by Ray Jason
PART TWO
The first essay in this series, which you can find here, was re-posted at many websites. The “comments” sections at those blogs generated some very lively discussions. So much so, that it makes sense for me to clarify my mission.
I am NOT trying to convince large numbers of people to abandon their lives ashore and adopt the full-time cruising lifestyle. Instead, my goal is to inspire those who are already living aboard their sailboats. My hope is that I can encourage them to band together with other like-minded sailors who believe that society-wrecking catastrophes might lie just below tomorrow’s horizon.
Groups of 5 to 8 boats, when properly prepared and equipped, have an excellent chance of surviving - and even flourishing - despite any emergency. There are 100s of anchorages scattered all around the world filled with self-reliant sea gypsies.
If a serious Collapse occurs, these sea-folk could be vital to humanity’s future. Their remarkable little ships combine 19th century wind propulsion with 21st century off-the-grid systems.
These include solar panels, wind generators, solar ovens, water-makers, freeze-dried foods and HAM radios. These old and new technologies, combined with the life skills and ingenuity of these sea gypsies, will allow them to withstand even the most extreme catastrophes.
In this, Part 2 of my Sea Gypsy Tribe Encyclopedia, I will discuss 3 more disasters that could bring tomorrows filled with sorrows. My firm belief is that well-prepared bands of ocean-folk can successfully sail on through to the other side.
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N NUCLEAR WASTELAND
Why not start with the worst of all worst case scenarios – nuclear insanity disguised as nuclear war? Obviously, this lunacy would transform huge chunks of continents into ashtrays. Here are the reasons why I am convinced that Sea Gypsy Tribes probably have the best chance of surviving if the missiles fly.
There are no targets in the oceans. Should geo-political tensions intensify, my Tribe would stealthily head for our pre-arranged deep water rendezvous point. If an attack comes we will have an excellent chance of surviving what I consider the 4 phases of a nuclear attack.
This position would be far enough from land to allow us to escape the first danger, which is the shock wave - also known as the Blast Energy. The next extreme hazard is the heat and fire, which is called the Thermal Energy. Being 50 miles from land will shield us from these two threats, which account for about 85% of the destruction.
These initial 2 horrific impacts will be felt in the first few minutes after the detonation. If they are survived, then the last 2 dangers are Fallout and Societal Mayhem.
Deadly fallout results from the nuclear explosion blasting highly-radioactive dust from Ground Zero up into the mushroom cloud and the atmosphere. This will then gradually descend onto the people who survived the initial blast and the fires.
Sailboats are an ideal defense against this type of contamination. About 2/3rds of the hull is below the water and won’t be effected. So, the crew shelters down in the cabin for a few days as the toxicity of the radiation diminishes.
Fortunately, it does so quite rapidly. Wearing easily affordable protective clothing, it can now be swept off the decks and into the sea. My personal decontamination gear is a disposable paper cover-all that painters use, an N95 mask and gloves, junk shoes and goggles. After usage, these would be bagged, weighted down and sunk.
Now my Tribe only has to survive the 4th danger, which is human pandemonium. On land, all the normal daily support systems will be vaporized. No grocery stores, no ATMs, no police protection, no TV or Internet. This will swiftly lead to marauders and to survival of the most vicious.
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On the other hand, such emergency possibilities are exactly why Sea Gypsy Tribes banded together. We have many months of non-perishable foods onboard. We always keep our water, diesel and propane tanks topped up. Our boats will be in sight of each other and we have short-range and long-range radios. Some HAM radios should survive on land, and that will be our link to the conditions onshore.
Our likely strategy, after the initial destruction and follow-on violence has eased, would be to go to a remote island or shoreline and set up a secure anchorage and a base camp onshore. We would then combine the best of both worlds – a safe haven ashore and our ships ready to flee rapidly should conditions warrant it.
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C CENTRAL BANK DIGITAL CURRENCIES
The powers that should not be, who I affectionately call our Malignant Overlords, are practically orgasmic when it comes to forcing Central Bank Digital Currencies upon us. They fully realize that this is the lynch-pin to their Great Reset, which should be more accurately deemed our Neo-Enslavement.
Eliminating physical cash and switching to only digital electronic money would give them more power than an Egyptian pharaoh cloned with Chairman Mao. It would allow them to monitor every purchase, how much it was and what it was spent on. Plus, it would provide GPS tracking allowing them to easily know your location.
CBDCs could also come with restrictions on what you can purchase. So, if Chairman Klaus wants you to eat zee bugz and not zee beef, your “money” can be restricted to acceptable purchases. It is also likely, that they will add an “expiration date” to your digital currency. If you don’t spend it by its due date, it will simply disappear. And so regular folk will never have a chance to save some money and get ahead.
Of course, if you are a political dissident who does not play well with authorities, they will have the power to simply “delete” your pseudo-money any time they wish to do so.
As I am writing this in early April of 2023 there are already 114 countries working on CBDCs. They account for 95% of the planetary GDP, so please don’t claim that this is just the fevered delusion of a conspiracy theorist. Instead, it is the desperate plea of an attentive realist who can see the shackles even though most cannot.
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The Sea Gypsy Tribes are well positioned for the institution of CBDCs. Most of our boats are already paid off (since they cost a fraction of a home onshore.) We are not “workin’ for The Man” and we conduct a lot of our personal trade through … TRADING. I’ll fix your outboard engine if you will sew this rip in my sun awning.
Plus, most of us are cruising in the Third World. Cash will continue to be used out here long after they have slapped the digital money shackles on the First World inmates.
However, our greatest advantage is that fact that we can go “full castaway” if we have to, but in a rather luxurious fashion. We can fish the waters, forage the shorelines and catch the sky-water. Yet, after our fishing and gathering, in the evening we can settle in and watch a movie compliments of our solar panels or wind generators.
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A ANTI-WHITE HYSTERIA
The disparity between how Whites and Non-whites are treated in America and much of the West these days, has become almost unbelievable. Scream Black Lives Matter and you will be praised. Post a flyer saying All Lives Matter and the Sheriff will come looking for you.
Study your stern off trying to get into a prestigious university, and your effort will be a waste of time and caffeine, if there is a Black/Queer/Anarchist applicant available.
Praise any of the Founding Fathers, who established the first nation truly based on the Rule of Law and the Will of the People, and you will be called a racist pig.
When POCs complain that “Hockey is too White” and you respond by saying the NBA is too black, you have just unwittingly joined the KKK.
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Fortunately, the Sea Gypsy Tribes have sailed away from all of that. Out here in the cruising world, we care about a person’s skill with his vessel and his crew and his decency towards his neighbors.
It is an exceedingly white sub-culture, but more accurately it is one of the last bastions of true meritocracy. You don’t cross oceans on EBT cards. You have to learn the skills and you have to hand,le the fears and stresses. Any non-white who does that is completely embraced by our deep water fraternity. But they have to earn it. The Sea does not recognize Affirmative Action.
One final note on this topic. As a straight white male, I have tremendous empathy for the young white men in my home country. The way that they are disadvantaged and scorned is despicable.
Here is some advice for them. Get yourselves down to a seaport, learn a trade (electrical, sail-making, diesel mechanics, welding) and learn to sail. Marinas and harbors are full of boat-owners who will lend a helping hand to a young man with initiative and a little moxie.
And then, as a wise cartoonist recently advised, “Get the hell out – while you still can!”