Wednesday, March 11, 2020

THERE IS NO WUHAN OCEAN

by Ray Jason

      For nearly a decade I have been using the internet in an attempt to persuade people that an ocean-going sailboat is the best defense against an increasingly fragile and volatile world. My contention has been that small groups of like-minded cruisers could band together to create Sea Gypsy Tribes.
       These sailors would prepare their vessels to respond to any type of cataclysmic event. Regardless of whether it might be an economic collapse or a grid-down emergency or any other crisis, a well-equipped, any-ocean sailboat is the best escape pod.
       Unfortunately, my Sea Gypsy Tribe idea did not catch on as I hoped it would. But because the sea gypsy life is such a sane approach to authentic and balanced living in this often lunatic and artificial world, I believe that people should consider it as a life path. Because of the down-sizing and true self-reliance that it requires, it allows one to not just survive - but to actually FLOURISH!
       With the spread of the Wuhan Virus around the globe, the defensive capabilities of the ocean sailing lifestyle again become prominent. (Note that I do not refer to the disease as COVID-19. There are two reasons for that. First, is my contrarian inclination to never accept, without careful scrutiny, any narrative that our leaders rulers foist upon us. And second, because of the quaint old nautical tradition of naming previously undiscovered reefs after the ships that pile up onto them. So why not give Wuhan that distinction, rather than saddling the plague with a name that only Hal, the computer from 2001 Space Odyssey, might invent.)


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       The main intention of this essay is to demonstrate how ideal a well-equipped and properly-prepared sailing boat is when faced with a dangerous epidemic. But before discussing that, I’d like to examine the WV phenomenon more carefully.
       What do we truly know about it? Indeed, what do we truly know about ANYTHING these days? And more profoundly, CAN we uncover the truth about ANY topics in this sea of deception and lies that is the modern world?
       Surely, the internet has snapped us out of the trance that our controllers have kept us in. But even as independent voices emancipate us from deceit, they also reveal how difficult it is to navigate through the labyrinth of distortion that constantly confronts us.          
      Here are some examples of the “through-the-looking-glass” uncertainties that this virus conjures up.
Did it originate in a wet market where people caught it from eating bizarre creatures? Or did it come from the nearby bio-hazard lab? And if that was the source, was it accidental or deliberate? Can we trust that the numbers concerning infection rate and fatalities are not under-reported or perhaps inflated? After all, these are provided to us from governments, who notoriously would rather lie than eat – even when there is spicy bat soup on the menu.
       I could add many more paragraphs of such vital questions, but instead, I’ll shift my focus to how this emergency benefits the powers that should not be. We surely know that their operating systems command them to “never let a good crisis go to waste.”
       And the hammer that they often use to pound the nail of crisis is FEAR!!! But as they lock down cities of over 10 million people and cancel major events and close down manufacturing hubs, why should we trust them? Did they not fear monger us with SARS and MERS and SWINE FLU and EBOLA and ZIKA? And isn’t it true that all of those threats proved to be far less dangerous and deadly than we were told they would be?
       Plus, our Malignant Overlords, as I like to call them, have so much to gain by hyping up the danger of this outbreak. (Impoverished Blogger Disclaimer: I am not concluding that the Wuhan Virus is not a serious threat to global health and well-being. I hope that it is not, but I don’t know and WE don’t know.) Here are some of the things that they can gain.
       Any global epidemic increases the power of WHO – the World Health Organization. This division of the United Nations is one of its most powerful. Because governments all around the globe have surreptitiously implemented Medical Martial Law policies, this bureaucracy will gain even more un-elected influence.
       For example, they have just called for the elimination of paper currency … since it can “spread disease.” The Cashless (but not monitored-less) Society is an orgasmic dream for those who would rule us all.
       To me, the most startling consequence of this disease is the swiftness with which people have been manipulated into panic mode. When a large part of a modern nation is quarantined, this spreads fear rapidly even though the medical statistics don’t justify that degree of alarm. My suspicion is that they are beta-testing how little effort it takes to generate a fearful frenzy.
       The virus is also an excellent cover for the social engineers to increase their surveillance panopticon. And piggy-backed on this advanced intrusion will be decreased internet freedom, so that dissenting opinions will be decreased or eliminated.

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       Now, let’s assume that the risks from the Wuhan Virus are both genuine and severe. If this is so, there is the likelihood of an extreme economic collapse, which could also lead to societal pandemonium and chaos. This is how my long-standing preparations will shelter me from the bedlam.
       If there was suddenly an outbreak of verified cases in my area, I would sail to any of about 50 isolated anchorages that I know, which are located here in the Archipelago of Bliss. I would be alone with my only neighbors being the creatures who live in the Sea and the Sky.
       I would monitor the situation on my radios, and if things degenerated further, I would sail about 50 miles offshore and basically hold that position while waiting for favorable news.
       There are always 6 months of non-perishable foods on-board. This includes staples like rice and pasta - plus freeze-dried and dehydrated full meals. These are large #10 cans that hold about 25 meals each. One example is shrimp teriyaki with rice to which I need only add boiling water. Plus, there is fishing and gathering. What I mean by the latter, is flying fish that have landed on the decks during the night. With some scrambled eggs, they make a delicious breakfast.
       My water tanks are always full, and I have a tried and true catchment system that is used frequently. There is also a hand-powered water-maker to convert salt to fresh water.
       The diesel tanks are always topped up, and she is a sailing boat with tremendous range. My electrical needs (lights, fridge, radios) are easily met through a combination of a wind generator and solar panels. Although I have some electronic navigation, I still know “the old ways” using coastal piloting and celestial navigation.
       On-board there is a very nice DVD library of excellent films, plus regular books and a Kindle loaded with a hundred classic novels. And to protect all of this, I have a variety of choices. Some are quite loud and others are Ninja silent … but all of them are immensely persuasive.

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      In conclusion, my hope is that the virus proves to be a lot less vicious and virulent than many people are predicting at this point. My second hope is that by sharing with you my strategy, this might assist you with your own preparations.
       And finally, I leave you with the ironic and almost sadistic sentiment that was repeated throughout the Hunger Games. But in this case, it is heartfelt and sincere:
      
      “May the odds be ever in your favor!”

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