that this picture was taken by Mel Gibson's co-star i Mad Max 2).
Sailing with Margery on
the Pacific (and a few may be interested to learn
that this picture was taken by Mel Gibson's co-star i Mad Max 2).
Sailing to the Pacific island of Rakino in the sunshine on a 30 ft yacht is a pleasant way to spend a day. To say the least. The yacht was in fact Margery's office, and our progress owed more to a computer and GPS than to the wind. This old viking is unfortunately not too familiar with the terminology of ships and sailing, even in my native language, so I sat on deck, out of the way of things that move. In fact, this should be an educational situation - my relation to boats and sailing can easily be compared to computer illiterates; the ignorant people I sometimes write simple instructions for.
So
I sat on deck together with the New Zealand-born actor Bruce Spence*,
who had brought the Saturday edition of the Herald, but hardly had the time
to read more than some of the front page by the time we returned to Auckland
in the dark. After having have spent the previous months interviewing a number
of interesting people about boring subjects for business magazines and a computer
weekly, it was a pleasant surprise to learn that this accidental sailor who
happened to be Jenny Spence's husband, had in fact starred with Mel Gibson
(or vice versa) in Mad Max 2 - and in lots of other movies (see below). And
plays.
A journeyman actor, who had been lucky enough to make a kind of a living from
it. As he said.
Margery supplied
lots of interesting information along the way, and excellent lunch and wine
in a Rakino bay. We rowed to shore in a dinghy, and took a walk on the island.
And on the way back, we even sailed. Our route could be traced on the GPS, and
reminded me of the tracks of someone who goes to a party in winter - a straight
line to the party, and zigzagging on the way home.
But we were not drunk - we were just happy to be making our way home to a dinner at the Yacht Club after a splendid day in the sun.
Chasing rainbows and thermal eruptions in Rotorua.
*Bruce
Spence roles:
Lord of the
Rings ...Mouth of Sauron (2001)
Queen of
the Damned, The (2001) .... Khayman
Moby Dick (1998) (TV) .... Elijah
Dark City (1998) .... Mr. Wall
"Return to Jupiter" (1997) TV Series .... Ed Unit
Halifax f.p: Isn't It Romantic (1997) (TV) .... Eric Washburn
Munsters
Scary Little Christmas, The (1996) (TV) .... Mr Gateman
Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995) .... Gahjii
Hercules Returns (1993) .... Sprocket
"Halfway Across the Galaxy and Turn Left" (1992) TV Series .... The
Chief
Sweet Talker (1991) .... Norman Foster ... aka Confidence (1991)
... Almost
(1990) .... Ronnie ... aka Wendy Cracked a Walnut (1990)
Shrimp on the Barbie, The (1990) .... Wayne
"Dearest Enemy" (1989) TV Series
Zucker (1989) (TV)
"Tanamera
- Lion of Singapore" (1988) (mini) TV Series .... Hammond
Rikky and Pete (1988) .... Ben
Bachelor Girl (1987) .... Alistair Dredge Jr
Bullseye (1987) .... Purdy
The Year My Voice Broke (1987) .... Jonah
Great Expectations, the Untold Story (1986) (TV) .... Joe Gargery
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985) .... Jedediah ... aka Mad Max 3 (1985)
Pallet on the Floor (1984) .... Basil Beaumont-Foster
Wo die grünen Ameisen träumen (1984) .... Lance Hackett ...
aka Where the Green Ants Dream (1984)
Buddies (1983) .... Ted
Midnite Spares (1983) .... Wimpy
Return of Captain Invincible, The (1983) (uncredited) .... Mad Scientist ...
aka Legend in Leotards (1983)
Deadline (1982) (TV) .... Towie
Double Deal (1981) .... Doug Mitchell
Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981) .... The Gyro Captain ... aka Mad
Max 2 (1981) (short title) ... aka Road Warrior, The (1982) (USA)
Dimboola (1979) .... Morrie McAdam
Newsfront (1978) .... Redex trial driver
Barnaby and Me (1977) (TV) .... Tall Baddie
Eliza Fraser (1976) .... Bruce McIver ... aka Adventures of Eliza Fraser, The
(1976)
Let the Balloon Go (1976) .... Chief Gifford
Mad Dog Morgan (1976) .... Heriot ... aka Mad Dog (1976)
Oz (1976) .... Bass player/Blondie the Surfie ... aka 20th Century Oz (1976)
(USA)
Firm Man, The (1975) .... Messenger
Great McCarthy, The (1975) .... Bill Dean ... aka Salute to the Great McCarthy
(1975)
The Cars That Ate Paris (1974) .... Charlie ... (USA) (Peter Weir)
"Certain Women" (1973) TV Series
Stork (1971) .... Graham "Stork" Wallace