blue Wave. The 28th of October Vega was registered by the World Speed Record Council in Falmouth as one of the ships to make a very special voyage, non-stop, around the world. When Dennis left Falmouth we all celebrated! It was quite a relief to see the Vega off - after so many years of preparation.
But, as soon as Vega left the harbour the problem with the communication started. For two days we did not hear anything from Dennis. The system did not work - not even the telephone. We were all worried since Vega was passing the Bay of Biscay - where the sea can be very rough. After two days Dennis came through by phone for a few minutes and could report the problems he had. But he also told how pleased he was with Vega - she managed heavy storms with no problems - A real queen at sea!
The company that supplied the antenna got the bad news about the communication. They were certain that the problems could be solved during the sailing. Despite the bad phone-connection some questions and answers were communicated. Dennis checked RX-level, azimuth and how the antenna-compass moved with the ship. After some time the company, Transtema of Gothenburg, informed Dennis that they had to work out the problems in harbour. Dennis had to stop his voyage to repair the satellite-communication. As you can imagine, Dennis was not at all happy about this - to say the least! - but accepted the fact since he couldnīt continue without a proper communication-system. Dennis said he would go in harbour if the problems would be attended to immediately.
When Dennis entered at harbour at the Canarian Islands he also was out of the record of World Speed Record Council - and that fact hurt him a lot. Technicians came on board the Vega two days later and made a thorough investigation. They couldnīt find anything wrong with the antenna! At this moment other companies started to find out about their equipment. Digital looked at the computer and Upnet at the signals from the ship to the station in Norway. No one could find anything wrong!
Here we were - something was very wrong but no one knew what it was! Vega left the first harbour and went to another. Dennis sailed 8 hours the 5th of November. Everyone had been asked to be alert to see what worked and what did not work. As before there was no connection during the sailing but the system started to work close to harbour. Transtema of Gothenburg said: Then it must be the antenna - after all!
Again the system was checked and again nothing was found to be wrong. But mid January a technician from Transtema came to the Canarian Islands and looked at the instruments. He discovered that the antenna compass did not function properly. A new compass was ordered from England and installed. In a meeting last Friday (9th of February) together with staff from Digital, Transtema and Upnet, it was concluded that the system would work. Within three weeks, after another test sailing, it would be clear how to continue. All companies will find out all details in their respective system - to make sure all is in order.
In the Globetree we are very happy to hear the fault is found and Dennis soon can sail again. At the same time we feel quite frustrated since we cannot do much - none of us have qualifications in satellite-antennas and all the rest of this advanced technology.
During this long period of finding out we only know that a lot of food was eaten by Dennis and Findus, diesel oil was used for the engine, the heater and the electricity generator. And, every day brings new expenses.
But - Dennis has only one focus - to sail as soon as possible!
Thereīs no doubt. Dennis will sail as soon as all problems are solved with the communication. He is very frustrated over this delay of almost 3 months to find out whatīs wrong.The weather will be worse. While we soon get spring - autumn comes on the Southern Hemisphere, with heavy storms........ But nothing can stop Dennis. He will sail along Africa - round the Cape of Good Hope and proceeds to Australia, New Zealand and onwards. Heīll go as far as he can!
Bottle mail
Many ask us about their Bottle Mail. Will Dennis put them at sea? YES, he will start as soon as he has left the Canarias and weīll let you know via Internet as soon as we get the news of longitude and latitude of every bottle. You can be sure to get the information about your bottle mail - where it reaches the sea!
Good News! Globetree-friends! Thank you all so very much!
During this period we have got a lot of support from children, pupils, teachers and many others! Thank you all so very much! In Sweden thereīs a saying: In difficult times your friends are tested. Meaning - you know who is your friend when youīre in trouble.
So many have sent letters, faxes, called us and emailed saying: Donīt give in! Just stand by and get through whatever is hitting. The world needs people daring the impossible! What is possible is easy - this is not easy - itīs a true challenge! Weīre with you and we also learn a lot at school when following Vega. So much at school is predicted - letīs join in the unpredictable! One girl said: "You never know what is good and what is bad. Maybe what seems bad is good and the other way around! Who knows?" "At our school we now learn about the time in history when the ships navigated from the stars. Maybe we trust too much in technology and forget we have other knowledge which we shall not forget". "Itīs good Vega is late. We just heard about Blue Wave and started. We thought it was too late to make a Bottle-Mail - itīs great!" "First we were disappointed and then we started to do other things. We got money together to a school in Homa Bay in Kenya - they need a toilet and now we have new pen-pals!" "We have made a small model of Vega - itīs almost one meter long and will be in a chest of glass and exhibited in the school. It has taken quite some time to make it. We also have bought an old ship to the school which we work on - for us itīs not important if Vega is delayed - we will always find ideas to work on". "We want to know how Dennis and Findus are now. How do they feel?" Yes, many are concerned with Dennis and wish to know more. We do hope this Newsletter has given you some answers!
Findus - the ship's cat!
Findus, the shipīs cat, is in great shape. When I met him last time at the Canarias he had put on weight but it will probably go when Vega sails again - maybe he is simply bored. He has been in love with the Spanish girl-cats who make their evening-walks around Vega. Findus was not allowed out - if he would have succeeded to run away - quarantine would be the punishment! So love doesnīt always win!
Cross your fingers - again
Cross your fingers - make whatever ceremonies you can imagine - to make Vega set sail as soon as possible! And let us hear from you! We need your support - to forget the problems and see again all the beauty growing all around!
Warm greetings from all of us in the Globetree!
Kajsa, Ben, Sam and Peroy
PS. Many wish to cooperate with schools in Africa, or South America and Asia.
In Homa Bay, Kenya, Globetree supports a joint project of 20 schools called:
We grow our own school!
This year the pupils work to get toilets to all schools. A competition is on between the schools who makes the best design of a school toilet using local material. You, your school or organisation can help them in their effort. For each 200 US dollars the school can build one good toilet. The parents will help the children do the work. Maybe you can organize a party or other event and ask your friends to contribute! Your support to schools in Homa Bay and you get pen pals who work with Agenda 21 in that part of the world! Are you interested? Let us know! We will give you names and addresses.
Stockholm, Sweden, beginning October 1995 The annual Globeday is held in Stockholm, with presentations on the new Web Site and practical experience with the Blue Wave Web Site and Internet, in "Internet as well as Coffee." Participants also discussed ideas for pupil interaction and project facilitation - suggested by I*EARN in the USA - and themes for school work.Falmouth, England, end of September 1995
People at the Pendennis Shipyard are working hard to place the satellite antenna, the computer and the camera on the Vega. It isn't an easy job since the satellite antenna is rather big and should be placed as far on the aft ship as possible. For the increased needs of electricity, a shaft generator is put in, based on a Sviab wind generator.Technicians from Transtema and Digital are in Falmouth too, working on the electronics. Saturday, 30th September, they established contact with the satellite and began testing the signals to and from Sweden.
Dennis is completely recovered from his operation and eager to leave. He plans to sail as soon as possible after the scheduled Press Conference that takes place in Falmouth on Friday, the 13th of October. Not crossing the Atlantic to New York - he will proceed south to come as near as possible to his original schedule
Stockholm, Sweden, end of September 1995
At Upnet and Frimedia, people worked hard to get the Blue Wave Web Site ready - installing the server and formatting the pages. Meanwhile Globetree works on the content of the site. Double work as the site can be read in either English or Swedish. The Site will be operational on the Globeday on 2nd October, and shall be further detailed during that month.New York, USA, end of August 1995
Preparations were made for the visit of the Vega to New York, planned for September this year but now rescheduled for May 1996. Gail Tipton made a Broadsheet announcing the coming of Vega. Faye Feller prepared a children's festival on the occasion of Vega's visit to New York. Tara Helfman worked with children visiting the South Street Seaport Museum - the place where the Vega will dock in New York. The children learned about the voyage and made bottle mail.Janet Cutting, Globetree's Representative at the United Nations, forwarded a recommendation letter she received from Maurice Strong, Chairman of the Earth Council. Maurice Strong wrote at the end of his letter:
"I welcome this opportunity of commending you and all those who have contributed to this fine example of leadership and commitment which will be an inspiration to people in the world. With my very best wishes for the success of this voyage of the Vega and the related activities you are carrying out on behalf of the earth and its children."
Maurice Strong, Earth Council, P.O. Box 2323-1000, San Jose, Costa RicaKumasi, Ghana, end of July 1995
Stephen Owusu, one of our friends in GlobetreeNet, wrote that he had now recovered from the fire that burned his house and all his belongings, last year. In 1993, Stephen returned to his birth land Ghana with his Swedish family, a a SIDA volunteer, to develop a School for Traditional Medicine. He wrote that the School went very well and that Forum Syd was positive when they visited the project. Stephen and his wife Anette are working with environmental education for children. They are looking forward to ideas and suggestions, or visits from people who could help them further.
Stephen Owusu, P.O. Box 1219, Kumasi, Ghana
Karagwe, Tanzania, July 1995
Joannes Kiiza, the teacher who joined the Tanzanian children to Future Meeting 1992, send a letter in which he wrote how thankful he was to be co-author of the Blue Wave. He expressed the interest of his school and the Bisheshe group in the sailing and added that water problems are among the heaviest among all Tanzania's burdens. He asks whether experts from Sweden or other countries - hydrologists, geologists or other, could come to Tanzania and help to solve this and other problems. Joannes cooperates within Karadea, a local development corporation that is supported by the Karagwe Association in Borlänge.
Joannes Kiiza, Karedea, P.O. Box 299, Tanzania
E-mail: globetree@globetree.se Last Update: Oct.13 1996
