TRAVELLING IN NEAR SPACE
Sometimes when you sail offshore, the horizon disappears, and you can't tell where the water ends, and the heavens begin. You feel like you are floating in space.
Once you're out of sight of land and the sun goes down, there's blackness beneath you and the Milky Way above. Billions of galaxies twinkle in the darkness and surround you on all sides.
A feeling of mystery and oneness with the universe descends on you as your yacht sails on through the night.
Did you ever want to leave your earth-bound existence behind and travel in outer space to the far reaches of the galaxy?
I have felt that way too many times to count, and I suspect the thought has crossed your mind as well.
The good news is that you can do it - sort of. I'll explain how.
When astronauts blast off into orbit on the space shuttle, they end up only a few hundred miles above planet earth. In the space station they are less than three-hundred miles from the nearest land (directly beneath them).
When I blasted off across the Pacific Ocean in Exit Only, I was fifteen hundred miles from the nearest land as I sailed to French Polynesia. My crew and I were on our own; there was no mission control to guide us on our way. Just like the space shuttle, we had to be self-sufficient in all areas.
Although we didn't have to carry oxygen like space travelers, we had to take food, water, and enough survival supplies to last several months in case something went wrong.
I realize Exit Only isn't the Millennium Falcon and that we are traveling at substantially less than the speed of light. Nevertheless, we are out there on our own in our small part of the Milky Way Galaxy.
The fact that we are floating on the interface between two fluids (water and air) does not diminish the adventure we feel as we travel through near space.
The fact that we are flying at only six knots on our journey does not erase our sense of achievement when we return from near space and place our feet on dry land.
Although most people don't think of themselves as intergalactic travelers, all of us are living on spaceship earth. Our planet hurtles through the galaxy at thousands of miles per hour.
When city folks look up in the sky at night they can't see the stars because of the light pollution, and they forget they traveling on a spaceship.
Sailor are different.
When sailors look up in the night sky, they know that they are space travelers immersed in the Milky Way.
Just because you're not riding in the space shuttle doesn't mean you are not an astronaut. Every time you weigh anchor and sail into the unknown, you blast off in your spaceship. An astronaut in the space shuttle and a sailor on a dark night at sea both see the same thing.
Although the astronaut is in near space, and the sailor in nearer space, both of them see millions of miles in every direction with their naked eyes.
Those of you who feel like your life is going nowhere need to go out in wilderness far from the cities and look up into the night sky. You will instantly understand what I'm talking about.
You'll forget about your woes, and a sense of awe will overwhelm your heart and mind, because you too are a space traveler.
You might even give up your land-locked existence and explore the galaxy in a spaceship of your own. Just raise your sails and point the bow of your small ship toward the Marquesas Islands of French Polynesia, and before long, near space will be your home.
Space travel....... I love it.
Life is good.
Awesome music video that captures the essence of what it's like to sail offshore in a catamaran around the world when conditions are less than perfect. David Abbott from Too Many Drummers sings the vocals, and he also edited the footage from our Red Sea adventures. This is the theme song from the Red Sea Chronicles.
Sailing up the Red Sea is not for the faint of heart. From the Bab al Mandeb to the Suez Canal, adventures and adversity are in abundance. If you take things too seriously, you just might get the Red Sea Blues.
If you like drum beats, and you like adventure, then have a listen to the Red Sea Chronicles Trailer.
Flying fish assault Exit Only in the middle of the night as we sail through the Arabian Gulf from the Maldives to Oman. And so begins our Red Sea adventures.
Sailing through Pirate Alley between Yemen and Somalia involves calculated risk. It may not be Russian Roulette, but it is a bit of a worry. Follow Team Maxing Out as they navigate through Pirate Alley.
Stopping in Yemen was just what the doctor ordered. We refueled, repaired our alternator, and we made friends with our gracious Yemeni hosts. We also went to Baskins Robbins as a reward for surviving Pirate Alley.
After you survive Pirate Alley, you must sail through the Gate of Sorrows (Bab Al Mandab) at the southern entrance to the Red Sea. The Gate of Sorrows lived up to its name with fifty knots of wind and a sandstorm that pummeled Exit Only for two days. Life is good.
Join Team Maxingout as they sail through Pirate Alley and up the Red Sea
See what it's like to cruise on a catamaran before you spend a bazillion dollars purchasing one
After watching the Red Sea Chronicles you will be able to see yourself sailing on the ocean of your dreams
Although I like the feel of a paper book in my hand, I love trees even more. When people purchase an eBook, they actually save trees and save money as well. Ebooks are less expensive and have no negative impact on the environment. All of Dr. Dave's books are available at Save A Tree Bookstore. Visit the bookstore today and start putting good things into your mind. It's easy to fill your mind with positive things using eBooks. No matter where you are or what you are doing, you can pull out your smart phone or tablet and start reading. You can even use electronic highlighters and make annotations in your eBooks just like paper books.
