Project BlueSphere

After nearly a decade of inactivity on Project BlueSphere, I’ve decided to start writing again. I’ve redesigned the website for easier reading and feel the need to cast some honest content into the ever-growing void of modern-day content creators, social media “influencers,” and AI-generated noise.

I return a very different man. Somewhere along my journey, I got old.

In the last ten years, I had a beautiful marriage that ended terribly, for me at least. The war in Ukraine hit hard, not to mention the overall political climate and the general state of humanity.

But it was my divorce that really took its toll. I spent four years at the bottom of a bottle trying to find myself, only to discover that doesn’t really work. Eventually, I clawed my way back to sobriety. I’m told this isn’t an uncommon tale for a single-handed sailor.

I’ll quote two songs here that put my life into perspective.

U2’s “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” was practically my mantra for most of my adult life. I spent decades burning across oceans, traveling and searching for something I couldn’t quite define.

I know how corny it sounds, but all I ever really wanted was love. To find my true partner. Someone to share this extraordinary journey with.

How wrong I was.

In the end, it was myself I was looking for all along.

Which brings me to Neil Young’s lyric, “It’s better to burn out than to fade away,” from his 1979 song My My, Hey Hey (Out of the Blue). Kurt Cobain later quoted those very words in his suicide note in 1994.

I’ve spent the last four and a half years contemplating those words, trying to find the strength to fuel the fire once again. Desperately blowing on a dying ember, hoping to coax it back into flame.

Somehow, I managed. I crawled out of that substance-laden bottle and found a little fire left in me.

And now that I’m standing again, looking around, I feel like George Taylor in the original Planet of the Apes, emerging into a world only to discover that humanity has destroyed itself.

Goddamn, I want a drink just writing about this!

Seriously, what the fuck happened to the world during my absence?

Were my words and videos really the only things holding humanity together?

I know how ridiculous that sounds, but from my perspective, the timing kind of fits.

Moving forward, all I can promise are some honest words from an old sailor trying to figure it all out.

Thank God I’m on a boat and zombies can’t swim, because there are some seriously deranged “people” wandering around on shore.

When I do visit, I’ve become quite successful at camouflage. I can walk among them for short periods without being noticed. So far, anyway.

I’ll be writing here on www.ProjectBlueSphere.com, with occasional teasers posted to Facebook and Instagram. Truthfully, I don’t want people reading or commenting on my work on any Meta platform. I don’t want to be personally drawn back into that world. I’d rather my readers experience my words, photographs, and films in a friendlier environment, for both our sakes.

I originally sat down to write a test blog for the redesigned website, but somewhere along the way, I found a little humanity worth sharing.

I’m not happy, nor am I particularly content. But I’ve found something to hold on to again.

I write, therefore I am.

At some point, I forgot that.

I don’t write for you, and I don’t write for attention. I’m a solitary man, and this is simply how I express myself. The container holding my thoughts is boiling over, and I need to release some steam.

I hope the rest of you are doing okay. From my rather remote perspective, much of humanity seems to be circling the drain.

I’ll do my best to write our way out of it and perhaps make friends with the apes I’ve discovered on shore.

They’re a difficult bunch, though, and I fear they may hurt one another.

Peace.

Sail far and live slowly.

Like so many, as the new year approaches, I find myself reflecting upon time.

2018 marks 15 years of freedom for me, and 28 years of sailing. I left the United States on a little 28′ sailboat (Namaste) in 2003 to sail around the world. And 15 years later, not having sailed around the world, I realize how much of a success this has been. After  a single-handed crossing of the Pacific I don’t feel the need to compete, justify, or tout my abilities as a sailor. My confidence is clear to me and I don’t feel I have anything to prove anymore.

I’ve seen so many men finish a circumnavigation only to return to the workplace, and the grind they were trying to escape in the first place. I always wounder how they could after experiencing the ultimate freedom of drifting through time on a sailboat. Money I guess, or perhaps their dreams were more sweet than the reality, who knows?

All know is I’m so grateful to have found the strength to set foot upon the world, to travel, to love, and to open my eyes no matter how dim, or bright the light. And the truth is, I’m just no good in society. I don’t play well with others as I’m always trying to reach farther, grasping at my dreams. I don’t know how to settle, not just yet at least.

For now Carla and I will outfit Eleanor for extended voyaging. We are talking about a Europe trip, but I have the feeling we will just get lost in the Pacific again as there are too many rules to abide by otherwise. The western world is just too loud for us. Insurance, police, protests, shootings, wars, politics, healthcare, tax cuts, blah, blah, blah.

My plan is to really unplug soon. I will keep HF radio, and email via HF radio to stay in touch with family and close friends, and that’s it. I’m tired of networks, bandwidth, looking for deals on the latest phones, and having to pay to have the loud signal of society bore into my brain as I get older. All I aspire to have is what I have now: Love, freedom, health. I am truly a rich man!

I quit blogging a year or so ago because I realized that my journey and path are my own. I’m glad I made Project BlueSphere and my sailing films however I’m finding it difficult to keep them online. My website seems to be under attack all the time and my host is always trying to hit me up for more money to protect it. At some point I’m going to have to let go of it all as I don’t want to be attacked anymore, or live in the fear, or with the expense, that it will undoubtedly happen again?

I’ve said it thousands of times throughout my blogging carrier. The world is a beautiful and safe place. For those of you who dream of a life sailing the world, start your journey by turning off the television and getting your information from people you trust. Actually social media is becoming just as bad if not worse, I’d get rid of it too or surely edit your feed to protect yourself from all the nonsense. Find your own signal. The one you make with your family and friends, and nurture it into a peaceful philosophy to live by.

Happy New Years everyone.

Alex

It’s been so long since I’ve been blogging regularly I don’t really know where, or more importantly, how to begin.

Every time I sit down to write a blog, the first thing I do is come up with a blog title. The title of my blog shapes my words, gives me inspiration, and helps me plot the course of my thoughts and ideas.  I still sit down a few times a week to write a blog but every time I try and think of a blog title, the same one keeps popping in to my head, “Goodbye”.

I’ve lost connection, and I’m not talking about bandwidth.

When I set out to spend a life at sea fourteen years ago it was for freedom, real freedom. Not the American/Western idea of freedom where one is enslaved to credit cards, debt, bills, social responsibility, opinions, or chasing dollars, or keeping up with the Joneses. And when I started blogging it wasn’t for money or notoriety. It was simply to take other men on my journey searching for freedom, and perhaps to inspire them to do the same.

Fourteen years later I can safely say that I am free, and I found so much more than I was looking for.

While most of my readers are concerned with blue or black lives, who stands or sits during an anthem, or what bathroom a transvestite should use I’m living a peaceful life in Parisise swinging from my hammock, that’s my reality. I wake up when my body tells me to and my day is shaped by the weather and the natural world around me. I don’t need the distractions of nonsense in my life. This morning it’s cloudy and I find that I can manage a few, very hard to find, words for my blog.

Carla is sleeping peacefully with Nacho in the aft cabin and all is right as rain. No Muslims are attacking me, I don’t have Zika, and I’m not concerned with what color (red or blue) of criminal my fellow Americans decide to elect as their next president. My heart and thoughts are clean this morning. I don’t socially participate in Facebook anymore as it was really bringing me down, and I’m focused on the people directly connected to my life. As a result I’ve lost my connection to my readership.

I don’t know if I can continue blogging. The truth is, if you really are concerned with building walls, where people pee, and drawing lines in the sand I don’t want you to read my words as you are the problem! If you are more concerned with your own opinions, supporting a 2-party system, not educating or caring for the needy and less fortunate, I don’t have time for you. I’m not, nor have I ever tried to connect with sheep. I’m only concerned in connecting with real-men who want out of the system. If you’re just going to dream about sailing I’m not really interested to let you into my life or provide you any sort of entertainment.

If you really are struggling with how to get out of the system and are serious about pulling the plug, even if you don’t have a dime to your name, I’m here to share my energy with you. I’m here to answer questions, emails, and to share my life with you. If you are interested please contact me through email or www.projectbluesphere.com.

Also my creative energy has shifted to my filmmaking efforts. I’ve been writing full time for the last 18 months or  so. “The Minimalist Sailor” (feature film project) demands most of my creative time. I also find it very difficult to shift gears writing fiction back to reality blogging.

I think this blog will post to Facebook. If you have something to say please take the time to comment at www.projectbluesphere.com as I don’t like communicating through Facebook. Or simply email me (alexdorsey at gmail) I’m sure you can figure out to replace “at” with @ and add a .com to the end of my email address.

Peace, Love and Coconuts

Sail far and live slowly.

– alex

Edited with BlogPad Pro

This is the longest I’ve ever gone in BlueSphere history without writing a blog, sorry :( I founnd a little time to write this morning as I’m on a ferry crossing from Almirante to Bocas Del Torro Panama (two hours).

As most of you know I promised to replant my father on a beach as opposed to a “home” in the states, or leaving him in Okeechobee Florida which he hated. He had been sick, he has a pace-maker, and his doctor told me we should focus on “quality”, and not “quantity” of life. The past months have been stressful, fun, exciting, and exhausting. All the elements of a true adventure! My father and I have had a hard time forging a decent relationship throughout our lives, but it seems now we are managing just fine now.

We got to Panama just in time for Carla’s 40th birthday, and my 50th birthday which proceeded just a few days after Carla’s. 50 was a big deal for me, well for everyone I guess, and I must say I’m where I want to be in my life!

My dad bought us a collective birthday present. He bought Carla and I a 2000 Toyota J105 Land Cruiser. The  J105 is a rare breed and was only produced for the Russian, African, Austraillian, and South American markets with the 4.2 liter 1HZ I6 diseal engine. When Toyota moved to the J100 series (1998-2007) from the J80 series (1990-1997) they put a turbo on their diseal engines and went to independent suspension. Two things the J80 owners, and serious off roaders were pretty upset about. Toyota then released the J105, and what a beauty she is! I’ve had a lot of jeeps in my life, but never such an off-road machine as this. I’m having a snorkel added as I almost got water into the air intake crossing a river a few days ago, it was deeper than I thought ;)

Dad and I have been on a road trip exploring Panama over the last weeks. We are looking for a place on a beach to build him a small humble home. We may have found the perfect little lot right in front of two beautiful surf breaks in Bocas Del Torro. Bocas is a good choice for us as We can bring Splendid here, finish her restoration and sell her. Then after hurricane season I can sail Eleanor down and continue chartering while keeping an eye on my dad as he finishes his life in a hammock reading his kindle on the beach.

Ive retained an attorney for my father to make sure all goes well with the purchase of the property. He will also get dad his residence in Panama so he can live here full time. As it turns out I can also get residency which will be nice, I won’t have to screw around with my visa every 6 months :)

I think we will stay in Bocas until Carla returnes from Argentina on the 6th. I’ll have her fly to Bocas to see the Property and stay with Dad while I return to Linton to get Splendid and sail her here. I found a really cheap yard here where I can haul out, and do a bottom job and spray the hull.

Peace, Love, and Coconuts.

Sail far and live slowly.

– alex

Edited with BlogPad Pro

Last September 14th Carla said something strange to me. “I don’t know what it is baby, but something big is going to happen in the states, something related to your family, someone is calling”.

Carla and I live in total peace away from the hustle and bustle of western culture and we are very sensitive to the world around us.

We wake up when we wish, sleep when we wish, eat when we wish, and don’t have one bill or any material possessions that complicate our lives in any way. I spend much time in silence listening to the world around me.

I like to think I feel my way through life rather than charging through it like a bull in a china shop chasing a buck. My church is the reef below the surface of the ocean, and the deeper I can free-dive, the closer I feel to nature (God).

The subtle nuances that light my path are the ones I’m always searching for. Slight variations in the wind, a delicate smell on the breeze, an offer of friendship, an opportunity down a possibly thorny path?

In no way are either Carla or I driven by money. We don’t follow it, horde it, or cherish it. What we need just sort of comes to us in various forms of work, barter, donations, or gifts.

Last September 9th I had the most amazing free-dive of my life. I was so touched by the beauty of a cave thirty feet or so below the surface, I found myself crying in my mask, something had touched me.

The next day is when Carla told me something big was coming. A week later I was on a journey to New York that not only brought us a new boat, but reconnected me with my family in New Jersey, Maryland, Atlanta, and Florida.

This journey has never been about Eleanor. Eleanor was the carrot that lured me back to the United States which is a place where I don’t enjoy spending much time. It’s not the people or geography I don’t like, it’s the fact in no way do I want to support our military. With every cup of coffee I buy nearly half of the tax goes to war. Bullets are cheap and I don’t want to be responsible for one. Call me an unrealistic-idealist, but that is the way I feel. That being said, here I am, against my better judgment.

My mother died when I was 20 and my family quickly disbursed. She was the glue that held us together. I lost connection to my uncle (her brother) as he just reminded me of her death along with everyone else. Whenever I saw family it was the same, “I’m so sorry for your loss, your mom died too young (42), she was so beautiful, she was so talented, we loved her” this went on for years and I grew further apart from everyone as it was just so hard to face them or hear it.

My father, on the other hand, left when I was 4 years old. When I was young I saw him on television or in the movie theater more than in real life. He was an alcoholic (now sober for 13 years, so proud of him) and childhood was difficult. I was also a difficult child and had anger in my heart. I think this is often the case when a small boy doesn’t have a positive male role model in his day-to-day life.

I saw him during the summer some years, and went to live with him when I was about 14. I was in a gang in New York, doing drugs, and wandering down a very thorny path. My mother was a struggling actress, singer, and teacher and didn’t know what to do when I ran away from school in Atlanta, and found my way back to New York City.

My father was doing well as an actor and she ended up suing him to get money to put me in private boarding schools and get me out of the city once again. This put a big wall in between my father and I. But thank God she did it, if she didn’t, I’d be a completely different man today. I proceeded to get kicked out of two boarding schools for fighting and finally made it stick with a school up in New Hampshire where I ended up graduating.

When my mother died, I left the city to finish university in Santa Barbara, CA (film school), and pursued a career in Hollywood. I ended up opening a production company after many years of work and directed my father in a picture.

Showcase Entertainment was my distributor, and the owner, David Jackson, screwed my company (me) for at least $875,000.00 (Last accounting). It was the end of my carrier as I didn’t like the community in Hollywood, and was tired of the quality of people in my life. After a suicide attempt I left Hollywood for my own well being, and for good.

My father thought I stole all the money and escaped to Canada. We both bashed heads, and we didn’t speak to each other again for many years. This is one of the reasons I don’t like money, it can have a very bad affect on people, myself included.

I had invested everything in the picture and ended up leaving Los Angeles penniless. You guys know my story after that.

I moved to Canada to heal for a year, bought Namaste, and continued my life as a minimalist sailor.

Cancer took my mother, and money took my father from me.

My father changed his phone number, address, and never contacted me again. He was mad at me for something I didn’t do.

I recently ran a report on him and found his address. He doesn’t use the internet or email so he was very difficult to track down, not even a phone number. I did however get an address and Carla and I jumped in a car and took a stressful two-hour drive to knock on his door.

He answered the door and was very angry to see my face. “What the hell do you want?” he growled at me. “I just want to say goodbye” I humbly answered”. “Where are you going”?, “nowhere…, you are, I’d like five minutes of your time”, After an uncomfortably long pause he replied “Come in”!

It only took a minute to explain the past, and I had my father back. Carla said it was one of the most beautiful moments she has ever witnessed.

We spent a few days together and he is coming to visit me in Panama soon.

Many years ago he co-starred in an episode of “Highway to Heaven”. He was very close to Michael Landon and Victor French. The episode was called “man to man” and dealt with the subject of a dying father reconnecting with his son.

For whatever reason we ended up talking about it and watched it after Carla found it on Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uGqzzzFSOA

The last few days have been very emotional for us. I feel my journey in the United States has come to an end and it’s time to go home. I am emotionally exhausted!

I will return in the late winter to retrieve Eleanor and bring her home. I’m hoping my father will join me for a while on the ICW and throughout the rest of his life, he is now 83.

Life is a funny, fragile, and very delicate thing. A week ago I wouldn’t have shed a tear if I found out my father was dead, today I desperately fear losing him.

I suppose the moral of the story is: don’t let stupid shit interfere with the ones you love in your life. It only takes one person to drop their ego and extend a hand of love to make magic happen. There is no amount of money that is worth one single drop of love, family, or peace.

It’s often hard for me to express my feelings aloud and turn to writing when I need to release. I have changed so much in the last 14 weeks. Something far bigger than me has been guiding my path. I don’t like the word God as people destroy the concept with organized religion, war, guilt, and murder. But something appeared to Carla and I in the form of a sea turtle which some of you may remember from a previous blog I wrote last September 20th entitled “God, Family, and Love”

I’m excited to go home now, continue my apnea training/free diving, and get back to our humble life at sea.

Peace, Love, and Family.

Sail far and live slowly.

– alex

Why would anyone choose to live on a micro income?

Living with less is something I strive to do on a daily basis.

My desire to live by minimal financial means funnily enough emerged when I was studying to be a stock broker and financial advisor.

I took, and passed, my series 7 exam which afforded me the license to professionally trade and give financial advice.

Why I put so much effort and expense into forging this second career was beyond me for many years. However, in retrospect, my knowledge of money is one of the things that ultimately set me free from it.

I studied full time for over a year to pass the Series 7. The exam is a 6-hour ordeal and they say it is the 3rd hardest test to pass after the Bar and the CPA exams.

Basically I studied money, how it works, and the system that regulates and controls it.

Some might think that by being a sailing bum I’m not savvy in the ways of the matrix, nothing could be farther than the truth. The truth is, I just don’t want to be a part of a system that is designed to enslave (indebt) humanity.

When I say I’m an anarchist, I mean it from my core, however most people have no idea what anarchy is and give me the evil eye when I tell them.

Anarchy is the system that all natural things live within. It is the natural order of things, and in turn, how God (nature) intended us to live.

Freedom is the absence of control. When we spend our time working for paper (money) in order to afford basic human rights like shelter, food, and water, one can only rationalize that this is a system of slavery in every sense of the word.

Every living thing on the face of this earth has the right to breathe, eat, drink, have access to shelter, and Love. These are things that ethically should have no cost, nor should they be bought or sold. In my very humble opinion anyone in the business of buying or selling basic human rights is the problem. That goes for various government agencies, credit card companies, insurance companies, and companies that force or brainwash (media) people to give up their freedom out of fear for what nature has provided us.

The system should work for the people with the sole objective of increasing our quality of life, not the quality of life of just a few.

Do I think we should burn the world down, no. Am I a violent man because I’m an anarchist, no! Anarchy is peace, and peace is what I believe in with every breath I take. That being said I do wish to protect my way of life, and not living in the states is the only way I know how to do that.

It physically hurts me to live in the western system. It pains me that every cup of coffee I buy, or every time I put food in my mouth I’m supporting war, murder, and the suppression of humanity.

I know so many of you are rolling your eyes right about now, but until you live out of the system and have some sort of perspective you just wouldn’t understand. I didn’t either. When I left the states on my journey so long ago I considered myself a republican and had a very different view of the world that was limited to the perspective of media and conventional travel.

I had no idea what was behind the wizard’s curtain. I didn’t have poor friends, or friends that didn’t have access to basic human rights like clean drinking water. Neither did I know that I could live in paradise with my wife for $200-400 a month, catching fish, buying natural groceries from local farmers, swimming, reading and writing not having to worry about bills.

I wasn’t a good financial advisor as I directed my clients towards early retirement. My idea of a retirement income was far too humble, and the idea that one must spend their lives dedicated to the pursuit and accumulation of money just never worked for me. I was a bad financial advisor because I was not motivated by money itself and cared more about my clients and ethics, than my own income. I did however get into the market out of greed, I wanted more than my share and looking back cant believe I was ever like that. People can change!

My daily routine was not only filled with stress, but I was also polluting myself with “news” throughout the day, as well as keeping my eye closely on the market.

All in all I learned one thing. Money would never afford me what I truly hungered for, Love and Freedom!

I was in Costco today, shopping for food. People pushed (well got way too close in my space) to grab scraps of free food samples. I turned an isle and saw two heavy older women stealing (gorging themselves) with fresh berries from a container and hiding the carton in the pile, I got a bit upset.

“Really, you have got to be shitting me, would you like me to buy those for you? If you can’t afford the meal I don’t mind buying you some food”. They both wore expensive clothes and an over-abundance of repulsive perfume. “No, we were just sampling them”. I cocked my head and gave them a look of shame. “You know as well as I do you are not allowed to open packages of fresh food and sample whatever you want”, I just walked away laughing and shaking my head, they were so embarrassed as I spoke to them loudly to ensure everyone else would hear our conversation.

If you look at the menu above you will see that I have decided to give both of my films away for free. Just click on the links, watch, and enjoy. If the films provide you with some value, please feel free to make a donation.

I don’t like money or selling, I much prefer barter, support, and helping others when we are able. If I was paid for all of the help I’ve given people on their boats over the last decade I wouldn’t be so broke, but I wouldn’t have so many friends either. I’d rather have the friends!

I’m about to launch something pretty cool, “Sailor TRAKS (Totally Random Acts of KindnesS)”

Sailors reach areas of the world that most do not. In many of these areas we find people in need of a little help.

It is my intention to raise micro-donations to help people with small projects like buying a solar panel and LED light for a family so they might read at night, installing water filtration for clean drinking water where it is needed, buying a kid a bike that might never have one, or something as simple as giving someone a $2 pair of reading glasses. I’m going to introduce small projects and people to my audience through Project BlueSphere, and with no administrative costs, assist and allow my audience to donate to projects they find worthwhile.

I’m also going to coordinate other voyaging sailboats to do the same through Sailor TRAKS, so as a community of international sailors we can plant seeds of Love during our travels and touch the world in places where some need a hand. The reality is a set of tools can change a man’s life, and to most of us, the cost of a set of tools means very little.

I guess what I’m trying to get at is instead of over consuming this holiday season,  try focusing on what is really important. Take a second to watch the Charlie Brown Christmas Dance, its good for the soul!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1LUXQWzCno

The family I’m spending Christmas with has a nice alternative to spending tons of money on gifts. Everyone wraps and brings something from their homes, something they do not use. You are not allowed to spend any money. All the gifts are placed together on a table. One by one each person picks one up. If they don’t like it they can ask someone to exchange it for theirs and the other person cannot refuse. But a single present can only be traded twice, after that you’re stuck with it. Nobody knows exactly what they’re getting until the end of the game. Some will get something they like, some won’t. But those people can bring it back for the next Christmas games, which is pretty funny because some presents have been around for a decade so they’re funnier every year. It’s not about the gift, it’s about sharing fun and laughter with your loved ones.

I’ll be in Miami till after Christmas. Carla may stay an extra week or two as she has an opportunity to do some canvas work in exchange for a new Profurl furling system for Eleanor (our new WestSail 42).

Also if anyone needs any help on a cruising project or delivery I’m looking for some work (or barter).

When I get back to Eleanor in the late winter I will need some money for fuel and a few projects in order to make my trip South.

And some of you may have heard through the grapevine that Carla and I have adopted a new member of our family.

Nacho is a little mutt that was abandoned by my sister’s house. He was just a puppy when they found him about a year ago and his back was covered in scars from abuse. They think he was a bait dog used to train fighting dogs.

He is a happy little guy and has adopted Carla as his new master. I’m looking forward to sharing a lifetime of fun and good times with him and he will also help us keep unwanted critters off the boat and let us know if anyone approaches during the night.

Peace, Love, and Coconuts

Sail far and Live Slowly

– alex

I have my wife back and we have discovered the CORONARITA!!!!!! Who would have known one wouldn’t need to make a choice between a beer and a margarita with your fajitas?

I’ve been having a blast with my family since I’ve left New York.

I had a great time with my cousin Steve and family in Maryland, and now I’m with my sister and family in Atlanta.

Carla and I will be heading for Ft. Lauderdale on Monday, and I’ll be in Florida through Christmas. I may choose to head back to Panama before New Year’s, haven’t figured out that one yet?

I’m a bit nervous having two boats now especially with them being 2,500 miles apart.

I have to get Eleanor down to Panama as soon as possible where we will be safe from the grip of the system and all of the rules and expenses that are associated with it.

I’m thinking to return to New York in late winter and work in the cold as much as I can so I can do most of my trip south off-shore where I can actually sail, and not be connected to the expense of the ICW (fuel, insurance, moorings, and marinas).

Looking at the pilot charts, sailing to Bermuda first might be the way to go. It’s less distance than cruising down the ICW, but it is an off-shore passage that I would need to be prepared for. I’m filing this idea in the back of my head as a possibility if I don’t have money for fuel which wont be cheap (a few grand).

I need a new roller furling or to move back to a hank-on jib system. I prefer hank-on sails, but the downside is I would need to find a few more sails for Eleanor. I’ll have to check the used inventory at Bacon sails.

I also need to go through the rig and install the Flemmig wind vane that came with Eleanor. I have the Global Auxiliary Rudder model, SO COOL, I’m really looking forward to this voyage!

I have to talk about food for a minute.

How is it we live in the richest country in the world and people eat the worst crap imaginable? I know why, the population is forced to work too hard.

I know its probably just me but I find it absurd that Pepsi-Cola actually advertises that it’s made with “real sugar” now. How far off the path of nutrition have we wondered?

Sugar is such a powerful drug.If you don’t believe me, sugar-fast for a few months and then have a big gulp. That’s what I did a few years back and have restricted my sugar intake ever since. I was bouncing off the walls like I did a few lines of cocaine and learned to respect the power of sugar. I cant believe parents give it to their children as a part of their normal diet.

When a community works as much as average American citizens, stimulants such as caffeine, sugar, taurine (energy drinks), nicotine, and an over-abundance of carbohydrates is needed. I know, I used to live that way, and it really made me sick, not to mention depressed.

That being said I’ve been partaking in fast-food, processed frozen foods, pizza, chicken wings, fried whatever, and lots of beer lately. I’m putting on weight at the speed of light and feel sick throughout the day as I munch on Tums and drink Alka-Seltzer for relief. My stomach keeps me up at night and I crave home-made bread, hummus, fresh fish, and most of all the peace of the sea.

The bottom line is I, as I’m traveling and it’s the same that happens most people who work all day, just don’t have the time or energy to prepare healthy food, and after a while bad eating habits just become “normal”. Also here in the states going out to overeat junk and drink is a social activity, and a way people connect with their friends. Better to cook clean food at home for the people we care about?

I keep a large bag of Italian hard salami, a block of hard cheese, and dried fruits and nuts in my backpack. I can pull over and have some real food wherever, and whenever I want. I need to get back to living out of my backpack as i travel.

I have a funny story. When I was on the bus from New York City to Washington DC, I pulled out a small butcher knife on the bus to cut a piece of meat and cheese. The woman next to me just about jumped out of her skin with fear like I was going to try and take over the bus and slit everyone’s throat. I just looked at her and said “Really, I’m just having lunch, relax”!

My adventures being back in the states are continuing and I’m actually thinking of getting a drivers license when I’m in Florida. That kind of commitment is huge for me. All I have now is a passport, no mailing address, or bills :) So what’s the deal with health care? Am I eligible for it? I know I can get care in Argentina if anything catastrophic happens, but it might be nice to be eligible for health care here too?

Anyway My Momma D is having a family reunion for me tonight and I’ll spend the night with family I haven’t seen since I was 14, should be fun!

Peace, love, and Coconuts.

Sail far and live slowly.

-alex

Two of my favorite quotes are:

“The best navigators have no idea where they are going until they arrive”

And:

“All who wander are not lost”

As soon as we unshackle our spirit from the idea that we must get up every day, work for the collective, and build wealth, our path unfolds. Like a lighthouse in the fog, we will be able to see our direction, and that light we must follow at all cost! The path may not be easy nor kind, but it will bring us where we need to go, I know this in my heart!

As a lone wolf smells the air to determine his next step in the quest for life, we too must sense the world around us for direction. “Which way” should be a question we ask ourselves throughout each and every day, otherwise we are just lost in a matrix of street lights and signs, obligation, debt, and will never lead the life our spirit was meant to lead.

The truth is most of us have become brainwashed into believing that working for money, “buying” a home, getting married, and retiring when we are old men is in some way natural, however nothing could be farther from the truth. We have become institutionalized and dependent on a system where very few actually benefit. Some might call this slavery?

Perhaps I focus on the negative, or perhaps I just choose to see and acknowledge it? All I can tell you is my heart has been strained lately.

I met a man on my dock in a little house boat yesterday. He drinks and tells passers-by how his ex-wife bled him for everything and has taken his children away. When he took off his dark sunglasses all I could see was a broken man behind drunken steel blue eyes. His words were a mantra that he repeats to all that pass, soullessly, as he sips his beer and tries to forget.

My crew member Ryan also noticed a creepy black F150 pickup truck that was watching us day after day, for hours on end. I peered at him through binoculars and determined that he was some sort of cop on a steak out. After inquiring at the office here at the marina, they laughed and said “that’s just Bob, he sits there because he doesn’t want to go home to his wife”.

So many people are lost. Sure some can handle it and happily flourish, but not all.

The manager here at my marina is a really nice and friendly man. I’m actually having thanksgiving dinner with him on his boat. He ran out of jack stands and cut a deal with Petersen’s boat yard to buy a bunch, as Petersen’s is getting out of the boat storage business. That’s the place where I was yelled at, treated like dirt, and kicked into the river with no engine as a hurricane was approaching.

I told the manger here to be careful of the owner at Petersen’s when he visited, I’m sure he took my words lightly. When he returned an hour later he had no jack stands and was amazed at how he was verbally abused and yelled at violently as he was kicked off the property. What could make a man so unhappy and violent? The truth is torment and abuse. We can only take so much before we break with a sickened soul.

Life can be hard in the United States. Yes, there is Walmart which may fill some sort of emptiness as mass-consumption seems to be a national past time. But to my foreign eyes, many people seem sad, broken, and often hostile. Many people are more concerned with their right to have a gun (paranoia), then their right, and the rights of others, to see a doctor.

Over-eating, shopping, wasting, and burning fuel is just normal routine here. Everyone seems to drive a big SUV or pickup, often only with one passenger. I’m really shocked by Keurig coffee machines, how incredibly wasteful! The world would just be a better place without Keurig, disposable plastic bags at the market, and television.

I have met wonderful and generous people as well, but sincerity is a commodity I find elusive. All my friends tell me “but you’re in New York” implying that New York is just an unfriendly place, I just don’t know. I’m not casting judgements, nor pointing fingers, just observing.

I don’t really know why my path has lead me here, I know it’s not just for the boat. I have been away from my wife for too long now, along with the sea, sun, and reef. This weighs heavy on my soul.

My family in Maryland had been reaching out to me, along with my family in Atlanta. These are ties I must nurture and maintain, I have let them go far too slack. I will take a bus from Manhattan to Maryland tomorrow. Then thanks to my pilot friend who is generous with his buddy passes I’ll fly to Atlanta for a few days, then to Florida where I will spend Christmas with my brother in law and family, father in law, and Carla.

I’m so looking forward to returning to Splendid and Panama. I can’t wait to return to my apnea training and free-diving on the reef. I know many people look to me for guidance in helping them unplug and live their dreams. But the truth is I need guidance now. I’ve ventured far from home and find myself alone with six inches of snow on the deck missing my wife every moment, I’m happy to see her soon.

Why is it when I think of sailing Eleanor to Panama “escape” is a word that comes to mind? I need Insurance, towing insurance, and I’m reading that Florida and other east-coast states are once again making a push to limit boaters’ federal rights to anchor. Obviously they want to force boaters onto moorings, and into marinas. They call it “safety” efforts. Perhaps the complacent will swallow that, but I don’t. I don’t like feeling like a rat in a maze having to purchase all these things just to live and travel. Life here has become far to complicated here. One must even pay for water to drink. I’ve been drinking the tap water which is poisoned with chlorine and fluoride, have we lost all sense of human rights?

Local governments wants to control how far we can anchor from a private beach so not to interfere with some people’s view, how close we can anchor to boat ramps, and how many days we can spend in a certain location. The truth is we have a federal right to anchor in federal water for as long as we please. This is called “Freedom”, and no agency should be “monitoring” or governing my Freedom! The following link is a survey you may want to take?

In the video introduction I find it amusing that they keep referring to federal water as “State” water, which it is not, nor will it become no matter how much they repeat it. And in the survey they give you choices of which none have to do with allowing the federal government control the federal water. State law or city ordnance can not supersede federal law now can it?

http://capwiz.com/boatus/utr/1/MCKQUENWOS/APGAUEOOXC/10620654771

For any of you that have been reading me for any length of time you will know I don’t like marinas and moorings. Despite the fact they are expensive, they are dangerous. I have broken and damaged my boat more in the past two months at marinas, and on moorings than I have in the past 7 years living on the hook.

The short scope of a mooring is hard on the boat in heavy weather. At one point the chain on my mooring become a solid rod, and the shock tore my hawse pipes while trying to rip my cleats out. Not to mention that moorings foul the ground and steal space from anchoring sailors. I also don’t like strange moorings because I have no idea how they are constructed, or what is on the bottom. The thing that I find most terrible is that when you are forced onto a mooring or into a Marina, they make you sign a document releasing them of any sort of liability, this is criminal!

Yes, I do have a mooring in Panama but it is in a place one can not anchor, nor is it possible to have any waves where I am as I’m protected 360 degrees from any sort of fetch.

The slip I was just at was too shallow for Eleanor. At low-tide I had about 3′ of water where I need a minimum of 6′. The protection at the marina is also not very good and I broke a dock line from wind and wave, at anchor the boat naturally points into the weather. My rudder was also bouncing on the bottom at low tide. If I had a spade hung rudder as opposed to Elenor’s skeg hung rudder I’d be very concerned as spade hung rudders are very delicate.

In all my time anchoring I’ve never sustained any damage. The key is having proper gear and ground tackle. I have an 80lb Manson supreme on Splendid with 300′ of 3/8 bbb chain, and a Lofrans falkon windlass. This gear will be transferred to Eleanor upon my arrival in Panama if I can ever get there.

Eleanor is safely on the hard once again. She will wait here for me when I return in the late winter. The roller furling is frozen up, I believe it needs new bearings. I also need to fit the windvane, fix the bow roller, and have a few other projects before making way for Panama.

I hope everyone is enjoying their holidays with their families.

Peace.

Sail far and live slowly.

– alex

Edited with BlogPad Pro

Eleanor runs like a top. The engine runs cool and powerful. I was surprised to see the diameter of her propellor when I first met Her. She pushes through a 2 knot current with ease and seems to barely notice.

I can feel in my bones that Eleanor is happy to be upon the water once again!

I’ve decided to delay my trip south until the spring. Winter has come early this year. I was expecting normal fall weather in the 40’s, maybe 30’s, but have been experiencing temperatures in the teens and 20’s and that’s a bit too cold for my thin blood. I’ve had too much ice on the decks, and don’t really want a repeat of what I went through with Namaste.

I returned my CPT autopilot and spent the money on a winter haul-out at Stoney Point Bay Marina. I did this more out of necessity than desire. I’m loosing my voice, and I’m having rotator-cuff issues on both shoulders. My stress has been too high, and the temperature too low, but at the end of the day Carla and I have such a beautiful new home.

My plan is to return late winter, or early spring to give the rig some love, and knock out a few projects before sailing south on my trip to Panama, which I will have to do before the onset of Atlantic hurricane season in July.

I may have the opportunity to help build an apartment above a friend’s garage here in New York to make some extra money when I return. Work right now is a welcome concept, especially with the rates people make here. In panama I’m happy with $25-30 an hour to work on a boat, everyone here makes $85-$110, crazy!

I’ll be hauling Eleanor early in the week and winterizing her. I have to pump antifreeze through the raw-water side of the engine’s cooling system, take all the water out of the fresh water system, and fix a few leeks before leaving her for the season.

My spirits have been low lately, mostly because I really miss my wife. Today is my first wedding anniversary and I haven’t seen Carla in a few months. We are both happy with this situation but it is a bit straining on my heart.

I’ve learned a few important lessons on this trip.

First and foremost is that I really don’t want to be away from my wife this long. Carla usually goes to see family a few times a year, and spends 2-3 weeks away each time, which is a good amount of time. We are both loners for the most part and like our independence. Some alone time is good for me as I get back to my creative side, but two and a half months is just way too long.

Secondly I’m finding that I’m a bit more cautious with age. In my younger years I’d focus on the adventure of boldly sailing into the North Atlantic in November, today not so much. You know the old saying? “there are bold sailors, and there are old sailors, but there are no old bold sailors”. The other saying which comes to mind is “God looks after fools and single-handed sailors”. I have been looked after well especially as I have been a fool, and a single-handing sailor most of my adult life.

Yesterday I left the mooring in Nyack and motored 10 miles up the river to Stoney Point. I was up at 5:30am with my crew-member Ryan and we left the mooring in the dark and watched the sun rise during the frigid morning temperatures. It was a beautiful morning, and finally leaving Nyack a milestone in itself. The Hudson River was not kind to Eleanor and myself. We were the last boat out on the river and obviously over-extending our seasonal welcome.

Our slip at Stoney Point only has about 3′ of water at low tide and we draw 6′. It’s still much more comfortable than getting our ass kicked in the unprotected Hudson River.

I’ll be spending the holidays in the states. I want to see my cousin and his family in Maryland, my sister and her family in Atlanta, and I will spend Christmas with Carla, her father, and brother’s family in Ft. Lauderdale. After that Carla and I will return home to clean up Splendid and put her up for sale and hopefully book a charter or two.

It’s been a ride over the last few months and I must say I’m looking forward to taking a break from the cold. Sleeping in double bags and scraping ice off of my interior windows in the morning is just not so much fun. Especially when you’re exposed in the Hudson getting your ass kicked by wind and wave. I must say I under-estimated the Hudson River and didn’t know what a “Polar-Vortex” was. I’m happy to leave them in my wake until spring.

Peace everyone.

Sail far and live slowly.

-alex

Edited with BlogPad Pro

Rowing in the snow.

It’s after midnight and I’m rowing in snow that is trying to be rain. It really is the worst state of snow as it is undecided, makes you wet, and cold to the bone.

Eleanor’s light is behind me and every 30 strokes or so I turn around to check and make sure I’m rowing in the right direction, the strong current in the Hudson likes to play tricks on me and send me off on wild tangents.

I’m wearing my sneakers, I didn’t think it would be wet but it is. My feet are sloshing in the nearly frozen 6″ of dinghy water. I wonder why my feet aren’t colder and I realize I’m acclimating to the cold weather, or perhaps it’s the 6 pints of Sierra-Nevada keeping me warm? My stress has been so high, I had to put a turn on the tap at a local pub tonight. It was either getting drunk or crying. I understand why people drink to cope with stress. It’s no solution to the problem of the stress, but it does act like a band aid. I know once I’m under way, and I make southing, my stress will melt like a spring frost.

This project has really tested my abilities as a sailor and I haven’t even raised a sail, or felt the jib-sheet ease through my palm on a mild day.

I pause rowing to enjoy the calm and illusive stillness of the Hudson, it’s unusual. Eleanor’s light calls me, but I feel so far-away from home, so much further than the 200 yards I have to row in the snow.

I feel so far away from the fish on the reef, the touch of my wife’s hand, and the warm breeze. I so wish I could lay in my hammock gazing at the sky, but the bite of the night air forces me into the boat, and close-proximity of the heater.

I realize that in the last 8 weeks I’ve done a bottom job, installed a through-hull, built a battery box, and installed a new house bank, starting bank, and windlass batteries. I’ve installed new manual and electric bilge pumps, a cutlass bearing, pulled, cleaned, and re-packed the stuffing box. Pulled the engine from the boat, had it rebuilt, and reinstalled it after disconnecting the steering and pulling up the cockpit soul. Worked with my mechanic designing and building a new exhaust system with Cintek muffler, and redesigning all the plumbing to accommodate the new exhaust manifold/heat exchanger/coolant tank. Bought and lashed a 125 gallon fuel bladder to the deck. Bought a 50 gallon day tank, plumbed it, and lashed it to to the deck. Removed the head and installed a new one. Bought and installed a new racor filter. Installed a fresh water pump. Bought, restored, and lost a nice rowing dinghy to a 75 knot nor’easter. Broke both of my forward hawse-pipes in the storm, and bent my stainless bow roller forty-five degrees, not to mention experiencing the worst weather of my sailing career. Rebuilt my windlass and manufactured a new chain stripper. Installed a new foot switch and solenoid for the windlass. Installed new navigation lights, and Installed my VHF, and SSB radios.

Why do I work so hard? Why am I always broke, and now freezing in a wet dinghy rowing in the snow, so very far away from home?

Freedom!

I do it and forgo modern comfort, because I want to be disconnected from the system. I want to travel, sail, grow old, and die with a hole in my pocket, a smile on my face, and Love in my heart.

I find the energy to continue my wet row home. I tie off Halyna (The trinka), I kick over the heater, strip my wet socks, and get into two sleeping bags.

I am a classic introvert and contemplate my existence with every spare moment.

I am an addict when it comes to freedom, and a soldier in the fight against the system. My keyboard is my weapon, as is my life-style. The matrix is my enemy, as is the signal that instills fear into the hearts of my brothers who can’t find the will to live their dreams.

I worked very hard in the engine room all day yesterday. My jeans were dirty and I was wearing a black wool cap, and the ragged $8 wool coat I got at the Good Will store.

I walked down the street for a bite to eat and was passed by a police car that slowed, gave me the evil eye, and the once over. They had side-scanners gathering data from all the license plates they passed. The moment felt like a scene out of Blade Runner or The Matrix. I felt hunted. I bite my tongue when what I really want to do is throw a rock through their window, which, by the way, is exactly what I did when I was 14 in Somerville NJ. I really did put my poor mother and grandparents through hell when I was a kid. They said I was a “difficult” child, but all I wanted was to be left alone. And it’s still what I want, freedom to be who I am, and treated with decency and respect.

This is why I’m throwing a small digital hand grenade today, I’m offended.

The only way we can win the war against the system is to demand our freedom. To turn off the television, to embrace republicans and democrats alike, and to love all human beings regardless of their passports. The world is not the scary, over-sensationalized place the idiot-box makes it out to be.

I am an anarchist. I believe in my bones that I should have the right to govern myself. And the international sailing community is an anarchist society.

It’s up to us to find immigration when we enter a country. Sure we need to obey the local laws of whatever country we are in, but the nice thing is if we don’t like them we leave. That’s what I love so much about living with the Indians in San Blas, I’m just left alone to be a human being, to fish, to love, and live in peace.

Every step I walk here I’m afraid I will be extracted of another dollar. You can’t even park your car for free in the street. Glad I don’t have to deal with all that is involved with owning a car, or a house for that matter.

Sailboats are freedom! Yes… sometimes the wind blows too hard, sometimes I’m freezing cold and uncomfortable and have to walk or row long distances but freedom man, that’s what I’m all about!

I know why I’m so uncomfortable in the United States. Here I’m categorized as “indigent”, and “transient” because I choose to live debt free, and on the hook. My net worth and credit score make me sub-human and not worthy of having health care, or respect from passing police cars.

In Panama I’m the rich guy with my plate overflowing with friends, love, and family. BIG difference!

Today is the day we put fuel, water, and air to the Diesel engine along with a 12v charge to the starter. Hopefully the atomized diesel will combust under the compression of the pistons and turn Eleanor’s propellor granting me the freedom to sail away to warmer and more peaceful latitudes.

Funny thing about the motor. I’ll have it perfect, only to use it as little as humanly possible. I don’t like running the iron jib, but it is my insurance, and need to be able to depend on it when I need it.

The motor started right up. I have been working with my friend Darryl from New Zealand every day from sun up, to sun down. There has been so much custom fabrication because I moved over to this European exhaust manifold/heat exchanger/coolant tank. If I had to do it again I would have looked much harder for a standard exhaust manifold. In the end however I have a very modern Perkins 4.236.

I have a crew member arriving on Monday. I need to button up a few things and install the autopilot, and I hope to be off on Wednesday morning, Thursday at the latest.

The last months have been incredibly taxing. I’m not used to this kind of stress, being in such a foreign place, and away from Carla. It’s all worth it, and I know it was the right thing to do, but it’s time to go.

Tomorrow I’m going to run the engine hard and try to seat the rings and make sure all the systems are performing satisfactorily.

Well I just took Eleanor out for the first time. I ran her up to temperature and scooted along at about 7 knots. She feels smooth and powerful.

My crew member leaves around the end of the month If anyone wants to join me for a spell let me know.

On to new horizons :)

Sail far and live slowly.

-alex

Edited with BlogPad Pro

November 6th

Well Eleanor has an engine once again. Still a bunch of work to do with the installation, but I’m hoping to be under way in about a week. I can’t wait to hear her roar to life for the first time!

My friend Darryl (manning the engine) is building a new centek exhaust system, and is re-welding and re-designing the air intake manifold. It didn’t fit with the new exhaust manifold/heat exchanger/and coolant tank combo I bought in England. However in the end, I think I’ll have the nicest 4.236 around. My engine, transmission, drive train, prop, and cutlass bearing are all top notch. Add some clean air and fuel, and she should run forever and a day (knock on wood)!

I delivered a little ensign sailboat to a marina about 5 miles down the river. They told me they recorded 84 knots of wind during the storm the other night. Believe it or not I’m still shaken up by it. I feel like I’ve lost my mojo, it was an event that I hope not to repeat anytime soon. I experienced 104 knots during hurricane Isabel but it didn’t oppose the 2 knot current of the Hudson which made it an easier ride by far! This was the worst wind event I have ever endured and it doesn’t even have a name. When I tell people on the land about it they are somewhat oblivious to it, as the worst wind was over night when everyone was asleep in their homes. It also shows me how connected to the television people are. If the weather channel had been going on for a week about hurricane force winds everyone would have been out buying generators, propane, fuel, and water. But because this storm wasn’t publicized it didn’t get much attention except from the boating community that saw the damage first hand. Also the wind on the rive is much higher than on land as it comes barreling down the river.

We have another gale warning tonight and I find myself walking around town not wanting to return to the boat. It’s very unlike me, I usually want to be on the boat no matter what. I suppose it all boils down to control, and right now I don’t have it. The engine, rig, hull, and ground tackle are paramount. I don’t have a motor or windlass and I’m not comfortable with my rig. So as a result I’m super-stressed and working my ass off to put Eleanor in order. Once my hand has gone over every inch of Eleanor, this kind of weather doesn’t frighten me as I will have confidence, control, and options (redundancy).

I’ll be really happy to be down in Norfolk, VA. I’ll be in protected water until I’m in warmer climates, I’ll have my wife, and by then I’ll have broken in the motor and hopefully have bonded with Eleanor a bit more.

November 8th
I just got a call from my friend who is also my mechanic and we will be dry-fitting the new exhaust system today, and will work all day Sunday to hopefully get the motor running. If this is the case I plan on leaving here by the 15th for Norfolk VA where I plan to collect my wife and make way for Charleston where I hope to have a reunion with my sister, Momma D, and some close friends. Carla will stay with me for 3 weeks or so, then I will continue my path for Ft. Lauderdale where I will spend some time with my brother and his family before heading for the Bahamas, Jamaica, and Panama.

Every day over the past weeks I have been questioning my path. I’ve been unprepared and have had to deal with two very violent storms. Everything here is so super expensive it boggles my mind, people on the river (working on boats) all want to make $90-$110 an hour. I know it’s all relative as the cost of living here is so high, but it is very foreign to me.

I have however made some important friends here, and friends I hope to keep for a long time which is worth more to me than a boat, frozen toes, or spending time away from my home in Paradise. I have to say my trip here has been wildly successful, although more than hard at times.

I still need to install navigation lights, do some sort of repair to the hawsepipes that were damaged in the storm, straighten the bow roller which is going to be tricky as it is welded to the bowsprit, figure out my fuel system, go through the rig and figure out my reefing system, along with a handful of other small projects. All things coincidered I’m only two weeks behind “schedule” at this point.

I’m also out of money (can’t believe I’ve made it this far) so I’ll be looking for crew that wants to pitch in for fuel. I figure every day (24 hours) of burning fuel is roughly $130. Days on the ICW are 1/2 days (12 hours) so will cost $65ish. I’m planning on burning 1.5 GPH?

My plan is to pick up Carla in Norfolk and see some of my family. Then take the ICW to Cape Fear where I will go offshore for Charleston. If weather is bad, or I have crew to help with fuel, I’ll continue on the ditch (ICW) as it is so beautiful this time of year. After Charleston I’ll go off shore and sail for Jacksonville or ports South depending on weather.

The Trinka is turning out to be the nice little work boat, eah? :)

Once again I have to thank all of you who have pitched in and hit the donate button.

It has been hard for me to finish my 3rd film “The Minimalist Sailor” and now the reason has become clear. I needed a more minimalist boat. I have been dreaming of a West Sail 42 for over a decade, and have had a vision in my head of it with a 10′ trinka (sailing dinghy) laying behind her. Funny how it all works out!

For those of you who were interested in crewing, the time is getting closer so let’s touch base soon.

Peace, love, and coconuts. 

-alex

Edited with BlogPad Pro

Tao means way, or path.

There is no right or wrong path, there is just the path! And every man has a very unique path to walk.

I suppose if I were to choose a religion Taoism would be where my spirituality would connect with philosophy and community.

Life is a river and we must ride it. The difficult part these days is to see it amongst all the distractions of the west.

My life is normally very much in harmony. For years I asked myself, why is Splendid not finished when I work so hard? Why am I stuck in Panama when I dream to return to the Pacific? With time, the answer, and my path were clear. I was simply waiting for Carla.

A new chapter in my life has formed and I must not question it.

I’ve walked many a stoney road, and they always lead me where I need to go. I always grow and become more aware. My road at the moment is riddled with boulders, however I expect great things on the other side.

I have a super-power. My super-power is my ability to listen to nature and see my Tao. The truth is it’s not a super-power at all, and something we all have, but what makes me special is my drive to shut everything off to listen to it. To free-dive deeper, to meditate, and to connect with my peace.

This place I’m at now on the Hudson is so deafened by the sounds of the matrix. Everyone swims in the same direction through a maze of street signs, lights, treats, and rewards. Guided by a man-made river, most people are fueled by “security” and fear, and live very far from the shores of their Tao.

I have however found refuge amongst sailors at the Nyack Boat Club. Sailors and surfers seem to have a connection to nature through wind and wave which is a very unique and spiritual connection to the world.

The wind is very angry and it has commissioned my voice. When I’m knocked down I write, think, and strive to understand. And I believe this is why I am here to battle these winds and waves. Two elements that are usually the closest of friends.

It’s been a long and rough two weeks.

I like to think of myself as a man who is willing to admit his mistakes, and I have made a few in regards to buying this boat. however I firmly believe I’m where I’m supposed to be, walking my path, and I have no regrets.

My biggest mistake was to underestimate the weather on the Hudson. Perhaps I’ve become complacent sailing in tropical destinations, or my path is just particularly thorny at the moment. Either way, I’ve gone through two storms and put myself in an unsafe position each time. One 60kt nor’easter a week ago, and this last one which clocked a whopping 73 knots. It was more recorded wind than hurricane Sandy however it didn’t have the fierce tidal flooding.

A tug-boat sank about a mile away from me, the Cal 31 next to me broke loose and went under the Tapenzee bridge, a power boat flipped over at the hook mountain yacht club, and the little dinghy that I gave to a local kid got destroyed here at the Nyack boat club.

I totally underestimated the power of the nor’easter wind against the 2 knot current of the Hudson River. I had been planning on seeking shelter with Eleanor if a named storm found its way here, but the un-named nor’easters are just as dangerous and should not be taken for granted.

My ass has been thoroughly kicked and handed to me on a silver platter twice in the last two weeks.

I feel like an old book, torn, tattered, and dog-eared. I’m bruised, sprained, and worst of all demoralized. I’m old enough that a bruised ego doesn’t hurt that much, but physically I’m just not an invincible 30 anymore, and that is something I’m just going to have to live with.

It’s also been difficult being without my wife. I’ve never been married and we are just about to celebrate our first wedding anniversary. I can say without a doubt that Carla is my partner, support, love, and family. We have been apart over 5 weeks and it’s just too long to go without my best friend.

I know that this project will pay off and Eleanor will be the most amazing home in the world and take Carla and I where we need to go.

By no means however has it been a bad experience. The most amazing part of this journey has been the Love and friendship that has seeped out of the most surprising corners. This proves to me that my path is sound, and that I am here to help a few people on their way as I travel south.

My time here on the Hudson would be totally safe if I had a working engine. There are plenty of places for me to find protection from the wind and waves, I just can’t get to them.

I got the motor back yesterday. It is shiny, and most importantly runs perfect on the dyno. I got a bit of bad news last night. My new European exhaust manifold/heat exchanger/coolant tank interferes with my intake manifold. We are going to cut off part of the intake manifold, redesign it, and weld it in a conducive manner. It really isn’t as big of a deal as it sounds.

A new friend helped me pick up the motor with his van, and we brought it back to the Nyack boat club where it sits on the shore.

The plan is to get it onboard with the morning hi-tide, and get towed back to the mooring where my friend Darryl and I will finish the installation. I believe I’m about a week from being mobile, and being able to leave the Hudson River for ports south, and finally see my wife.

On my way to pick up the engine I stopped in Somerville (NJ) to see my uncle Sasha. Somerville is the only place I have ever consistently returned to throughout my life. Sasha is my closest relative, and a man I love dearly. My relationship with him has become too distant and it strains my heart. In the following weeks I must find a way to spend more time with him, and hopefully introduce him to Carla.

My uncle Sasha (Alex) reminded me of something.

My Ukrainian linage is a strongly nomadic one.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Ukrainian_nationality#Nomads

Living a nomadic lifestyle is seated deep in my DNA. That accompanied with my American Indian blood, makes me who I am. “Live free or die” is printed on the New Hampshire license plates, these words always made a direct connection to my heart.

We will all turn to dust. The only power we have is to be able to enjoy the gift of life, pursue and experience Love, and pass on with a full heart. There is nothing more.

I have a new friend here (Tom) who is about to pull the plug. He just bought an Irwin on eBay. He was very interested in Eleanor and made a few offers. He tells me he was surprised when he heard a man from Panama bought her sight-unseen. The following week he bought his Irwin on eBay and is about to pull the plug on the house, truck, bills, and conventional work thing.

I can’t say what another man should do, or shouldn’t . All I can say is that if anyone finds themselves drawn to the sea with little money, doubt, and needs a friend, I’m always here. The last 12 years of Project BlueSphere have been about me trying to light the way to a very unconventional path.

All men are not equal! And we are not all capable of succeeding in a system that is unnatural to us. I am a nomad. I am no more capable of going to an office every day, than I am picking up a gun and killing other men because I am told to do so over some sort of border, religious affair, or oil issue.

Just because you are different, just because you are the “black sheep” and just because you can’t succeed in a system that is based on money, greed, and corruption, surely does not make you a failure of any kind. It just means you need to get out of the system where you will find peace, and time to fly.

My last storm aboard Eleanor was very traumatic. It was traumatic because I was helpless. I keep my boats in such a way that I have options, redundancy. If one thing fails, I have two alternatives. Eleanor has not received the benefit of my hand yet. She is still very basic, and without a motor I am helpless on the river. I am unable to move, hoist my anchor, or find shelter.

My hands are still shaking two days after the ordeal, and I am no newcomer to weather. I am however, not used to being helpless aboard my ship. It’s my fault, I underestimated the Hudson River.

During the storm I returned to Patagonia in my head. I was at my sister-in-law’s cabin playing with the children in the springtime. I know if I were ever to return to land, it would be to Patagonia where I would build a cabin and teach children to sail on the lake.

Where will tomorrow lead me?

Peace

-alex

Edited with BlogPad Pro

The wind is unhappy here.

My spirituality it is my connection to nature, and I believe I have an ability my to see, listen, and understand it. I also believe the wind is unhappy here on the Hudson River.

It’s not unhappy because it blows strong in October, it’s unhappy because nobody listens to it. Like a screaming two-year-old left alone, it wants to be heard. The people here live very far away from nature behind the wheels of climate controlled cars, and insulated from the weather by synthetic materials in their homes .

I was surprised to see deer roaming free in town a few weeks back. Unafraid of being hunted, they casually noshed on a front lawn. This is not natural. Most of you live in a world where it is “natural” to buy your meat from a store. To consume flesh that has grown in an unnatural place, unhappy, in pain, and without Love. And to consume fruit and vegetables that have been genetically modified for looks and color, rather than taste and nutrition.

It’s 3:58 am, and the wind on the Hudson is crying to me, shrieking, and shedding just a tear or two on my decks so I know how sad it is. I’ve looked on the radar and can see no reason for the 30 knot temper-tantrum. The voice of the wind is hollow, like a broken man roaming the streets of New York City, it is desperately sad and unsettled.

This night, I write as the voice of the wind. It is my job to let people know there is more to the world around you than technology, processed food, and material objects that provide distraction and comfort.

The wind wants you to wake up in the night when it screams, tackle the deer in the front lawn, kill it, and consume it. “Barbaric” you say? Barbarism is what you don’t see behind the curtain. What you know is there, but you choose to turn a blind eye to. The machines that scoop up chickens and process thousands of lives a second. Mechanically separated chicken they call it. Lives that have never seen the sun, nor tasted a free run in the grass, or have had the chance to love or reproduce.

We are the orcs. The ones who tear down the forest to produce, expand, and consume at an unstoppable, and unsatable rate.

Listen to the wind. Open your windows to let in the cold air and snuggle with your companion for warmth. At the very least turn down the heating and conserve some power.

If you need to focus on “technology”, ponder what the contents of a seed are. What the magic in a seed is that will produce life after being given just sun and water. This is real technology.

We focus on “ones and zeros”, gasp in the awe of binary code and electronic gadgetry because it is something that we can understand and control. And our spirituality is broken into religions that process nature into concepts that we think we understand and control. Religion that separates humanity itself. This is why the wind demands my attention this early morning.

The truth is we are horribly lost and have ventured far off the path of humanity.

This is what the wind wants me to tell you tonight. It wants you to open your eyes and see, feel, grow, and love. It wants you to stop burning, consuming, fighting, and killing. It wants you to listen to it and understand the world around you. If you don’t, it will continue to crush your homes flood your cities, and will eventually blow us from existence so that nature can grow whole once more.

For me, the wind brings me where I need to go, and brings people in and out of my life.

Another great kindness has found its way into my world. A stranger has given me a great gift. It is a material thing, but represents something of great value to me, it represents freedom, kindness, and Love. And it comes from someone who doesn’t know who I am through my writing or film.

A week or so ago, after being violently towed to a mooring here at the Nyack boat club by the terrible man that shouted and cursed at me for being alive, I met a man that brought great kindness to me. He rowed out to me bringing my friend from the shore. My friend had no way of returning to Eleanor and needed a lift. He had to row very hard into the wind and current, as my friend (his passenger), is not a small man. I invited him in for a cup of tea and we talked for about 20 minutes.

The following day he invited my friend Bruce and I for dinner and we ate and drank wine in his beautiful old Victorian home. He has an energy about him that is a bit off from the norm, something I find to be an attribute.

During dinner I asked if I could use his address to ship some used waterproof boots I found on eBay. By the way they are great $9 boots, totally waterproof, and the perfect size to wear two pairs of wool socks in, a total score!

I returned to his house a week later, and after my Nor’easter experience to receive the boots. He invited me into his office.

When I first met him on the Hudson, I commented on the fact he was rowing a 10′ Trinka. This is the tender I’ve always dreamed of but could never conceptually or financially afford. As an alternative to a 10′ Trinka, it has been my intention to build a CLC passagemaker as it is something I can produce with my hands and not my wallet.

He sat me in his office and told me that he wanted to give me his Trinka. I instantly know why a man wants to give a boat away, it is because they have Love for it. Men who love their boats are careful who they give, or sell them too.

When a 42′ WestSail became a reality, my first reaction was that I wished I had the money to give Splendid to my sister-in-law’s family so they could raise their three children aboard. Sailboats are not about money, they are about love and freedom!

He told me he had two conditions that came with the gift. The first being that the boat had to be sailed and not just rowed. I giggled to myself “obviously he doesn’t know me very well”‘ and secondly, if I was to grow tired of it, I had to give it away and not sell it.

A finer deal has never been struck!

Later that day something dawned on me as I was casually walking through the mall looking for a pair of gloves that I never found (too expensive).

I can say with utmost certainty that I have everything I want in life, and so much more.

For some reason the universe has conspired during the last 5 weeks to fill my plate, and over run my glass, so I may voyage in other directions. At 49 years old, I can retire. Not from messing with boats, or trying to inspire my fellow man to unplug and live a minimal life of freedom on the sea. But to retire from the idea that I need, or want any more material objects.

I can now become The Minimalist Sailor and teach others to do the same. To live life free, and travel by sail and oar. To listen to the wind, and not concern themselves with the loud voice of the system.

Over the years I’ve written about an idea that I’ve had rolling around in the back of my head. Operation TRAKS (Totally Random Acts of KindnesS).

As I travel, I want to look for places to plant some Love. To help build a home for a young family, provide filters for clean drinking water, or just buy a kid a bicycle, whatever. Just to do good as I travel with no profit in mind. To raise micro-donations through my voice so that my audience can help others in an arena of zero administrative cost.

You know when you donate money to help starving children you’re really employing a lot of people in the business of charity, and only a very small fraction of your donation actually transforms itself into food in the hand of a needy child.

I can introduce you to the needy, say you PayPal me $20, I’ll buy $20 worth of food for someone you will meet through my website. This is what “operation TRAKS” is, and something I wish to inspire other voyaging sailors to do. I’d like to coordinate it all through Project BlueSphere.

When I was 5, perhaps 6 years old I saw a movie, Carry Grant was the star. In the film he was a philanthropist. I asked my mother what a philanthropist was and she told me that he was a very rich man that used his money to help others.

A light went off in my head, and because of it I can remember this moment like it was yesterday. “That’s what I want to be when I grow up” I shouted…, my mother laughed as we had little, living in a studio apartment in Hell’s Kitchen, in Manhattan.

She continued to laugh over the following years when I told her friends at parties that I wanted to be a philanthropist when I grew up and not a police, or fireman as they suggested.

My mother was wrong about something, you don’t need to be rich to do philanthropic work, you just need time and will.

Yesterday, my father-in-law called to say that we should use his credit card to buy the autopilot, the last pending expense I have before I take off. He does not have the money to pay for it, he would have to figure out how to come up with it before the end of the month but when we tried to refuse he said “Let me worry about that. Let me do this for you. Think about it, what is nicer, giving or receiving?”

Giving, truly is far better than receiving. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not giving my Trinka away, but I am giving my rowboat away, and will be looking for the new owner as I travel south. Someone who really needs it. Most likely a humble, older sailor who hasn’t figured out that inflatables are the most expensive piece of disposable gear on a boat, or a financially-challenged young sailor lacking the same enlightenment.

Bob, If “Pay it forward” was your intention in giving me your beloved Trinka, then I will amplify it and set giving into further motion. Your gift is far greater to me than fibraglass, line, sail, and wood, Thank you!

My time in New York is brightening. I have forgotten what it is to be a New Yorker. Yes, New Yorkers can be crass, cold, and loud. It’s the only city I’ve lived in where you can walk through a crowd and feel totally alone.

It is also where the intellectual community is strongest. The thinkers, the talented, and the ones who will spend a lifetime playing their violin in the subway, just because the acoustics are good. The light can also be very bright in this seemingly dark place. New York is, in my very humble opinion, the center of the world as far as humanity is concerned.

I hope I don’t have many further lessons to learn here as winter is coming and I hope the wind will release me and push me south into warmer weather.

It’s 5:19am now. I’m going to make a pot of tea and start my day, I have so much to do.

Peace

-alex

Here is a video that really had me laughing out loud this morning:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WfGMYdalClU

Edited with BlogPad Pro

Wow, the last 36 hours have been rough.

A violent Nor’easter really just ripped through my world. Three boats went adrift here at the club during this Storm.

I experienced 60 knot winds for much of one night, and a hard gale for the rest of the time. I also had some damage to the bow. A bronze hawse pipe got trashed along with some surrounding fiberglass. If you know anything about Westsail construction you would understand the magnitude of the force of nature that Eleanor and I just endured. That kind of wind against a 2 knot current makes for extremely unpleasant and dangerous conditions. I went through three sets of mooring lines as they chafed quickly in the violent swells and had to stay on deck most on the night. I’m bruised up, cut up, and soar as hell after falling and sliding down the length of my starboard deck. The mooring I was on was slowly dragging, and I towed it about 250 feet to the South-West, and towards the Tapanzee Bridge.

I haven’t seen weather like this since hurricane Isabel which many of you remember from my first film which is now available for free on the welcome page.

These 36 hours were also a hard time for me psychologically. I was cold to the bone, wet, and reassessing all my decisions around the purchase of this boat. My time here in New York has not been easy, especially being away from my wife and the tranquil lifestyle we have in Panama.

On the darkest and coldest of nights I just tried to vision being home aboard Splendid with my wife, surfing, diving, and playing in the warm water. I asked myself over and over, “Why? What have I done to deserve this?” as I tried to warm my face with numb freezing hands on Eleanor’s deck throughout the night. “I thought I was on the right path? I thought this was the right thing to do?” I had good foul weather gear but had not gotten gloves or boots yet, a mistake I will
not soon forget.

My wife, who is more often my spiritual counselor, simply reminded me that it’s my path and the light will prevail. She reminded me of all the signs, and people who are supporting our efforts, in my heart I knew she was right. Some of you might not think life is all about sea turtles and rainbows, but if you choose your path with Love, it is what you make it. In my case it is sea turtles and rainbows, and the occasional hellish storm.

Waking up this morning after a 10-hour sleep in wet socks I realized that in fact it was for the best. This nameless storm forced me to realize the pure magic and love in my life. Every 10 years I need to battle a storm it seems, and every 10 years I become a little stronger on the other side of it, and this is how I break-in my Westsails!

Being on a mooring with no engine is not the best idea in the world. And I much would have preferred my 80lb Manson supreme anchor. If I had an engine, dealing with weather like this is not a real big issue, I could have found a safe anchorage, or at the very least held fast on my own ground tackle.

I asked so nicely if I could stay (and pay) at the Petersen’s boat yard for another week so that I might install my engine while I was on the hard. I didn’t want to be helpless in the water without propulsion and nearly lost Eleanor a few times during the past 36 hours. The owner of Petersen’s would have nothing to do with it as I am not a commercial vessel and he wants to deal with only commercial vessels from now onward. I told him “you realize my steering is disconnected, I have no engine, and there is a potential hurricane (Gonzalo) approaching”. He just would not let me stay for another week. He takes great joy in abusing and belittling the people around him, I feel so sorry for the men that work there. I’ve heard him yelling and barking at them on numerous occasions.

I asked him to wait until the morning to put Eleanor in the travel lift as the bottom paint was wet (3 days before I had to be in the water) and that it would damage my hull’s paint. He started yelling at me at the top of his lungs (F’this, F’that, and F’you) he screamed at me pointing his finger in my face, “YOUR A TYPICAL F’N SAILOR” he shouted, and I could feel he wished he could hit me. Trust me when I tell you I was only kind and respectful to the people around Petersen’s.

I assume he doesn’t like sailors because they like to do their own work on their boats as opposed to paying the yard to do it? “Yourrrre outta her” he motioned like an angry baseball umpire to wrap up his little performance showing his employees how powerful he was.

What really amazed me is this man turned around and did a little dance as he wobbled away singing “I win, I win, I win” like an evil Elmer Fud. He then got in his big diesel truck dawning large plastic testicles attached to the trailer-hitch, and drove off leaving everyone to enjoy a moment of peace in the absence of his poisonous company. I suppose it is not legally a requirement for the owner of a ship-yard to take any responsibility for the safety of others, nor did he consider it an ethical obligation. The previous week he threatened not to put me in the water as the previous owner of Eleanor owed him money. I told him that it wasn’t my responsibility and he roughly told me “THAT’S NOT HOW THE WORLD WORKS, I ONLY WANT CASH, YOU DON’T GO IN THE WATER UNLESS I GET CASH!” I thought to myself that this man has absolutely no clue as to how the world works outside of his little sand box. 

My father had the same kind of deep hatred and rage as he suffered much abuse as a child. I’m glad he left my mother and I when I was 4. Sometimes it hurts to see the world and people for what they are, and what has become of them. Men can be so cruel if they are not nourished with Love properly.

I’m not an overly intelligent or talented man, however I believe my gift is the ability to see things, and write about them, in a more detailed perspective as I don’t preoccupy my time with the pursuit of material things (money), and spend most of my time trying to understand and contemplate the world around me.

I must say that I’m happy to leave the Petersen’s boat yard in my wake although the guys that work there are fantastic. I’m now surrounded by nice people at the Nyack Boat Club. My engine should be ready mid next week as they are waiting for a part before they can put the engine on the Dyno and bench test it.

The commodore here is a good guy, along with my new friend Bill. The Nyack Boat Club is a community of sailors (for the most part) who just love sailing, and helping others who also love sailing.

I’ve found myself thinking about leadership lately, and what it is to be a captain. You cannot be given a license to be a good captain or leader. It is something that one holds in their heart, and something the people that follow him know in theirs. Good men are led by good leaders.

Humans are a eusocial society, and we have distinct leaders, and followers. One is not better or higher than the other, it is just the way it is. Unfortunately in western society men are led by money, and the people who possess it. And what is even more unfortunate is often the men who possess it have no business leading men as they lack honor, dignity, and the aptitude to lead with ability.

The sea, and the men of the sea know this, as nature can be fierce. If you put three men on a boat, and the shit hits the proverbial fan, one man is the leader no matter what any paper or rank says, we are who we are.

I hope you guys enjoy the new website. Unfortunately you will have to sign up again. There are some great new features and I’d like everyone to upload pictures and fill out your profiles so I know who you are and what you look like. I’ve been conversing with many of you for weover a decade now and it would be nice for me to put a face with your comments and emails.

If anyone is interested in a charter deal in Panama let me know. Money is really tight with the purchase of Eleanor and I really want to buy an autopilot for my trip south. We are offering two charters for 7 nights all meals included for a single person, couple or two friens at $900 (less than half the price, we usually charge $2,100) in order to raise the $1,800 which is what a new CPT autopilot costs. Remember that this will be a unique opportunity to be either one of the last people who come to share some time on Splendid with us or the first who come stay on Eleanor.

I also want to thank Nico (my brother), Nick (the previous owner),Martin, Bruce, Ben Brown, Jeff from Vagabond graphics, Mamassa Linda (my mother in law), my Momma D, my cousin Steve, my digital guru and dear friend David, Shawn & Katie, Captain Paul, Darryl, and Tom Ersk
for your support and help.

Also I’d like to thank the following subscribers who helped me raise almost $1,000 in the last month. Todd Townsend, Steven Inglis, Steve Ferdinando, Shawn & Katie Eglseder, Henry Fierz, David Vargo, Karl Manzer, John Timmons, Sam Rodgers, Jeff Stubblefield, David Toste, Brett Reynolds, Kenyon Stuart, T&D Design, and Ryan Bradfield. I hope I didn’t forget anyone.

It’s these donations that provide me the knowledge that there is some worth to my words and images over the last decade. I suppose my business is inspiration, and providing men with encouragement to venture into the world on small boats. You are not crazy for wanting to do something different than the norm. I was re-reminded of this this by my friend David who sent me this video after I was questioning my path during the last 36 hours.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rwsuXHA7RA

That’s it for today. I managed 10 hours sleep after skipping a night. I’m going to take it easy today as I’m really sore after getting beat up by this Nor’easter.

Peace.

Sail far and live slowly.

-alex

Edited with BlogPad Pro

Continue reading “Old man winter”

I couldn’t have started this journey without my brother-in-law Nico. Thank you for all the help brother (not in-law). Nico returned home yesterday, however he left me with a solid plan. This past week I felt like Neo walking through the matrix for the first time being guided by Morphious. Thanks for taking my hand and guiding me through this strange land they call New York.

Nico’s last morning here was great. We woke up, got in the rental car, and went out to find a cup of coffee. We were all wrapped up in a humorous conversation and completely drove through town without realizing. We took a wrong turn and got stuck on the Tapenzee bridge during rush hour. At first I was bummed at the loss of time and being stuck in traffic but as always, my path was unfolding before my very eyes.

Once on the other side we had a nice breakfast at a diner. I really enjoyed taking the time with Nico before he left. I haven’t had bacon in 7 years or so, I ate an entire side order :) Our round trip toll on the Tapanzee bridge cost over $10 but was worth every penny in the end.

As soon as we got back to the yard I met a great guy from New Zealand that works here. He is a mechanic, welder, sailor, jack of all trades, and an all around great guy. He has a beautiful Cheoy Lee out on a mooring. He spoke to the owner here and fixed all my problems in 10 minutes.

I can stay here till the engine is back in and I have propulsion to push me south. They are going to put me out on a mooring after the 15th and tow me back to the dock when it’s time to put the engine in. The guy from New Zealand said “no worries mate, i’ll loan you a generator while your out in the river”. The river is going to be cold once the boat is in the water. Nico is fedexing me a propane camping heater which I’ll return once I get to Florida. I bought an adapter hose and will hook it up to a 20lb tank. It is safe for indoor use. Life is so much easier with a friend or two ;)

I’ve decided to go with a different mechanic who is more local (New Jersey) and can turn the motor around in 10 days or so as opposed to 3-4 weeks from the place in Florida. I got a weird vibe when it came time to pay the guys in Florida. They didn’t want me to use Paypal even though they advertise and sell their work on eBay and I found a “rip-off report” on them online. I spoke to the guy in Florida about it. I’m sure they are legit and feel bad about pulling out of the order but I feel better this way.

I have to pay more money with the local guy but I can watch and document the process. I really want a hand in the rebuild so I know her inside and out and what parts are going into her.

I also need a new exhaust manifold and have really put a lot of time into the process of finding one. Marine exhaust manifolds are kind of like tires. They are somewhat disposable and only last so long. The material of the manifold suffers extreme heat and cooling. Stainless usually cracks after a few years and iron rusts quickly.

I found a really nice manifold in the UK that is made from aluminum. It is an exhaust manifold, a heat exchanger, and the tank that holds the coolant all in one:

http://www.asap-supplies.com/marine/perkins-4236-manifolds-hose/bowman-marine-heat-exchanger-pe390-3674

I get to pull all that extra crap off the motor and stream line it, very cool, I like simple!!!

I had a standpipe riser which I’ve never seen before. They are perfect at keeping the seawater from backing into the motor unless they corrode internally, then they just inject water into the cylinder head, which is what happened here. I have to be grateful to it, as if it wasn’t for its failure and drowning the motor, we would never have gotten such a magnificent boat & home at such a fair price.

I miss my wife and can’t wait to see her in November. We talk daily and we are both working hard to make this all happen. Carla tells me she still looks at the pictures of Rocinante daily. I’d like to have the boat running, clean, and all pulled together for her arrival to our new home.

Rocinante was sitting on the hard for like 7 years they tell me. She needs new house bank batteries, new starting batteries, and a new battery for the windlass. I need to buy a new head for the forward bathroom (for charters), a new exhaust system, racor filter, pay for the yard, cranes, a CPT autopilot, fowlies, and a bunch of other little things like up to date flares, fuel, oil, filters, belts and a bunch of stuff I don’t realize yet. I’m totally overwhelmed by expenses.  When I return to Panama I have to use the new motor to run backpackers, back and forth between Colombia and Panama while Splendid is for sale. I’ll charge $550 each, I can take 6 at a time, and the trip takes about 5 days. I should be able to clear 2 grand a trip after expenses. It hard work, and hard on the boat, but real San Blas charters are much harder to come by.

Crossing an ocean soon is in the cards for us now. I want to be in higher latitudes with seasonal weather. It’s nice to sleep all wrapped up in a sleeping bag and have to wear a sweater and hat. I could leave the cold driving rain behind, but got to take the good with the bad :)

My feelings being back are double edged. On one hand I like hearing the New York accent. I used to sound like that when I was young. When I speak to people now they think I’m Australian by my accent, maybe Canadian.

Its fall, and all the red and golden trees are beautiful. I enjoy all the lovely fruits, meats, and cheeses from the market. I’ve had a roast beef and a pastrami sandwich for the first time in 7 years or so. I haven’t seen one shitty car since I’ve been here. Every car on the road in Panama seems to be rusting to the point of extreme danger. Everything here is pretty, fancy, super clean, and expensive. Even the working class like welders and carpenters have expensive cars here. All the lawns are trimmed just so, and everyone is well fed, however extremely busy. That “laid back Caribbean vibe” Is nowhere to be found.

I’ve been re-reminded why I don’t like living in western culture. The truth is I’m a drain on the society and it doesn’t feel good.

In my world I’m the guy that helps inspire and unplug men from the system to live their dreams. Some people, believe it or not, look up to me and ask for advice, and I love to help without regard to financial gain. They thank me all the time and send us beautiful emails on how our example living helps them walk, or dream of living free in the world.

Here I’m an indigent that has to negotiate more reasonable rates, and ask for a ride to the shop where I can’t afford to buy things in the first place. I much prefer rowing to the reef, shooting a fish, and helping a friend.

I walked to Starbucks last week for the internet. I was asked for money twice by “homeless” and felt really bad I couldn’t share. I ordered a small black tea because it was the cheapest way to get the internet and a comfortable place to sit and write. A few minutes into enjoying my tea in luxury the homeless man who had asked me for money in the street walked into Starbucks, greeted everyone by name, and ordered an expensive large coffee drink. I didn’t feel so bad for not sharing my pocket change at that point.

It’s a strange world here. Sure I could go back to work and plug myself in, but I know I would end up on that same beach in Malibu contemplating my very existence. Once again I’m reminded of the matrix. The scene when Neo wants to get out of the car and Trinity gently takes his arm and tells him he doesn’t want to get out. He asks “why” and she simply replies “because you have been down that road before”.

If you guys enjoy Project BlueSphere, and can afford a donation now is the time. I look at donating to Project BlueSphere like donating to public radio. Public radio is free, and once a year or so they try to raise money to keep providing the service everyone enjoys. I’m really over extended at the moment. A little love in the paypal account would go really far these days. Getting this boat is a big jump-start for Project BlueSphere and getting us under-way to distant anchorages once again.

Peace,

Sail far and live slowly.

-alex

   I’m Back in the USA for the first time in about 7 years. Believe it or not I’m still happy after having  strangers ruffle through my personal belongings, pat down my privates, and radiate me with scanners 3 times upon entry.

New York is my home, I was born at doctors hospital (Manhattan) on July 14th 1965. I grew up here in the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s. When I was a teenager I was the king of New York, nobody else knew it though. I knew this city inside and out, it was my playground.

So much has changed. You can pay your bill at Starbucks with your phone, there are parking meter robots on every street eating debit cards, and I paid $15.32 to send an 8 page fax from New York to the Coast Guard in Virginia and didn’t even have the help of a human being. It all seems a bit cold to me and I’m not referring to the weather. I know I can’t survive in this world…, “reality” some people call it.

However we are the proud new owners of a WestSail 42 cutter rigged ketch. I’m so excited I can’t see straight. I know I can speak for my wife, she is on cloud 9 as well! This home came to us with pure love as Carla and I only had $600 to our names.

I’m a little lost at the moment. The yard I’m at (on the hard) says I need to leave by the 15th “NO EXCEPTIONS”. Sea Tow wants about $800 to tow me 7 miles to a marina that costs $1000 a month. There is a cute little sailing club a quarter mile down the river (Hook Mountain) and when I went to enquire about a mooring and access to the dock for a few hours the commodore or who ever he was could not have been more crass and rude if he tried, “you’re just a liability”, even though I inquired as to the price? It’s really hard to find a little help around here, these are not the kind of sailors I’m used to dealing with, I feel like an alien.

My brother in law is here, he rented a car and is helping me get everything done. We got a come-along (2 ton) at Home Depot for about $30 and we are going to boom the engine out of Rocinante tomorrow. We are going to put in a new cutlass bearing and pay the yard to paint the bottom. They are going to splash me on the 15th and I have no place to go at the moment where I can put the engine back in, its all a big mystery!

I did stop by the Nyack yacht club and met some really nice folks. They are having a regatta on Sunday and asked if I could come back after Monday. It really would be the perfect place for me. They have a crane on one of the docks and there is a really good vibe about the place. I really hope I will be able to stay there for 6 weeks or so while I get ready to go. I desperately need a friendly place to stay.

My main priority at the moment is getting the engine on a pallet and shipped to the shop in Florida that will do the rebuild. I should have it back in 3 weeks and I can start putting some miles under the keel, start sailing home, and back to my wife. Carla will come for a visit mid November so we can be together for our first wedding anniversary on November 22 thanks to some friends on Facebook, thanks guys :) I also have to thank Nick the previous owner (with the smart car) for making this possible and being so cool and helpful. Two of his four children were born aboard this boat and blessed it with life, I can feel it in her bones.

I’m over my head on this thing but in my element if you know what I mean. It’s adventure for me . I’ve had so many friends come out of the woodwork and offer loaner cars (got to get a license), free airfare, and thanks to my brother and my friend Martin we have this amazing new floating home. A home to start my new life with Carla and get back to dreams of the sea with my best friend, wife, and the soundest craft a captain could ask for.

I am no longer the king of New York, I am just the most fortunate man to ever sail the sea. I’m so in love with everything in my world, really!

I am amazed at all the good food here. Most people seem to eat crap and there are fast food restraints everywhere. It’s so nice to have blueberries and strawberries. It’s been so long since I’ve had a peach too, yummy!

The following months are going to be hard. There is a lot of work to be done, my finances are minuscule and winter is coming fast. I haven’t tied to a dock in over 7 years and freedom to me is being able to live on the hook and not be tied to the system, or people thrusting their fists deep into my empty pockets at every corner.

I’ll be so happy to get under way and start my trip south. It’s 275 miles to Norfolk where I can start my 1095 mile trip down the ICW. My plan is to be in Panama late December. I think it’s a pipe dream and January/February is more likely, but I am  going to push as hard as possible. I want to get to Splendid so we can move out and shine her up for sale. If you want to come along for part of my trip south and are willing to cover fuel for the days your here let me know.

I can’t believe I’m back in a west sail. This is a difficult move but will be so worth it in the end.

Today was a big day. Nico (my brother in law) and I pulled the cutlass bearing, prop, he went aloft and ran some halyards and unfroze the roller furling bearing. We also pulled the cable steering system and pulled up the cockpit floor exposing the engine to the sky and freedom. We pulled out the water heater, starter, alternator, all the wires and electronic bits on the motor. And it was a 2 hour process but we got the transmission separated from the engine as will. The motor mount bolts are off and the engine is ready to go up, up, up, and out of the boat TODAY!!!

Does anyone in the area have a cheap dinghy or bicycle for sale?

I’ll be amazed if I can pull this whole thing off. This boat however is not really a project boat at all. She needs a rebuilt engine but is in lovely shape otherwise. She can use some new canvas (good thing Carla does it), and a rigging bit or two, but once the engine is done She is ready to rock & roll!!!

Peace everyone.

Sail far and live slowly.

-alex

We bought a new boat, a 1975, WestSail 42 “Rocinante” (Don Quixote’s horse), WAHOOOOOO!!!!!!!

I don’t often use the label “God” because it causes so much commotion amongst people. Even though I strongly disagree with organized religion, I am the most spiritual man I know. I refer to God as nature, and God has spoken to me!

The last week of my life has been so amazing tears have been pouring from my cheeks on so many occasions it is hard for me to count on two hands.

About a week and a half ago Carla told me that she felt something big was coming, no reason, just a tingle. The energy in our lives was simmering and about to intensify to an over-boil. I didn’t give it much thought.

I had the most amazing free dive of my life two days ago. Some of you know I’m apnea training (breathing exercises) for about an hour a day in order to increase my bottom time and hunting abilities. I can hold my breath between 2.5 and 3 minutes now and my goal is 4 minutes by my 50th birthday in July.

Well the other morning I woke up before the sun as usual and rowed to the reef a mile or so away.

I have been hunting the entrance to one particular cave about 40′ deep because it is teaming with snapper and always fills my plate. By the time I got to the cave I was surprised that I had no feeling to breathe and was a bit impressed with myself.

I’m fearful to enter caves but this one has a small opening at the top that fills it with dim light. I entered the cave and swam 15′ or so into it, the deepest I’ve ever been in a cave by far. I just sat on the bottom, I must have been there a few minutes just taking in the beauty. I wasn’t interested in shooting anything, just enjoying the moment. I have never teared in my mask underwater, this was a first, it was just too beautiful.

Minutes passed and it dawned on me how incredibly dangerous what I was doing was. Nobody knew where I was to recover my body if I lost my breath and I would spend eternity in this cave as I was so deep into it, and in a separate chamber than the main one. In no way was I fearful of anything and it was the best dive of my life.Thousands of fish were swimming around the beam of light shimmering from the ceiling as I looked up.

I casually left the cave after thanking the sea for the fish I took. I always calm the fish with my hand, and thank it before I thrust my blade into its brain to stop the pain. Then I calmly swam to the surface, PRICELESS! I wish I had a timer on me but it didn’t matter, I’m thinking well over 3 minutes.

A squall was passing and it was raining hard as I rowed home. It passed quickly and the sun kissed my back once again to warm my skin from the sea.

When I got home to Splendid, Carla was hanging laundry and I made us a nice fish lunch on the grill. Truly a beautiful morning!

As many of you know I allocate large amounts of time corresponding with my readers. My hope is to help inspire them to unplug and adopt a minimalistic sailing philosophy. The goal being a life of peace and tranquility sailing the world as a free man.

One of my readers who I converse with regularly (Richard) had been sending me a lot of emails.  He happened to mention to me that there was a WestSail 42 at auction on eBay. I didn’t think much about it as I am more than happy with my beloved Splendid and never gave a thought to buying another boat.

I don’t know if you remember Eleanor in gone in 60 seconds. It was a 1967 Shelby GT 500 Ford Mustang, and the car that Nicolas Cage’s character Memphis Raines could never steal. It was an illusive ghost that he cold never attain.

Well the 42′ WestSail is my Eleanor. Some of you may remember when I sold Namaste (28′ WestSail) when I was in Tahiti. There was a 42′ WestSail in Mexico asking 45k. I burned through my relaxing pacific crossing so I could get to Australia as fast as possible so I could get the money for the WestSail 42, I missed her by just two weeks. I searched high and low speaking to all the other owners of WestSail 42s trying to cut some kind of deal and just couldn’t make it happen. They were all just way out of my price range.

Well laying in bed I decided to check out the W42 on eBay, the asking bid was just $14,999. My heart stopped. “What if” was the thought bouncing around my skull like a bullet ricocheting around the inside of a steel sphere. After looking at the pictures of the boat I knew I had to try once again as she was calling me to be her captain.

The only problem was that between Carla and myself we had about $600 to our name. “Could I sell Splendid super cheap before the end of the auction”?

The previous week Carla and I had been looking at Greenland charts and dreaming of such an adventure. I’m ready for seasonal weather, I’ve been sweating between 20 degrees north or south of the equator too long, and Carla is from Patagonia. “But could Splendid really handle banging the ice around”? She has a strong hull. She isn’t a Hunter or Beneteau by any means, but she isn’t as strong as a steel boat either. I don’t want the maintenance or weight of a steel boat so I didn’t really entertain the idea of going to the ice with Splendid, too risky especially without insurance. The WestSail hulls are as close to having a steel hull as possible without the mess of chipping rust all the time.

Well Rocinante (The WestSail 42 on eBay) went from a dream to an obsession once again. I showed Carla the boat and she freaked out. She said she had never seen a layout that she liked better than Splendid’s until now and that she loved the idea as much as me, but how?

I told a few people Splendid was available for a quick sale (contingent upon me buying Rocinante) for a giveaway price of whatever it cost me to get into Rocinante. Well, 4 days is just too quick to sell a boat at any price. We had a very stressful week and I couldn’t sleep until the damn auction was over, “would something not present itself”?

Well my awesome brother-in-law decided to loan us some money so we could take a shot at the auction. If I had the money I would have placed a $100,000 snipe to insure it. So on the last day of the auction we placed our bid and crossed our fingers, meditated, and asked the universe, not to bring us Rocinante, but just to bring us what is right for our path. We were sweating bullets for hours. We realized that we could bid a maximum of about 32k, we put an extra hundred just in case. About 20 minutes before the end of the auction I got an email from one of my readers and friend, who I have never met, instructing me to increase my bid by 5k, that I could pay it back whenever I could. We did, and amazingly won the auction at 37,100! The moment we won the auction Carla and I shouted a cry that would have woken the dead.

When you read the words I am about to write you must understand that in no way could I ever convey the magnitude of what happened to us, or capture the magic of the moment with any words, photographs, or videos. If you saw what I am about to tell you in a movie it would just be too cheesy to believe, you would laugh, and walk out of the theater.

Backup a few seconds. The eBay timer slowly crawls across the screen of my iPhone, 5,4,3,2,1. 30 endless seconds pass because we have horrible bandwidth, but we get the news we won the bid. We shout and embrace in a hug on Splendid’s bow. A huge sea turtle swims towards us with two remoras on its back along with a beautiful dancing jellyfish (all within 10 seconds of winning the bid). And I shit you not, a double rainbow formed over the anchorage. I burst into tears and literally fell to my knees, Carla whispered through her tears and awe “baby, it’s your mother”.
I have no words to write. It was just the purest moment of Love I have ever experienced in my life. Carla ran for a camera and retuned and was trying to get a photo. I said no, just sit and take it in, she managed one quick picture of the rainbow which in no way conveys what transpired in the moment, the world just stopped for us and I was able to have a few minutes with my mother and my wife.

I’ll never be afraid of entering an underwater cave again. My destination in life is clear and I will navigate it unafraid with only love in my heart. If I drown in a cave I couldn’t think of a better end to a magnificent life.

I’ve seen a turtle pop its head out of the water in the distance, and maybe catch an elusive glimpse here and there a few times, but never has one approached my boat and made a point of making eye contact with me with a smile.

If it was a dolphin, stingray or something like that I’d chalk it up to coincidence. But sea turtles are very weary of people here because every local hunts them for food and they know better. Carla had never seen a wild turtle in her life.

My mother (Halyna) died when I was 20, and my family fell apart. She was the glue that held everyone together. I’ve been a single-hander ever since I lost her whether on land or sea.

When I married Carla I was blessed with so much more. I have a real family once again. Any one of them would give a stranger the shirt off their back to keep you warm on a cold night. I am not only in Love with Carla but her entire family as well, they are the most amazing people that come from nothing and have little, but are willing to give everything. My kind of people!

Rocinante has come to us for reasons beyond my understanding, or perhaps because Splendid has plans for someone else, I don’t know. All I know is that my mother is alive and guiding me where I need to go. She is my navigator and I have unconditional faith in my path. She was built the year Carla was born, and I have to return to my home (New York) to gather her and start this next chapter of my life.

I am the luckiest man alive.

Nico (my brother-in-law), and Martin (my friend who shot us 5k at the right moment), I am forever in your debt! Richard, thanks for letting us know about the auction. Thank you all so very much for making this possible for Carla and I.

As I write this, tears are dripping on my iPad, I’m glad I got the waterproof case :)

I’m starting another adventure. Carla is staying behind to scrape, paint, and varnish. Splendid is ready to sail, but not for sale, if you know what I mean.

I’m flying to New York on Tuesday nearly penniless to rebuild an engine and get Rocinante back to Panama and my wife by the end of December so we can charter and sell Splendid. I have a few years to pay off my loan (not monthly) but want to get it done within one, Splendid will cover us :)

The first things I have to do in New York is find a jacket, some warm clothes, a sleeping bag, and a bicycle. I’ll have to scrape around for tools, rebuild an engine that is completely shot (water got in the cylinders) and just pull this thing out of my ass.

I’m flying into La Guardia airport and need to figure out public transportation to Nyack, New York. Once there I can stay on the boat and everything will get easier. I also want to slap some bottom paint on if I can and maybe change the cutlass bearing.

What a ride this is going to be. I’ll be posting blogs and videos often. I also need to figure out how to get a prepaid sim in my phone or iPad so I can stay in touch with Carla.

We are both so excited we can’t see straight.

Thanks for reading.

Only Love guys!

-alex

But only for the next couple days. I have a very narrow opportunity to get into a slightly bigger and heavier boat in the next few days.

Carla and I have been dreaming of Greenland, Alaska, and Patagonia. The truth is I’ve been thinking of steel, and heavier boats and we have a crazy possibility but have to strike at it now.

I may be willing to sell Splendid in the 30-40k range with her mooring (no slip fees) ASAP here in Panama.

If anyone is interested please contact me at alexdorsey@gmail.

Also if someone is willing to give me a loan based on Splendid’s paper, I’d be up for that too. If I had time to sell her down here I could get 60-70k with the mooring.

peace.

– alex

I’ve been spear-fishing for about 20 years, maybe a few more. I can hunt around 40′ deep and hold my breath for about a minute and a half, nothing special. I always manage some food (fish/lobster) unless I’m being lazy and just don’t want to clean smaller fish, the big fish lay deep. However put me in the water for 1/2 hour and I can always come home with a meal.

Well I’ve made a new friend who has pushed me into apnea training and getting me to the next level of my free-diving. I’m training a couple times a day. There is a really good app on the App Store for apnea training (apnea trainer), and I do my breathing exercises in the morning and in the evening for about 20 minutes each time. In just a week I’ve increased my breath hold to 2:30 (on land) and I’m hoping to be around 4 minutes in a few months of training. This is my gift to myself for my 50th birthday next July. I want to take my free-diving and spear-fishing to the next level!

Free-diving and spear-fishing isn’t a sport to me, it’s my spiritual connection to the world around me. The reef is my church and when I’m hunting upon it everything in my world makes sense. Life is simple, I am a hunter, nothing more. I’m not so fond of the label “God” as it seems to bring out the worst in people, but when I’m free-diving I’m as close to my spirituality (peace) as I can be.

By my 50th birthday it’s my goal to be hunting at 75′-95′ deep and shooting the big fish! The world record is a 320′ free-dive (swimming with no fins, and not on a sled). Many pro free-divers and spear-fisherman easily work 100’+.

Apnea training is very similar to belly-breathing and many forms of yoga breathing. The goal is to strengthen the diaphragm so you take in more life-giving oxygen throughout the day. I’m also finding it incredibly beneficial to my asthma symptoms, big plus!

In apnea training one needs to train themselves to get away from the mental reflex of feeling the need to breathe and taking control of that reflex. Believe it or not the longest breath hold is 22 minutes, crazy!

Have you heard of the mammalian dive reflex? It’s a natural reflex that all mammals have in order to spend long periods of time under water. Some mammals like whales, seals, and dolphins are masters at this but humans have it as well. Once initiated your body optimizes respiration and heartbeat in order to spend long periods in an oxygen deprived environment (under water). There was actually a case where a 21 month old child drowned in cold water and had no heart beat for 50 minutes. He was revived to a full recovery.

One of the things I’m finding is that controlling my breathing is like a drug. It brings an incredible sense of peace and well-being and I’m addicted to it. I’m also transitioning into yoga breathing which has many forms. If you’re looking for a sure-fire method to combat stress in a drug-free way I strongly suggest you research yoga breathing. IT REALLY DOES WORK!

I went spear fishing the other day and shot a blue runner and a small tuna. On one of my dives I found that I had forgot about my breath-hold and was just exploring an underwater cave looking for fish. When I popped my head out of the cave to look up I was grinning from ear to ear. I was about 60′ deep, maybe a bit more, and in total peace.

My buddy gave me a broken free-diving watch for some help on his engine. It doesn’t tell the time as one of the buttons doesn’t work but, as soon as you submerge it, it goes into dive mode and records depth and bottom time. I can’t wait to play with it.

I must say I think I’m the happiest, and luckiest man alive. I have freedom, love, and health. My life’s journey is forever growing and bringing me closer to whatever it has in store for me.

As I sit in my hammock on the foredeck writing this blog, the morning sun is shining on my face and it’s raining hard. The blue runners are herding the small fish against my hull for their morning breakfast, stirring the water, and splashing about. I’ve shot them in the past without even getting wet. The pelicans are dive-bombing all around Splendid and life is forever expanding. The beauty of this world really does bring tears to my eyes, life is just so beautiful! How could anyone waste their time watching the news or concerning themselves with anything but the pursuit of love?

Don’t forget how very precious your dreams are. Forge them into reality at all cost!

Peace.

Sail far and live slowly.

-alex

I’ve never really written about health onboard because I’ve always been quite healthy for the most part.

I did have a battle with malaria in Colombia a few years back but aside from the occasional flu, and dealing with my asthma in a moldy environment (rain forest humidity on a boat) life has been pretty good to me.

I am turning 50 next year and think its a good time to start addressing health aboard a full time sailing yacht.

The first thing I want to say is prevention and healthy-living is the best form of health care.

Its often hard for me to find ways to exercise aside from spear-fishing. I haven’t been able to find time for it lately given the plethora of boat projects facing me at the moment, real bummer! 

I am planning to start surfing on a regular basis next season which is a fantastic and fun way to get a good work out. However the best thing I’ve done for my health lately is to retire, for the most part, my inflatable dinghy and outboard motor.

I’m rowing my dyer midget full time these days and by just going to shore or visiting a friends boat I get a great workout. Not to mention the fact I have a much more versatile dinghy. I can sail it to shore on windy days, however rowing is my preference. I could also put a small outboard on it but it is something I choose not to do, truthfully I just don’t need the headache or expense.

Just FYI, we painted our dinghy black, this is our baby in both pictures.

living a green life is important to Carla and I so natural methods of propulsion are what we prefer. A proper ships tender is vital for extended voyaging. Our sailing dinghy never deflates and numerous methods of propulsion (sail, row, motor) are always available to us.

Rowing an inflatable is an awful experience. I am a big fan of having a proper rowing and sailing dinghy, however I do keep an Achilles RIB and Yamaha 9.9 outboard onboard for charter guests who often don’t have the agility for a hard dinghy.

Unfortunately health has been an issue for me lately.

About 6 weeks ago I was bitten by something on my leg. I gather it was a brown recluse spider that was hiding in the bilge of a boat I was installing an autopilot on. As you can see from the photo the bite really went awry and the infection/necrosis was quite bad.

I spent the better part of a month on antibiotics and saw 6 different doctors during that time. I don’t feel myself yet and think I’m still battling some infection in my body. I went to see another doctor (#7 within two months) and he did some specialized blood work.

My blood test revealed a very low DHEA  level. This provides a good explanation why my energy has been in the toilet lately. He gave me a hormone injection but after doing some reading I don’t think i will go back for boosters. There are natural ways to stimulate adrenal activity that I’m much more interested in and comfortable with.

We are what we eat, and onboard Splendid Carla and I eat very well. We make our own foods from scratch and hardly ever eat anything from a tin or box. Home made hummus and whole grain flat bread is a staple aboard our floating home.

I also consume mass amounts of oats, nuts, dried & fresh fruit, garlic, fish, and veggies. I love red meat and foul but its impossible to find meat that are not contaminated by antibiotics and hormones here in Panama.

Antibiotics and hormones in meat and dairy products are most likely the cause of my adrenal gland taking a break from producing the proper balance of DHEA in my body. I’ve done my homework.

I take my health quite seriously. My mother passed at age 42 from lung cancer (she didn’t smoke), and my father had prostate or colon cancer however he did survive.

It really does amaze me how poorly most western people eat. Sugar, sugar, sugar, coffee, coffee, energy drinks, copious amounts of fat & chemicals, starch, soda, and carbs.

I used to love coca cola but have given it up entirely along with a sugar and alcohol laden diet. These things should all be considered poison, or at the very least occasional treats. I read on Facebook once that one of my friends actually said he didn’t like the taste of water and preferred Gatorade G2, WTF, really? Did you ever see the film Idiocracy ?

Good food consists of hormone and antibiotic free meat (not
consumed daily or with every meal), fish, whole grains (not genetically modified), nuts, fresh fruit and vegetables.

If you don’t have access to fresh foods, like living on a sailboat in remote locations, dried is the next best thing. I’m in the process of building a large stainless solar drier for the back deck with a 12v backup for nighttime and rainy day production. Food driers onboard are a great way to preserve fish, meat, fruit, and vegetables.

One should also have the equipment onboard for home canning. Canned lobster, fish, home made pate, low sugar jams and chutney are all welcome friends aboard Splendid.

Onboard splendid we make wine, bread, cheese, pasta, tofu, yoghurt, and lots of other goodies. I also make my own flour from rice, oat, almonds, and other beans and grains.

last year we installed a new Dickenson Mediterranean 3 burned stove and oven. As far as I’m concerned this is the Rolls Royce of ships cookers and one of the most important pieces of voyaging gear. A vitamix (blender on steroids) is also an essential part of our galley for milling grains to flour and making hummus, not to mention the occasional margarita.

As soon as I can afford one I will buy a soymilk machine on eBay. This will make tofu production very easy, as well as provide us with very inexpensive almond, soy, and other nut and bean milks.

As far as drinks go a clean source of water is imperative. last year I built a water maker (18 GPH) and it is my sole source of hydration. Carla loves to make tea and fruit infused sweet waters and I enjoy them without the sugar. My favorite thing to drink however is room temperature water, and consume a few liters a day.

I’ve also replaced my coffee intake with green tea, and only enjoy coffee as an occasional luxury or midnight pickup before a sailing shift.

Many of you have been with me for the last decade on my travels and I’m sure your ageing along with me. Now that I’m about to turn 50 my intention is to enter the second half of my life a healthy and fit sailor!

Love, health, and happiness are the most important things in life and we must cherish, respect, and nurture them. Nothing should take precedence, and living a healthy life aboard a sailing yacht is the most magical way I could ever imagine living.

Health insurance is something I’ve never had. However as I’m getting older something id like to consider, but given my financial situation it isn’t really a reality. If I ever become really sick I can fly to Argentina (my wife’s nationality) to receive free health care.

In Argentina the hospitals are teamed with highly educated and talented doctors, however the lines are long and care is given on a priority basis. The civilized thing about health care in Argentina is they do not ask for identification in order to administer care, you just need to be a human being.

For those of you who can afford healthcare and are traveling by boat go to one of the many international travel health insurance companies and choose the countries you wish to have health coverage in. If you deselect the United States you will be amazed at the drop in price. Truthfully I would rater be covered for health-care in Europe or Cuba anyway as I prefer the philosophy of “care” to that of the one in the United States.

Well that’s it for today guys.

Carla is visiting her father in Miami for his 80th birthday and sailing down the ICW today on her brothers new boat. I’m chilling and trying to get my strength back.

Peace.

Sail far and live slowly.

– Alex

As most of you know, you won’t just read of beautiful beaches, palm trees, and sugar-plum fairies here at my blog. I like writing about real life, and real life voyaging abroad.

Losing Robin Williams to suicide has really affected me, and given me strength to write about some things that are difficult for me to write about or admit.

My closest friends know my story and I’ve touched on the subject of depression and suicide in my blogs a few times over the years because it is something that is close to me. I also feel it’s something I need to write about because my audience (mostly men) don’t like to talk about their feelings and tend to sweep them under the carpet. Knowing you’re not alone is imperative and the first step to beating it.

So very many of my readers reach out to me and tell me why they can’t walk away from the system, go sailing, and live their dreams. Every day I hear about family and marital obligations, “moral” obligations, financial restrictions, and it’s all bullshit.

I suppose it’s easy for me to say it’s all bullshit from my perspective, but it’s suicide and depression that got me here. Suicide was the crossroad that gave me the strength to live, and luckily I chose my path wisely.

I came about a millimeter away from checking out on a beach in Malibu back in 2001. It’s hard for me to write about or admit that I was ever that weak and lost but I was. I can also tell you that putting a gun in my mouth was the best thing I ever did as it really put my life into perspective. I haven’t had a thought of suicide since that night thirteen years ago. I won the battle!

I wasn’t depressed because I didn’t have money or love. I was depressed because I just couldn’t live in a system where I had to work every day of my life and support a system that I didn’t believe in. Everything I was doing was wrong. I didn’t like waking up to an alarm and doing the same mundane shit every day. I didn’t like supporting war, or a puritan society that repressed my dreams and the dreams of my fellow man. I despised eating packaged meat and not hunting, driving and not walking, and sitting in front of a fucking television wasting my life away watching fictitious men live a life of freedom when I felt I should be doing the same.

Why couldn’t I get out? Why did I feel trapped? Why did I feel I had no other options?

Programming, conditioning, guilt, and imposed responsibilities. The puritan idea that we need to send our children to school and not educate them ourselves. To work to build a society that conquers others and represses individual spirituality, thought, and creativity. These were my enemies, and the demons that nearly took my life.

Fear guards the gates of freedom, and fear is what stops my readers from living their dreams.

The reality is you can most likely sell your car for the money to buy a boat, trade your flat screen for a spear gun, and teach your children what life is really about aboard an inexpensive boat sailing the world.

Many of my closest friends were cruising kids and never stepped foot in a classroom. They are the sharpest and most successful people I know. And I don’t weigh “success” with numbers, I weigh it with Love.

The reality is, before I put a gun in my mouth, I was a fucking monkey. I was chasing bananas, trying to please my owner and be an obedient citizen. I was living in a society where if I didn’t pay my taxes for shit that I didn’t believe in I would go to jail. If I drove too fast, smoked marijuana, or didn’t conform I would go to jail.

When I pulled the gun out of my mouth it was five words I promised myself I would NEVER forget: “Not one more fucking day!” This is still my mantra today.

My suicide attempt is the opening of the book I’m writing, and the chapter is entitled “The epiphany” because my suicide attempt is what saved my life and freed my soul.

I have a very close friend and a man I love very much who is fighting depression and suicidal thoughts. I worry about him all the time because I know that hopeless feeling of depression. But I also know life on the other side and know it’s a reality.  

The fear of change is the hurdle. Change in dark times should be a welcome guest but, for many of us, hiding in a dark corner with a bottle of alcohol is more comfortable.

Fuck what people think. If they belittle your hopes, dreams, and aspirations you need to put them in your rear view mirror and never look back. Love is support, Love is understanding, and Love is what we need to teach to our children.

My blogs automatically get posted to my Facebook page which is something I’m on the fence about. I have many “friends” on Facebook that post anti-republican, anti-democrat, anti-Muslim, anti-Mexican, and lots of anti-other men crap. All I have to say to you guys is you should realize you’re not my “friend”. I have no time for people who hate anymore, but I do hope I can inspire you through my writing so you may find peace and understanding. By posting  “us and them” hatred you’re building a wall that traps not only yourselves, but the freedom of mankind itself. Freedom is Love, and if it’s something you seek you should be tearing down the wall, not cementing bricks onto it. Real men Love, little men judge.

If you know of other men who are depressed regardless of their religion, class, or political views,  make it your business to Love, understand, and extend your hand to them.

I will miss Robin Williams with all my heart, the world is a much smaller place without him! He was a sensitive man that gave much more than he took from this world, losing him is a real tragedy. He was one of my personal heroes. Thanks for all the laughs!

Peace

Sail far and live slowly.

– alex

Arrrggg! I have a rat on board.

At least I think it’s a rat, some kind of rodent for sure. It must have swam and climbed the anchor chain while I was gone.

I’ve set two snap-traps, and a glue trap. It keeps taking the food without triggering the traps, and stole food from the glue trap. I can also see from the glue trap footprint that it is fairly large?

If I weren’t allergic to cats I’d have one onboard. I just read an article about 10 cat breeds that although are not “hypoallergenic”, are much easier on the allergies. I’d love to have one. 

I’ve been sick most of the past week and haven’t put the hunt into full swing but it is getting annoying. A friend of mine a few years ago had a large possum-type creature on the boat which really surprised him when he opened a cupboard. I fear for all the wiring he is chewing on. When I got up this morning I found that it bored through a thick plastic container to get at my oats.

He doesn’t have a problem taking easy food so I’m starting to think poison!

Even with the addition of a rat It’s nice to be home after battling with the other boat for so long.

I’m feeling a bit better today and I’m excited to install my new windlass and chain, I’m going to jump on the project ASAP.

I’m going to install a pipe in the v-birth to channel the anchor chain from the anchor locker to underneath the v-birth. It will make a separation in the forward bed, but having all that weight 8’ off the bow will help shift Splendid’s weight back to center.I was heavy in the bow before but now I’m adding a much bigger windlass and more weight as I’ve upgraded to 3/8bbb chain from 5/16bbb.

It’s nice to be blogging again!

Cheers friends.

Peace from Splendid.

Alex

Sorry for the long delay in a blog update. I’m finally home after a 6-week stint trying to deliver a boat to Nicaragua and I have so much to talk about!

The past 6 weeks have been tough as the boat I was to deliver had been severely neglected. The rudder post was broken as was the manual bilge pump and the cutlass bearing was shot. The Navigation lights had do be rewired and the boat is full of electrical shorts. There is also a bridge in the battery wiring so when it is supposed to be on the house battery the starting battery drains as well. The slugs on the main sail are also worn to the point the main is impossible to raise all the way and I was constantly worried that a slug would get caught in the track and I wouldn’t be able to pull the sail down in a blow (no mast steps).

The good things about the boat are that it has a good motor (Yanmar), a new CPT autopilot I installed, and my old windlass. This wasn’t really a “delivery” job, but a “lets refit the boat and take it to Nicaragua” job.

Carla and I sailed it to Colon where we spent a week anchored waiting to transit the Panama Canal as we were dealing with the canal agent and paperwork. Colon is truly the arm-pit of the world but the Panama Canal transit was a blast.

The owner came for the transit and I’ve spent the past few weeks with him. The good thing about the “delivery” was I’ve made a new friend.

The owner was overwhelmed by all the problems, and I must say I don’t blame him. The big mistake here was he didn’t get a marine survey or have a knowledgeable friend survey the boat before he bought it. This is his first real boat and he didn’t know what to look for. The previous owner told us both that the boat was “ready to go”, and nothing could have been farther from the truth.

After our Canal transit we had to haul the boat to change the cutlass bearing and fix the rudder post. The owner opted to do a bottom job in the process.

After fueling and all the repairs we left on out 750 mile journey North. There are only two real hurdles on the trip, Punta Mala (bad point) which is on the western side of the gulf of Panama, and the Nicaraguan coast which one has to keep an eye on as the Papagayo winds can be a real problem. Some of my older readers may remember Punta Mala was the worst conditions I experienced on my sail from Panama to Australia, it was also the first night of my trip.

During this time of the year the trip around Punta Mala shouldn’t be an issue but since this is an El Nino year we are experiencing very dry conditions which bring trade-like winds.

The plan was to sail for Isla Cebaco in Panama where we could take on enough fuel to bring us all the way to Northern Nicaragua after a quick stop in Playa del Coco in Costa Rica to check on the Papagayo winds.

I must say I didn’t feel good about the boat with the electrical problems and the main being in a terrible state. The non-skid was also non-existent and the decks an ice-rink.

The owner wanted to push on and we left Panama on our journey.

I really do believe in listening to the world, and letting my path guide me! The winds have been good to me throughout my life and have always brought me where I needed to go.

We had a beautiful sail for the first few hours however the wind steadily grew to 25+.

On any ordinary day I love a stiff breeze to sail by but the problem with Punta Mala is the extreme tide rips and current. Strong current with an opposing wind creates very bad conditions like you can find in the gulf stream.

I changed course to anchor on the leeward side of Isla Contadora in the Las Perlas group but by the time we got there (6 hours later) the wind had shifted so it was blowing down both sides of the island. So I turned and headed back to Panama city around midnight. We arrived in the La Playita anchorage around 4am. The last 5 miles of the trip were stressful as the ship traffic entering the Canal is incredibly dense and difficult to navigate at night.

The next day the owner decided to keep the boat in Panama until some repairs are made. I found a friend that had a spare mooring and the boat now sits in the Las Brisas anchorage on the Pacific side of Panama.

Guys, do me a favor, if you’re going to buy a boat GET A SURVEY unless you’re prepared to fix everything or know what your doing.

I was working on the delivery project for around 6 weeks and I must say I’m happy to be home. I have new anchor chain, and a new windlass to install. I have my new (used/need to rebuild) 7KW norpro diesel generator to fix and install, and some painting to do.

The Nicaragua delivery is being put on hold for about 6 weeks until the boat is ready. In the meantime I’m going to ready Splendid for another season of chartering and surfing in Bocas after November.

I’m also the proud owner of my first iPad. I got the iPad for Splendid’s navigation system. There is an app (SeaIQ open) that reads all of my CM93 world charts (like open CPN). I can also plug my SSB radio into it and download weather fax from anywhere in the world (no cell signal required).

I also run Navionics but I seem to be enjoying SeaIQ chart plotter better. I can also read the NMEA data (depth, wind, position, etc) on it via my wireless NMEA multiplexer, TOO COOL! This is the simplest and cheapest navigation system that I have found, and I must say, I’m very happy with it! If you’re going to get an iPad for navigation purposes remember it needs to be a cellular (place for a sim card) version. The cellular versions have a dedicated GPS inside.

It is SOOOOOOOO nice to be home. I really am in Love with my wife, boat, and life!!!!

Peace from Splendid.

Sail far and live slowly.

– Alex

It was a slow morning today. I woke up a few times in the night to thunder, lightening, and rain hammering Splendid’s decks.

I love the squally weather, I always have. In the height of the worst squalls and lightening I stand on the foredeck and let the cold rain sting my bare skin, it makes me feel alive. People say I’m “crazy” for swimming in the lightening and rain but I just Love it!

Carla is in the states for a week. I always do my deepest thinking and creativity when I am alone, and once again I’ve put my life under a microscope. I must say I’m truly happy, although most likely the financially poorest person you know over the age of 20. It’s ironic that I was a “financial advisor” at one point in my life?

I’ve recently read on Facebook that a number of my friends are struggling with finding work, finance, and happiness. It was this I found myself thinking of as the rain stung my skin this morning and the wind pulled at my hair. Thank God I don’t have to go to an office!

I know what it is to struggle with money and happiness and although I occasionally want more to finish Splendid and travel, I’d never let it interfere with the joy and freedom I hold in my heart.

However that transition was a difficult one. Only my closest friends know the deep, deep, deep despair that consumed me in my former life and nearly ended it.

What would you say if I told you the matrix has ahold of you? You’d say I was a nut right,  “Alex doesn’t live in “reality”, perhaps?

But it is just that, the system has you. The system makes you pay (time/work) on your home, your income, the food you consume, and the water you drink.

In my very humble opinion these are human rights that are granted to us by nature (God if you prefer). Shelter, food, and water are not things to be taxed by anyone, and when a society insists on it perhaps its time to tear it down and start over?

More importantly the system shapes our values, our sense of right & wrong, and demands most of our freedom (time). What kind of world is it that we live in when our society dictates what time we get up, when we eat or make love, and when we are able to rest?

At what point do we say “NOT ONE MORE DAY”? The truth is most of us (Americans) still have a choice although perhaps a difficult one. 

Philosophy is the key, however one can not philosophize without time. You must make the time. Occupying the little free time many of you have with devices and television is the biggest mistake. We all need time to think about our lives so we can develop a plan to better them.

Building your own life-philosophy is paramount to success. And when I say success it has nothing to do with how much you make an hour, have in the bank, or how shiny your car is.

I know it sounds corny but Love is the only measurement of success, and the goal that should be at the end of everything we do.

I truly hope all my friends find what they are looking for.

Anyway, these are my rambling thoughts this grey and stormy day.

Peace.

Alex

Carla went to the States this morning for a few days to see here niece’s first birthday party. She is bringing back a ton of bits for the boat, and hopefully a treat or two : )

We have a charter in a few weeks then we’re immediately off to Linton where I will leave Carla and Splendid to deliver a boat to Nicaragua.

Judging by the Pilot data for the area in July I’m expecting the delivery to be more of a motor-boat ride, but hoping for the best. Carla will join me for the Panama canal transit to the Pacific and return to Splendid to keep an eye on her.

I’m going to have to blast through the delivery to make it back for our birthdays in time. Carla is July 11th, and I’m on the 14th.

I got Carla her first real surfboard for her birthday this year. A super deal fell into my lap ($250) and in Carla’s favorite color no less, pink.

We are planning to Spend November through March surfing in Bocus Del Torro Panama. They have a nice beach-break, and is the perfect location for a couple beginners like us. After I return from the delivery I need to stir up some work, and possibly run backpackers to Colombia and back.

We are also seriously considering sailing for Europe in April if at all possible. If we luck out and get a few multiple-couple charters (2-3), We could afford our haul-out and will set sail for Europe in April. I have an opportunity to get a Croatian (EU) passport and the idea really excites me.

Sailing in the Med and wintering in Turkey and Greece sounds like heaven. I’ve finally developed a sailing plan to attempt the Mediterranean on our budget. Carla and I would also be allowed to work in Europe which is a major thing for us. I’m thinking to get my Yacht masters (IYT) license and do the captain thing, and it would be nice to earn euros while I do it : )

Having a European passport and the ability to work in European countries as we travel would be a major break through, even in the Pacific.

It’s hard for me to describe how good life is. People often write and ask how we can “afford” such a lifestyle and the truth is I don’t really know anymore. Money and “financial “security” just isn’t part of what we focus on. It’s often we have under $100 (REALLY!) and we just roll with it. We always manage to keep 6 months or so of tea, rice, flower, and sugar in the cupboard. When we have money it’s a gift and spend it on things that we need for Splendid or that make us smile. The key is having absolutely  NO bills or financial responsibilities. I don’t even really have an address which is cool.

I’d like to add a quick note on Minimal marine navigation. I’m taking back the idea of having an onboard marine PC. I now have my transducers wired directly to a NMEA wifi multiplexor. My depth data is wirelessly transmitted to my iphone which, including the multiplexor draws milliamps. An onboard PC, or complicated cluster of “marine electronics” just draws too much power for me.

What makes this all possible is the SEAiq open app that is available for the iPhone and iPad. It is able to utilize my CM93 chart set, and I don’t have to buy any charts for it as I have world charts.

It’s difficult to use on my iPhone as the screen is just too small for all of the information (charts and NMEA), but when I can afford it I’ll get an iPad in a lifeproof case for the cockpit.

Well that’s it for today my friends.

Peace.

Sail far and live slowly.

-Alex

Carla and I are really enjoying the charter boat life.

My old friend David and his wife Cindy came for a week visit and we picked up the wayward Charlie and his daughter Monica. We all had a wonderful time swimming, eating (lots of lobster), snorkeling, exploring islands, and and drinking wine ;)

David is the brains behind Project BlueSphere while I provide the content. I think we are a pretty good team. We’re  planning a revamp of Project BlueSphere and moving into a word press environment in the not too distant future, too cool!

Carla and I have so much going on these days. We have another charter in 3 weeks, then we go back to Linton where I will leave Carla and Splendid to deliver a boat through the canal and up to Nicaragua. It will be nice to sail in the Pacific again.

After that I’m going to buy 300’ of new 3/8 bbb chain and install my new (used) Lofrans falkon windlass, SO EXCITING!!!!!

We are going to try and book some charters between late July to November in San Blas, so if anyone is interested please let us know.

We are working to afford a haul-out which has to happen before we do any long passages. I’ll be installing all new threw-hulls, a packing gland, re-barrier-coating, and painting the hull from the water line to the sheer stripe.

Carla’s dram has been to focus on learning to surf and I’m interested to spend some time surfing too.

I had a very good opportunity to buy Carla a nice surfboard for little money, and in her favorite color, pink. We are planning to sail to Bocas del Toro around November for surfing, surfing, surfing, and maybe some charters too.

I must say I think I’m the luckiest guy around. Freedom, Love, health, and the sea, what more could a guy ask for?

Peace my friends.

– Alex

I just love this photo I grabbed during the first rain of the season.

I never thought I’d ever conjugate a sentence using the words “young-people”, but hell, I’ll be 49 in July.

My last charter, Jared, is only 20 years old. He is really a great kid. All he really wants to do is travel. I think he found some of the support he was searching for aboard Splendid. Carla and I both feel, in the pit of our souls, that traveling and finding ones path in life is the most important education “young-people” need before making life-long plans (university/career/matrimony/children).

Jared is on the right path and I’m so grateful that Carla and I had the opportunity to spend some time with him and help him on his way.

We had a really good time on the reef and he got to swim with sharks and experience the magic of San Blas.

I’m very excited that my buddy David and his wife Cindy are FINALLY coming down for a visit, WOOT!

Carla and I are focusing on doing some painting and a few boat projects. We also booked another charter in mid-June which we are looking forward to.

I’m loving the new ICOM M-802 marine SSB. A friend of ours checked in from Germany yesterday and he was clear as a bell. HF radio is sooooooo cool! I cant wait to get into a pactor modem so I can get HF email all over the world for free!

If anyone wants to come down for a charter let me know.

By the way. My brother-in-law just bought his first sailboat. He got a com-pac 16’ boat and trailer. If anyone has any advice on rigging or powering this little guy please give me/us some advice.

Peace from paradise.

– Alex

Carla’s sister (Juli), husband (Juano), 4 year old (Ramiro), 2 year old (Celeste), and 3 month old (Sol) left this morning.

They live in the mountains of Patagonia and have never experienced something like San Blas. I must say, I think the 11-day holiday on Splendid was a success!

I don’t know if you remember the blog, but Carla and I spent some time in their cabin in Patagonia just before we went to Buenos Aires to get married last November. Their cabin was the highlight (besides getting married) to my Argentina trip.

They too live far off the grid, minimalistically , and in a very similar fashion as we do. I feel very close to their family and can’t wait to return to Patagonia.

Juli is a yoga and PE teacher, and Juano is a hard-core mountain man, builder, and chef.

The last weeks Splendid has been filled with children’s laughter, crying, good times, great food, rum drinking, and Love.

How much better can life be, especially all taking place on Splendid in the middle of paradise.

I am such a fortunate man!

I got the new Icom M-802 (SSB radio) fired up and tested and it works like a champ.

My brother-in-law Nico in Florida, and Juano in Patagonia, are both installing HF radios in their homes so we can all stay better connected as we travel.

I have an AWESOME new family!

They also brought some things I recently purchased and had shipped to Nico’s place. I got a new pack and I’m really excited about it.

Whenever I come across quality gear that is reasonably priced I promote it as we live in such a world of badly made, disposable garbage.

I’ve needed a new backpack for years but could just never afford it with all the boat projects and expenses I have at the moment. My daypack wore-out and I really needed to bite the bullet and invest in a new one. Good packs aren’t cheap, and I won’t buy crap. I need quality gear, as you all know I’m quite hard on it. That is why I usually buy it used.

I was looking for a used Arcteryx pack but just couldn’t afford to get into one. My last Arcteryx pack lasted over a decade with daily use in a marine environment and I really loved it.

I did something I never do and got a new pack brand that I wasn’t familiar with. I did a fair amount of research and got a new Guerrilla Samuri (50L) backpack. What initially put me off of the pack was it was only $79 new. And if there is one thing I really hate, it’s to waste money on cheap gear that gets tossed in the bin a few months later. But Carla and I are both thoroughly impressed with the Guerrilla Samurai Pack. She does canvaswork and took a hard look at the material and stitching. I put the design under a microscope and I must say, WOW, great pack for the coin, it even has a built in fitted rain cover!

Time will tell, but we are both really impressed with Guerrilla packs so far!

Carla and I are going to take a few days to wind-down before getting ready for out next charter. The kid is only 20 but has a fire in him to get a small affordable boat and go voyaging. If there is anything I can do to promote that, I’m all about it! I’m probably going to put him to work so he can stay an extra week.

Speaking of family, I just found out I have an older half sister (Susan) in England. My father was stationed there when he was young and in the service. She was put up for adoption and just recently got her adoption report from the agency. She found me on YouTube in one of my videos, how cool? Maybe I’m just a sentimental guy but I feel a connection to her and really look forward to our first phone call.

Peace, Love, and Coconuts.

Sail far and live slowly.

-Alex

Well I got my new Icom IC-M802 SSB radio and I must say I’m more than excited!

I’m looking forward to simplifying my life of paying for wi-fi, mobile data, cell phones, pre-paid phone cards, 12v DC chargers, and AC (whatever country I’m in) chargers, stressing that there is no coverage in a given anchorage, laptops and their expense, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, all the tech and expenses involved makes me crazy.

I’m going low-tech, and my marine SSB is the tool that’s going to get me there! Yes, getting into a HF email system could set you back a few grand, but after your initial investment, the cost is extremely low to operate, not to mention free if you like. Sounds good to me, sign me up!

I promised myself not to install my new SSB unless the install is perfect so I can get the best possible signal. I always end up using the wrong wire type from the tuner to the insulated backstay, or not being completely happy with my counterpoise, and just live with it.

A usual way of making a counterpoise on a boat is to run copper strapping which is connected to all metal objects on the boat, then connected to a copper plate (dynaplate) that is mounted to your hull below the waterline so it grounds with the sea. It’s a complicated grounding system that calls for forever corroding, expensive copper strapping that runs throughout your boat, not to mention holes in the hull. Terminals corrode and I never feel happy with my ground as I’m always in doubt of the condition of my counterpoise.

I’ve done a slew of research and have spoken to many other cruisers and everyone I trust has sent me to KISS-SSB. Kiss-SSB makes a very simple counterpoise that connects to your automatic tuner (AT-140 in my case) with one nut and you unravel in any direction you like. Simple, practical, affordable, and the United States Coast Guard is starting to put it in their boats, which means something in my book.

I still need to order the proper power cable, fuses, and coax cable to get the SSB installed but I’m very confident it will turn out perfectly.

If you spend any time on SSB radio nets you’d know there is always that one guy who really booms in and out of the net from long distances. He always gets asked the same questions about what radio he uses and the truth is it’s not necessary the radio, but the installation and quality of the counterpoise.

I plan to be the guy who booms in from distant locations connecting with old friends, or making new ones as we approach new countries (No phone bills : )

I still need to make money for a pactor modem. The new Pactor 4’s go for around two-grand and are supposedly super fast but I’ll keep my eyes open for a used 3 which I could probably pick-up for around a grand.

I’m also studying for my HF radio license which will entitle me to winlink (free HF email). I’m starting to feel that crossing the pacific next season may be a real option.

I’ve also installed my Actisense DST-2, and NDC-4. I now have NMEA 0183 data pumping into my navigation computer which is very exciting to me. You can see from my screen-shot that my depth is 8.9 meters.

The coming weeks will be interesting. Carla’s sister, husband, 4 year old, 2 year old, and 6 month old will be joining us for two weeks. They are the family I stayed with in Patagonia a few months back just before Carla and I got married. I really get along with them as they are total hippies and live far disconnected form the drone of the matrix. I can’t wait to teach the kids how to snorkel and give them their first peek under the sea.

Life is grand especially with getting back into Yoga.

Peace, Love, and Coconuts.

– Alex

I’ve had such a big response to my “Minimalist marine electronics” series of blogs I feel I need to expand.

I will be compiling all of the “Minimalist marine electronics” blogs into a video, and incorporating with another series of blogs and video I’m working on, “The marine SSB”. I’m forging the two together because the marine SSB is so much more than just a a radio. It will need to be integrated into my onboard 12v ships computer, not to mention being part of my NMEA network, hence it’s all part of the same system.

The marine SSB radio is not only used for keeping up with friends, participating in informative cruising nets, receiving crucial weather information, and emergency voice communications. It is also used to send and receive email, and can even be used to call standard telephone numbers.

The marine SSB radio is low, old, stable, and proven technology which is not only affordable to use (free), but is here to stay.

I’ve been using an old SEA 225 SSB and tuner for voice communications and weatherfax for years. When I crossed the Pacific back in 2007 I had an Iridium satellite phone which I used for email and blog updates which worked great. However the big downside was having to buy more minutes all the time (very expensive for me), not to mention the initial expense of getting into the phone, data kits, antennas, and forever emerging technologies.

Once you have your marine SSB properly installed and add a Pactor modem to the mix HF email can be free, however most sailors choose sailmail which only costs $250.00 a year for email and weather services, and seems to be the most viable option.

Carla is coming back from the states in a week with my new Icom M802 and AT-140 antenna tuner, I’m excited to get it installed. I’ll certainly be blogging during the installation, as the instillation is very important to the quality of radio signal one receives and transmits. 

The Icom M-802 represents the latest in marine SSB technology and is a tool I will be using multiple times a day, especially during our 2015 Pacific crossing.

For those of you just starting to voyage past the convenience of VHF weather service, cell phone signals, and internet, there is a very affordable option to get weather information.

I used a $120 Grundig HF receiver which you can find at radio shack. I bought an audio cable that plugged into the headphone out of the radio and into the mic in of my laptop. If you search there are a ton of windows, mac, and Linux weatherfax programs out there. You can also plug into your iPhone or android device and download the black cat HF fax app and get weaterfax anywhere in the world regardless of cell phone coverage which is pretty damn cool in my book!

I’ve been trying to get my HAM license for years and finally found a guy in Panama who can license me. It’s on my short list of things to do before Carla and I venture into the sea.

My charter (Pete) left a few days ago and I really had a great time. Pete is also a director/producer type and we were able to talk a lot of shop. He is planning to go cruising soon so we had a lot to talk about.

Hope everyone had a great weekend.

Jim, thanks for everything

Peace

Sail far and live slowly.

– alex

My ships clock was on the blink and needed attention. I met a great sailor who specializes in repairing ship’s clocks and wanted to share his information as he is just opening a shop. I have an old Chelsea and really miss hearing the ships bells. There is just something about a proper clock playing bells that makes a boat something special, and feel a home.

I’m very serious about crossing the Pacific again next year, and as a result my navigation system has become of utmost importance. I miss Polynesia and Tonga! Not to mention I’m now 3 months married, and promised Carla the world, I intend to give it to her.

Anyway, back to my navigation system.

Simple, easy, cost effective, and dependable is the goal.

My ships computer (12v mini ITX system) crashed a while back. It should have been an easy fix but it was far from easy, why, Microsoft!

As you know I’m in a very remote area of the San Blas islands of Panama. Restoring my computer shouldn’t have been a nightmare, but Microsoft made it an experience more akin to pulling my teeth out with a rusty vise-grip than restoring a crashed computer system.

Finding a local (not 800) Microsoft registration number in the states that I could call from here was a 1/2 day event. I couldn’t register online, nor call one of their toll free numbers from out of the country. After much fuss, expense on a phone that I only had a certain number of minutes on, and no store in sight to buy a phone card, I wanted to kill myself dealing with trying to register windows.

What if I was in the middle of the sea with no phone at all?

I spent a lot of time on hold with Microsoft and was finally connected to an automated system that didn’t work because my signal kept dropping in an out. At the end of the day I managed to get a guy on the phone, IN INDIA, that helped me register my copy of windows. All in all registering windows cost me $40-$50 on my prepaid phone, and the experience nearly gave me a heart attack.

I’m done with Microsoft!

Let me introduce Navigatrix (picture above).

A Linux operating system for sailors, by sailors, with all the voyaging and navigation tools we could possibly need pre-installed.

This OS can be loaded on a 8gb bootable thumb drive. Your hard disk never need be spun-up unless you need to access a file. Good for dependability, not to mention power saving while navigating under way.

Did I mention NAVIGATRIX is also free and you don’t need to go through a Nazi registration camp to use it? I love open source!

If you have interest please download a copy for yourself at:

http://navigatrix.net/

I’ve also been searching hi and low for the right (simple) way to handle my NMEA data without expensive independent wind, speed, and depth displays.

I’ve decided to go with an Actisense  DST-2 which will digitize my depth, speed, and temperature information from my transducer, and rout it to my ship’s computer through an Actisense NDC-4 (USB) NMEA multiplexer.

At a later time when I can afford to get into a Airmar wind transducer I’ll route it directly to the Actisense multiplexer as I want to organize all the data into clean NMEA sentencing.

Carla is bringing me all my new gear from the states in 3 weeks and I’ll get right on hooking all this up.

Check out all of Actisense’s products at:

http://www.actisense.com/

I can’t ell you how excited I am about focusing on navigation and finally getting back to the Pacific.

My list of things I need is dwindling rapidly. It’s amazing what a little money can do. If Carla and I can manage 4, or 5 more charters I can put Splendid’s restoration and refit to rest.

I’ve been scouring ebay looking for a deal on a used Icom SSB & tuner.

A friend of mine, and long time reader made a little magic happen for me. My budget for a used radio and tuner was $500-$600. How did I manage to get into a new Icom M-802 and AT-130 tuner? Don’t ask me how the math works, all I can tell you is I know good karma pays off. It makes me think of the old movie “pay it forward”. I’m always amazed at the good energy surrounding me and Project BlueSphere! Thanks Jim, really!

Needless to say Carla and I are insisting Jim and his girlfriend join us on Splendid for a visit.

Boy, when Carla returns it will be like Christmas and a childhood birthday all wrapped up into one glorious day of gear raining from the heavens.

I’m far from a tech junkie when it comes to boat electronics, but a simple and dependable system really makes voyaging safer, not to mention fun.

I’m hoping to get into a Pactor modem so I can do my email via the SSB radio and not have to deal with expensive satellite phone minutes. The modems are expensive and I need to get my ham license. The ham license is the really tricky part as they (FCC) don’t administer examinations in Panama.

My big expenses now are a drifter (sail), Spaceloft insulation for my refrigeration box, and my haul-out. The haul-out is a big one as I’m installing all new marelon t-hulls, and I need to fit a new stuffing box. I’m looking for a conventional stuffing box and coming up empty-handed for the size I need? I’m also going to re barrier-coat, and slap on 5 gallons of bottom paint.

I’m thinking to do the haul-out in Cartagena (Colombia) around August.

These are exciting times aboard Splendid.

Well that’s it for today guys. I have a charter arriving mid-week and will probably not post another blog until he leaves.

Life is grand.

Peace.

Sail far and live slowly.

– Alex

Go minimal!

I’ve been writing this blog for over a decade now, and many of you know I research, research, research before I buy or build anything.

I travel the world with far less financial means (less than 8k a year) than 95% of the sailors I know. And when I do buy something for the boat it is usually of the highest quality or a smart alternative to conventional thinking.

My old uncle Sasha is a free-thinking minimalist hippie. A Ukrainian gypsy that I really looked up to during my childhood. When I was a child (5’ish), I thought he was so cool because everything he did was off the beaten path and unconventional. One of the things he did, or didn’t do in this case, was to carry a wallet.

“Why won’t you carry a wallet, uncle Sasha?” I asked him.

“Because if I lose my wallet, I lose everything that is important to me all at once. If I have money in one pocket, and my papers in another, it’s unlikely that I will lose both at the same time”.

Needless to say I’ve never carried a wallet. This free-thinking (radical) philosophy can be -and should be- applied to most things.

Today we will be applying my old uncle Sasha’s philosophy to marine electronics.

My argument is: why would anyone over-complicate marine electronics with multiple computers, screens, and sophisticated networks?

I’ll tell you why, BLING, not practicality. Many think it’s cool to have shiny computers all over the boat. One for analyzing the wind, another screen for analyzing the depth, another for speed, and yet another screen for radar. Many “cruising” boats have a more similar resemblance to the starship enterprise than a practical cruising yacht.

My uncle Sasha might say “well, at least they all won’t break at once”, but then again he wasn’t a sailor that had to contend with convection (lightning) and insanely expensive electronics packages.

This is the first blog in a series of blogs focusing on marine electronics, and an alternative that I believe to be vastly superior to conventional thinking in regards to viewing and working with NMEA data.

This all started a few weeks back when my fish finder/depth sounder (Garmin 400c) quit. After inspecting the system I found that the only problem after 5 years of service was that the connection between the fish-finder’s cable and the transducer’s cable corroded. Simple fix I thought, cut off the plugs, solder and shield the wires. Well, to my surprise, the wire colors between the transducer and fish finder didn’t match. So I contacted Airmar (manufacturer of the transducer) and Garmin. There was a bit of urgency to my email as navigating the reefs and shoals in my area can be quite tricky.

Airmar quickly responded to my email with the color code, Garmin never did. At great expense (from Panama) I called Garmin support (long hold) and was not given any answers, but was able to connect with someone via email. My support representative spoke with the senior support team and nobody was able to tell me what the blue, green, white, black, red, yellow, or purple wires did, or how I could connect it to the transducer. I became quite angry that such a big company as Garmin couldn’t supply me with basic technical support, especially when it was a matter of urgency, and in regards to the safety of my ship. Then it dawned on me, perhaps they want me to buy another system, wiring harness, or transducer?

That being said I navigated half way around the world with my Garmin GPSmap 176, and now have a GPSmap 276c which is fantastic gear. As with all big companies they grow lazy to help with time as profit gives way to customer service.

I never really realized but the big marine companies don’t produce their own transducers (depth, wind, speed, temperature, etc.) They are rebranded and fitted with a proprietary plug that works with their specific brand of electronics. Then they buy a screen and system board from a Chinese manufacturer, assemble it all up in some country with low wages, install their software, and slap it into a sexy weatherproof housing before bringing it to market. And somewhere in this process the technicians forget how to offer basic technical support, or choose not to for financial gain?

It’s easy to spend over $10,000 in marine electronics for a cruising boat. I’m going to show you how to spend about $1,000 for a far superior system (speed, depth, wind, radar) and AIS if you want.

I won’t be talking about AIS because I don’t like or believe in the product. Far too many cruisers use AIS as a cost-effective radar replacement, and don’t realize their mistake until they hit a non-AIS transmitting object (like me). I also don’t like transmitting my personal data to whoever wants to see it. I’ve been informed by a friend who works at DHS (Department of Homeland Security) that “receive only” AIS units do transmit, just not publically. Call me old fashioned, but I still believe in protecting my privacy. AIS however is easily installed on this system.

So what do we want in a marine electronics package?

I can only tell you what I want.

I want a GPS chart plotter with radar overlay. I’d also like to see my depth on the same screen. I don’t currently have wind instrumentation (direction, speed, or angle), speed over water, or sea temperature. I’d like them but could never afford all the gear associated with them, but now I can. How is it that I can? By cutting out the middle man.

This article is primarily targeted at reading NMEA data: depth, speed, wind, temperature, barometric pressure, and so on. I have and love my Raymarine S3 Smart Pilot autopilot and I’m eager to plug it into this new system. I also have wind-vane steering and a small Raymarine tiller pilot which I can connect to it for motoring and light wind conditions. It’s all about redundancy!

I want my ships electronic system affordable, easily upgradable, and I want to carry spares aboard in case a screen or system board fails.

Airmar makes the transducers for every marine electronics company I’ve researched. They are the scientists that make all the cool modern technology available to us today. Their transducers send NMEA data to whatever computer or instrument we choose. Check out all their marine transducers here:

http://www.airmartechnology.com/2009/marine/product-search-results.asp?show=all

I choose a native 12v low-amp-draw PC. At the moment I’m running on a windows system but moving over to Linux in the following weeks. So what exactly am I choosing? I’m choosing freedom and dependability. Linux is a free and very stable operating system, and Open CPN is the chart plotter.

Open CPN is free open source software brought to us by a team of people dedicated to providing sailors with the best alternative in marine navigation. With Open CPN I can easily view my charts and position, plan my routes, overlay a radar image, as well as wind, speed, depth, temperature and grib and weather fax images. There is also a climatology plugin that I use to view historical weather data (pilot data) in order to plan my voyages. If you use Open CPN please send these guys a donation.

As far as my 12v PC goes it only costs a few hundred dollars, and in my humble opinion it is the smartest way to go.

Most sailors carry laptops aboard and I assure you my uncle Sasha would frown upon it. Why would you put all of what is important to you in one basket? If one element (power supply, motherboard, screen, memory, or storage) of the laptop goes, all your eggs are gone at once. Not to mention the fact that laptops are expensive, not native 12v, and not easily repairable. They are also the first target of theft on a boat.

Mini ITX, is the word to remember. You can build your own 12 volt mini-ITX system or have one inexpensively built for you by the guys at Mini Box. Check out Mini Box for systems and parts.

I would also recommend carrying a spare motherboard, memory, and power supply aboard. Once your system is up and running clone your hard drive (go solid state) and toss it in the closet as well. Repairing a computer is super easy and a priceless skill to have. The other good thing about a system like this is parts are easily found in remote parts of the world if you don’t choose to carry them onboard.

Okay, what about a waterproof screen for the cockpit? If you research waterproof marine screens you might choke on your biscuit at the expense.

If you’re at all handy, build your own waterproof screen out of teak or stainless.

I just ordered one of these screen kits online.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/111115624120?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

It includes all the electronics to convert an old laptop screen or new bare one into a natively powered 12v monitor. Encase it in whatever fashion you wish. I’m choosing to buy a new hi-resolution WXUGA monitor and put it in a custom built stainless and Plexiglas (HDMI) case. Add a waterproof wired or Bluetooth keyboard and mouse and you have the sexiest of marine PCs.

I’ll have two monitors in this system. One at my nav-station, and the other outside at the helm. If any of you have ever done any late night watches you know watching a movie to pass the time and keep you awake is a welcome friend along with a good strong tea or coffee. Baddabing, Bob’s your uncle (Sasha in this case), and waterproof.

Okay, now let’s get into the meat of the system: NMEA (National Marine Electronics Association).

NMEA 0183 is the language that is used by marine electronics to communicate with each other. Your depth, speed, wind, etc. transducers (talkers) send NMEA signals that NMEA receivers (readers) turn into graphical data that we see on our screen.

In order to receive NMEA data on our PC we need to wire all of these transducers into a NMEA multiplexor. The multiplexor will coordinate and send the NMEA signal to your computer via either a serial (RS-232) cable, USB cable, network cable, or even wirelessly via a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connection if you choose. The cool thing about wireless transmission is the ability to read NMEA data on your mobile device. Personally I’m looking for a simple multiplexor with a USB connection as serial ports are becoming a thing of the past.

I’m looking at multiplexors from these companies:

http://brookhouseonline.com/nmea_multiplexer.htm

http://www.shipmodul.com/en/index.html

http://www.actisense.com

www.nomatronics.com

Simplicity, Minimalism, and practicality. As far as my GPS goes, I use a $30 BU-353 puck USB GPS. At that price it’s easy to carry a spare or two. And as far as choosing a radar dome I’m going to refer you to the OpenCPN supplementary hardware page as I have no practical knowledge and therefore can’t recommend one. Garmin network domes seem to be the ticket.

http://opencpn.org/ocpn/garmin_radar

In the following weeks I’ll be researching multiplexers and hopefully have Carla bring one back from the states.

Once my research is done, I’ll make a nice video combining all of this information and provide step by step instructions along with a parts list.

Just a note: when building your Mini-ITX system don’t get caught in buying the latest, greatest, and fastest system. It doesn’t need to be fast, it needs to draw little power while carrying out its functions. I’ll make more recommendations on this system at a later date.

I will also cover how to receive weather fax at sea via HF radio. A simple SSB receiver can be bought for around $100. By connecting it’s audio output (headphone jack) to your mini ITX computer’s mic input, you can receive weather fax from anywhere in the world. I’ll also show you how to receive it on your iPhone or Android device.

That’s all for today guys. I hope this information helps some of you.

Sail far and live slowly.

Peace.

alex.

It’s 4:30 and I’m wide awake.

It’s normal for me to be up so early, as this is my day-dream time.

My days have a definitive pattern. I wake up quite early. My day-dreams run wild like a broken tap in the early hours of the morning and are usually connected to my night-dreams. I believe this is the most important of processes and a time all men should weigh with extreme importance.

I often write my book, peruse over charts, or study weather patterns during the wee hours of the morning. Many times I just lay in my hammock looking at the stars contemplating my navel. Almost every day I watch the sunrise, and ring in another magnificent day in my life with a cup of hot, black coffee. Sometimes I return to sleep at six or seven or throw myself into a boat project, every day is a bit different.

What a luxury it is to wake up when we want and sleep when we want. Is it luxury or our human right? Don’t ask me I’ve almost forgotten what the sound of an alarm clock sounds like.

This morning I’m thinking about my wife. Stranger thoughts have never crossed my mind as I’ve never honestly seen myself as a happily married man.

I’m a pretty easy going guy. My relationship with my fellow-man is simple. If I don’t like you I won’t give you the time of day, and if I do like you I’ll travel far off my path to lend you a hand. My relationship with women however has always been more complicated.

I suppose from a woman’s perspective I’m a bit of a cave-man. I believe in very simple, instinctual, and natural man/woman relationships, not very popular these days. The way I see it, my responsibilities as a man (husband) are to protect, provide a home, and nourish my woman with Love and food, pretty simple? Cars, technology, and modern convenience have nothing to do with it.

Carla is the best wife I could ever ask for. She is happy with a glass of room-temperature water and a little fresh fruit and produce. She enjoys the occasional fish or lobster I take and is the lowest maintenance woman I’ve ever known, and I’ve known a few. I must admit, I’m happily married.

A few weeks back she did something that was the kindest thing anyone has ever done for me. She thanked me for her time.

Carla has started writing a novel that she has been compiling for years. She is very aware of the luxury of freedom and time, and the abundance of it that Splendid provides.

Many of you think I spend my days laying on the beach, spear-fishing, and dreaming from my hammock, and I do. But most days I’m cutting, burning, and beating myself against an old ketch which I love in the pit of my soul. My blood is literally glassed into her decks, and she is very much an extension of myself. Splendid reaches far beyond the grasp of my hand. Splendid is my magic carpet, my Aladdin’s lamp, my home, my friend, and grants me the privilege to provide for not only myself, but now my wife.

I’m giving the last of my “young-man” strength to an old ship that in turn provides Carla and I the luxury of freedom and time without tax, liability, or debt.

When Carla thanked me for the time to write a book, play guitar, read, love, or dream whenever she wished, it made it all worth it.

We both live in a place where we have time to do what we want, travel where we want, sleep, love, and eat when we want.

How is it most people have managed to fuck the idea of freedom up so much?

How is it most of my fellow men find security in working to produce and sell unneeded useless shit, and financially support governments that strip not only others of their freedom, but themselves, only to afford bad food and shiny things? I’ll never understand.

Something very VERY strange just happened.

I was sitting here writing my blog as the sun was rising and I heard a flutter outside. I walked into the cockpit and there was a tiny sparrow by the speaker. It looked quite weak as if it had been flying for a while. I offered it my finger and after a few seconds he took it.

I took it into the aft cabin to wake-up and show Carla. Rubbing her eyes she said, “Que lindo” (How beautiful), “give it some water”.

The very, very strange part of this whole thing is for the past few days I’ve been dreaming of stray animals, and thinking about past experiences with animals visiting my, and my friends boats. I’ve had various birds, a mouse, and even a sloth visit my boats before. Sometimes beasts get a little off-course and decide to climb up the anchor chain from the water. My friend Chris woke up one morning to a large snake on deck.

I saw this one coming, and I’m a little freaked out at the moment.

Anyway, I took Carla’s advice and walked it into the galley and gave it a bowl of water to perch itself upon. It turned its tiny head to look at me and flew out of the galley and over the life line. Its trajectory was for the water and I threw my reading glasses to the table to dive overboard to save it. I was less than 2 seconds behind it and it only left my sight for a SPLIT-second.

I know this sounds a bit strange but it just disappeared. There is absolutely no way it could have left the scope of my vision and it HAD to hit the water. Not a ripple upon the water, nothing floating beneath the surface, and nothing in flight. It just disappeared.

This morning I experienced the 4th “mystical” if you will, event in my life. I won’t get into the others, but my experience with this little sparrow this morning was unworldly.

I don’t know how to explain it without sounding like a new-age fruit cake but it came to give, or tell me something. My first reaction was to call loved ones and make sure everyone is okay which we haven’t done. I don’t think it’s that but maybe a visit from my mother? It makes sense as she always wanted to see me content with a woman as she was never able to find love and I was writing about finally finding my woman.

All I can say is this was a positive event.

Anyway, this turned into a weird blog but I just wanted to share my morning.

There is a force in this world that we can’t even begin to explain. Some call it God, I call it nature. Whatever you believe I’m confident that our objective in life is to Love, receive Love, and live as free animals under the sun.

Peace my friends.

-alex

TEAM SPLENDID: Bart, Danja, Thomas, and Sabine. Thanks for an AWSOME time!

We had a beautiful week providing a 5 day kite-boarding charter which we landed through, and shared  with Nirvana charters.

We had a lovely crew from Belgium, Switzerland, and Holland. Two couples on Splendid and six guys on Nirvana’s boat.

Carla and I were preparing meals for 15 people. No small task but our lobster dinners and lobster pizzas for lunch were a big hit.

The last 5 days have been full of kite boarding, snorkeling, swimming, eating, laughing, and making new friends.

I also got a kite boarding lesson and I must say when I have a few thousand dollars of disposable income I’d love to buy some gear. Kite boarding is such a FUN, FUN, FUN sport.

Such a great sport for sailors too. When the wind is up over 25+ knots most sailors sit in a protected anchorage and don’t even go snorkeling as it’s too windy.

Hummm, what to do when the wind is up? Kite boarding is surely the answer. Grab your kite, harness, board, and a pump and hit the beach. Kite boarding is a bit gear-intensive but really seems to be worth the set up time. Usually about 15 minutes to pump up the kite and launch.

It’s not a great solo-sport like spear fishing or surfing as you really need someone in a dinghy to run safety and help you launch, but now that I have my beautiful wife it seems like a real option. Such a fun way to stay fit as well.

We haven’t chartered for the last 10 months and this was a really great opportunity not only make some cash, but some friends too.

We really had to do a big push getting ready for this charter. Carla and I had to build a new cockpit floor, and Carla built a new settee. But she is really a ninja on the Sailrite machine, she can build anything.

Our main saloon now doubles as a third double and we can easily handle three-couple charters and provide privacy for everyone. So if you want to go on a nice paradise vacation with some friends give us a shout. Our table now drops down, and I built an insert for a cushion. The pleated backrest slides out, we add a nice sheet set and pillows and voila, a totally comfortable third cabin.

Carla will be building a soft wall and zippered door that will roll down in the main saloon turning our settee into a third private cabin. Carla and I have been sleeping on it for the last week and I must say it will be a comfortable cabin for a couple with reading lights, window, library, fans, and power for late-night movies on the laptop.

We both really enjoy sharing our lifestyle and beautiful locations with others, just so much damn fun! Carla and I are also both food-people and express Love through food which is a good quality for a couple running a charter boat, wouldn’t you say?

We explored some new anchorages during this trip and I found a very secluded spot where Carla and I will return to. No other boats, internet, or telephone. Just reef, perfect post-card islands, and water that radiates 1000 shades of blue.

We have another charter booked mid-March but we have plenty of time over the next three months and I’m willing to cut some really, REALLY good deals as we are really trying to finish Splendid and get ready for a trans-Pacific and world voyage.

If you’re interested, at least check airfare prices, they are pretty cheap to Panama. Carla saw $250 R/T from Ft. Lauderdale. You would fly into Panama City’s Tocumen international Airport (PTY) and I would arrange everything from there.

I don’t want to sound like a used car salesman but I really am willing to cut some super charter deals, especially since I need some things from the states and by you bringing my gear I’d be saving a ton in shipping.

So if you are into it, strike while the iron is hot and the weather cold. Join us in paradise for a week or two and warm your bones.

Peace, Love, and Coconuts.

Sail far and live slowly.

– alex

So Carla and I have returned to the San Blas after being away for 10 months.

We have only been here a few days and the decompressing magic of the islands is saturating deep into my soul.

The last 3 days have been filled with the silence of the Caribbean sea crashing against the reef and the subtle song of wind in the rigging. No noise of buses, launchas, jet skis, or blaring local “music” from the shore. Just the sound of the sea and the wind, priceless!

Occasionally a Kuna fisherman visits to sell lobster, octopus, fish, or molas. For the first time in my life I’m here as a married man which strangely brings a further peace to these majestic islands. The brilliance of 1000 shades of blue beneath the water, and the crisp white clouds drifting behind coconut palms make these the best days of my life. How fortunate I am?

Many say “Boat work is never done” and I disagree. Maintenance will be welcome after all my systems, paint, and rigging are in order. Carla will be bringing back Aspen Aerogel SpaceLoft insulation from the states and we will build a refrigerator box with nearly a R-value of 40. Sometimes technology really out does itself and I’m really excited about the insulation. Better insulation means I need to produce less power. And requiring less power in our lives is something EVERYONE needs to take extremely seriously. Having solar panels that freeze fish is about the coolest damn thing I can think of (no pun intended), and that goes before having a cold beer, or cool glass of water.

An unfortunate turn of events has delayed Carla’s sister from visiting as scheduled. As a result we have time for a charter between two others. If you’re interested to come between the 13th of February and the 18th of March please reveal yourself. I’m willing to cut a really good deal for either a single, or up to a 3 couple charter.

As you know I’ve visited many islands and the San Blas is the closest to pure paradise that I know. We will be leaving soon and you won’t find a better opportunity or deal to have such a beautiful experience.

I still have a few “must have”s (Drifter/ SSB/haul-out) before venturing to the Pacific and the time for us to share this magic is now.

I’m off to do some electrical work before our charter arrives. My depth sounder is out and I need to order another one. I was happy to find them on eBay for under $70 with transducer.

So guys, what will it be, who is coming for a visit?

Peace.

– Alex

Carla and I have been working like dogs!

A few weeks ago I opened the cockpit floor to install a generator and found that I really didn’t like how the cockpit floor was constructed.

Somebody during the life of Splendid moved the binnacle forward 18 inches which was the right thing to do, but they didn’t do the job properly. So being the perfectionist that I am I grabbed my sawzall and started cutting away and building.

A few days into the project a friend called us with a charter opportunity in the San Blas and Carla and I have been working 10-13 hours a day for the past weeks.

We just got the binnacle bolted down yesterday with no time to spare. We are off to the San Blas on Monday and will stay a few months.

Carla and I are becoming expert Roll & Tip painters and Splendid will truly be a yacht of beauty when she is finished. Most importantly I’ll feel 100% comfortable with her construction before venturing across another ocean.

My investment into Splendid has been a long one. I’ve been working on her for about 6 years now but will have the yacht I want to retire on. Solid under foot, swift in the sea, beautiful, and comfortable.

Carla has also been working the sailrite machine hard building us a new settee.

I must say I’m quite fond of my new wife. We are the best of friends, and we are on the same team, with the same agenda(freedom, peace, and harmony).

We will be ready to cross the Pacific by next March!

Oh yeah, one more thing. I’ve always wanted a MaxProp but could never even think of affording one. Well, good karma paid off and one fell into my lap for $300.

My goal is that of a sailor, not a motor sailor, and the reduced drag of the MaxProp will play a big part in that. I bought one for my Hunter 34 about 14 years ago and couldn’t believe the increased performance under power, under sail, and the luxury of having 100% power and being able to maneuver in reverse. MaxProps RULE!!!!!

The one I scored is in very, very good shape (no pitting or corrosion) and just needs a new zinc at the end.

Well, that’s it for today. I just booked a second charter in mid-March, and if anyone is interested to see the truly magnificent (postcard paradise) San Blas Islands for just $150 a day P/P (meals included) let me know now or forever hold you tongue.

Sail far and live slowly.

– alex

Well, we got an opportunity to do a 5 day, 2-couple charter in a few weeks. Which means we are off to the San Blas next week.

Carla’s sister, husband, and 3 kids are also coming to visit us from Patagonia in March. I’m really excited about them coming as they have never experienced something like Caribbean island vacation before and I really want to show them a good time.

So, as usual I’m crazy running around and preparing. I need to fix my binnacle ASAP, change the oil, racor, and engine mounted fuel filter. Buy gas and diesel, food, propane, paint supplies, add some shaft packing, yadda, yadda, yadda. Not to mention finding a weather window to get out there.

It’s expensive for me to go shopping in Panama City from San Blas ($80 RT) and takes two day so I need to stock up now. It is soooooo worth it though as it is real paradise.

I’m hoping to stir up a few extra charters while we are out there, and if not, I’m looking forward to some relaxing time on the reef shooting fish with Carla.

If anyone is interested to join us. we only charge $150 PD/PP, food, drinks, and snorkeling gear included. This is the dry season and the high season for visiting San Blas. Plenty of sunshine and warm weather

Well that’s it for today. A short blog with pretty pictures for all on my cold friends back in the states.

Peace, Love, and Coconuts.

– Alex

All I can say is WOW, I feel like I’m floating on happiness!

Splendid’s refit is at the point of making her pretty.

Carla and I have been discussing various painting configurations for hours on end and we FINALLY found the right way to paint, not to mention the right paint itself (Sikkens two-part polyurethane). Carla did a quick mock-up of color schemes. Please give an opinion on paint jobs, and I know the dark colors are hotter. 

Rolling & tipping is the way to go. However we don’t have to do much tipping as the balance of primer, paint, hardener, reducer, and the right rollers are perfect. The paint flows on like glass, and it’s time to whip Splendid into Bristol fashion. Remember you can click on pictures to make them bigger.

The weeks ahead are fraught with sanding the painting surface with 80 grit paper, priming, sanding with 220, and finishing with 3 coats of paint, the last being a thin & shiny coat. Even though aesthetics have nothing to do with the performance or seaworthiness of Splendid, it is still a very important aspect of captaining my boat, as it conveys the real love I have for my sailing-craft and is as important as a sound rig.

I have a vision of my retirement and is based around being able to keep my white, long-sleeve shirts clean.

My daily uniform is no shoes, cut-off khaki shorts, and a white long-sleeve shirt to keep me protected from the sun. I really enjoy a nice/clean white linen shirt but haven’t bought one for many years. I buy cheap (all cotton) shirts because they don’t last a week without getting epoxy, paint, primer, blood, 5200, or engine oil on them, and I always look a disaster. I’ll know Splendid will be done when I buy my first white linen shirt.

The little nuances in life like this are good indicators as to our path. Seeing the subtle shadows, or being awake enough to feel the stiffness of hair on the back of your neck brings us closer to freedom (consciousness). I also know Carla and I will be leaving this place soon as I’m starting to feel home-sick.

Out of all the places I’ve sailed in the world Isla Linton kind of feels like home. It doesn’t have the prettiest beaches or the best spear-fishing, nor is it the easiest place to live. Frankly, having to chicken-bus 3 hours to get to the city blows! Linton just has that certain je ne sais quoi. Something beyond my understanding makes this place feel like home.

There is one more little nuance that defines “home”for me. It’s the place I wish to be buried. Linton isn’t it. When my time comes I want it to be in the Pacific. Anywhere between the Marquesas and Fiji will do as long as it isn’t on soil, especially French. Nothing against the French people but the French government has as high of a PIMFA rating (pain in my f’n ass) as the United States.

The PIMFA level can be attained by a simple mathematical equation. P+P+P+P= the PIMFA score, 40 being the highest (worst). The four Ps being Price, Paperwork, Policies and Police. Each category can be rated between 0 and 10, and both the United States and France score perfect 40s.

Not to be too morbid but when my time does come I want to be buried in the Pacific (at sea & whole), so I can give life back to the sea as it has nourished my body & soul throughout my life. I’ve sworn Carla to the task if she can manage, not a nice one!

So between the stiffness of the hair on the back of my neck, the feeling in my heart, and the level of motivation in my and Carla’s backs, we are gearing up to leave this place soon. And we’ll be able to do it on a stout sailing-craft with the 9999 boat projects in our wake. And I’ll do it all in a clean long-sleeve white linen shirt  

Carla (my wife) just wrote a new blog, and after reading it I smiled as I knew I married the right woman and have the right first mate.

Well I’m off to conquer (paint) the rest of the cockpit. The good news is I’ve been sleeping like a baby out of sheer exhaustion each night.

Don’t forget to give your opinion on a paint job and check out Carla’s journal under the members tab above.

Peace

Sail far and live slowly.

– alex

Once again I find myself facing a new year and my own reflections. This is the time of year I keep myself in check to make sure I don’t slip from my objectives and loose sight of my path.

How was my 2013 I ask myself? Well, quite honestly it was F’n amazing. I spent a lot of time sailing in the San Blas which are my favorite cruising grounds in the world, got married, and traveled in Patagonia. How much better could my year have been? well, I suppose I’m broke, but truthfully don’t give a damn : )

Carla has been working the sailright machine overtime and made us a new mattress cover for the master bedroom and is knocking out a new satee for the main salon. I have been working on the refrigerator instillation and focusing on painting the hull. The starboard side of Splendid has been sanded back down to the original gelcoat, and I’m in the process of patching/filling nicks & scratches.  We decided to roll & tip with Sikkens 2-part polyurethane using a slow hardener and a slow evaporating thinner with a white primer. We will also paint a black sheer stripe with gold-leaf filigree. She is going to look AWSOME!!!!

I ask myself, have all the years I’ve had to pour into Splendid worth it? The answer is yes. I NEVER would have been able to afford such a fine yacht and will retire in comfort sailing the world on the ship I’ve always dreamed of with my wife, priceless!

I did however get myself into a little bit of a pickle. There is an access panel to the engine room on the cockpit sole and I decided to open in. Well, for some reason it is designed in such a way that it is structurally part of the binnacle and now I’m in the process of redesigning the whole thing. I ended up having to cut it out with a sawzall. I’m thinking I’m going to put a 1/2” iron slab (top & backing plate) under the binnacle for structural support and build an easy-open access hatch for the engine room. It will have to be water tight so a bit tricky. My engine room is an embarrassment and I need to organize and paint. Having easy access will allow me to do just that. I tend to get a bit claustrophobic in the engine room, especially when I’m straddling a hot engine in a 10’ sea trying to change a racor filter or something, ARRRGGGG. 

Splendid’s (our) main objective is to transit the Panama canal as soon as possible and make our way to wherever it is we are going. I’m growing old & weary working on boat projects and need to burn up the ocean for a few years and put some miles under the keel, 2014 is the year I’m going to do it in!

Happy New Year everybody, don’t forget about your dreams and making them happen NOW!

Peace.

-alex

Carla and I have been burning the midnight oil, and from both ends. The Pacific is in our thoughts and dreams daily! Carla wants to go surfing.

We accepted a small loan to get Splendid into real shape for chartering. Her hull looks like crap and it’s time to change that. I have some good hard working guys here ($20 day + lunch) and I need to put some real elbow grease into the hull. My shoulders are shot and working a 9”angle grinder with a sanding disk for 8 hours a day just isn’t going to happen, and I have a number of projects going on.

I bought a small diesel genset (Mase is3500) in trade for my not-working motorcycle and $400. It will save my main engine and run the water maker at a liter an hour, as opposed to nearly a gallon. It runs strong but needs to be cleaned, painted, rewired, and re-plumbed. It uses a Yanmar diesel engine, and the cool thing is I can buy a completely new engine for it for $600 if need be, or rebuild for just over $100. I think it will be good, cheap, dependable power.

I’m off to Panama city to buy said angle grinder and supplies, and will put the boys to work next week. I have to pull off the rub rail and have them strip the hull back to the original gelcoat or primer. After that, we will roll on new primer, sand, roll & tip, and sand, sand, sand some more. And yes, I’m painting the hull in the water

I’ve had a painting breakthrough!

Spraying is just too difficult outside. The weather has to be perfect (sunny, no rain or wind), and there is a lot of stuff floating in the air here (dust/bugs). The problem with rolling & tipping is the lack of brushing liquid. Interlux makes a product 333 but it’s not available here, stupid expensive, and not easily importable to Panama. Well, I came across a post about mixing my own brushing/rolling liquid (thinner) and found that it (333N) is only a mix of kerosene and naphtha.

http://forums.wcha.org/showthread.php?8811-Brushing-Liquid-substitute

$52.99 a gallon or $8.00, I’ll go with $8.

Needless to say I’ll be making my own brushing liquid (thinner) for 2-part polyurethane. I’m sure it will take a little experimenting (finding the right roller, brush, etc.) to get a decent finish but this is huge!

I’m also planning on building my new ice box soon. I’d like to open a discussion with anyone interested about Aspen Aerogel’s Spaceloft insulation for such an application.

http://www.aerogel.com/markets/building.html

PDF download:

http://www.aerogel.com/products/pdf/Spaceloft_DS.pdf

I’m tired of working on the boat and want to go sailing. In March/April we will be chartering in San Blas again and running some backpackers. We will be doing local (Coasta Arriba) day charters in 3 weeks or so. We need to pay off the loan and make some cake for a haul-out. We also may have an opportunity to do whale-watching charters on the Pacific side of Panama later in the year.

If anyone wants to see Panama and take an affordable Charter $150 P/P, or $125 and you bring your own food & booze. We will really show you a good time : ) I’m thinking about running a raffle again too?

I really miss the Pacific, it is my ocean! We have been talking about the sea of Cortez lately. I could really use the dry weather for a while and I hear the spear fishing is superb.

The sea calls daily.

Sail far and live slowly!

– alex

Since I unplugged in 2003 I’ve learned so much of the world. The heavy fog of judgment & ego has slowly given way to peace & understanding. The deafening voice of the system has quieted over the years and I was finally able to find what I was looking for!

The pursuit of Love is the only reason for living!

I’ve made so many mistakes in my life. I’ve had to learn each one first hand, It hasn’t been easy. I’ve never been one to take advice or the easy path. I’ve never been obedient, or followed the herd. Nor has Carla.

Carla was a math olympian, punk bass guitar player, linguist, traveler, teacher, and tango dancer. She is a rebel to the bitter end and the only woman I’ve ever been able to trust with my heart. So I gave her the key and made her my wife.

I’ve cut my feet many times walking the jagged road. It has taught me so much over the years and ultimately lead me where I needed to go. The road is now my friend as I walk upon her as two. Her rewards are overly generous for lessons learned, thank you.  

Finding my way is something I’ve always wanted to share. I believe inspiring my fellow man is my responsibility. I obviously don’t do it for money, I do it because it is my way of fighting a system that I don’t believe in. Love is the system I believe in, and is a fuel that should be burnt from both ends.

Even though we can’t yet measure Love as we do the temperature, it is the most powerful energy on earth. More powerful than the ocean or the wind. It is the song of life itself, and we should all dance to its music with our very last steps.

Carla and I just got back from our adventure in Argentina. We traveled many miles together and I return with so much more in my heart than when I left.

I not only return with a wife, but a family. Carla is surrounded by so much Love in Argentina. Her mother and father are truly amazing people as are her brothers, sisters, cousins, nephews and nieces.

Family is not something I know much about. After my mother passed my family evaporated as she was the glue that held it together.

Unfortunately my father and I could never make it work, but these are the jagged stones that have cast me into the world on a small sailboat, searching for something else. That “something else” is Love, and I am very grateful to have found it.

Carla and I are going back to work on Splendid. The tools & paint brushes are coming out and we are going to set upon the world in our beautiful home as soon as we can make her ready.

Every horizon forthwith will be a bit more colorful. Every beach a little whiter, and the sun a bit warmer. I truly am the luckiest man in the world. I get to sail into the sunset with my wife.

I’m digging as deep into my repertoire of words as I can trying to explain how happy and grateful I am for the Love that has been bestowed upon me. The truth is I don’t have words to even begin to touch upon the tip of this iceberg.

The only word I have is Love.

Peace, Love, and my wife.

-alex

In 1962 Tony Bennett  sang “I left my heart in San Francisco” for the first time.

Today…, if I was able, I would sing that I left a piece of my heart in a small cabin in the mountains of Patagonia.

As most of you know I am somewhat of an anarchist. I believe I have the human right to govern myself, and the system I believe in is nature. I believe we as men have the capability to live in harmony with nature, as with each other, and I find the organization of spirituality (religion) and one’s life (government) morally offensive. This is why I choose to live on a sailboat in-between the borders of various governments. This is where I find my freedom.

My heart, my center, and my element is the sea. It always has been. I visualize saltwater running through my veins to calm myself in meditation, and my sailboat is not only my home but my church, and the ocean, my God. Sailing is not a sport to me, it is a lifestyle, it is freedom, and it is Love. I’m so happy I’ve found a woman, and soon-to-be wife to share this with.

I believe one of the core faults of western philosophy is the belief that one can “own” land. The idea that one (the rich) can purchase a piece of land and deny it to others is inherently wrong to me. I suppose I’m not a very good capitalist.

Yes we are territorial creatures, yes we have the instinctive nature to claim a territory, and yes, the stronger of our species will win the land if they desire. Unfortunately for humans living within the system, the “strong” are the banks & governments. Weak, controlling little-men, pushing paper providing the illusion that if you work your entire life you will own a tiny scrap of land or air in the instance of multi level structures. You’ll also need to work for an eternity as property tax is never ending. This is the core problem with western society today in my very humble opinion. I choose not to play this game or invest my life into it. I live as an indigenous man of the sea, a gypsy drifter, a traveler, a sailor, and totally detached from such control.

Until my trip to Patagonia I believed there was no place on earth where a man could still forge a life of freedom from the land. It was my belief that every acre of the world’s land is carved into boxes and claimed by a government. And for the most part it’s true.

Where is it a man can still be a man, live by his own hands, and forge a life of freedom as nature intended us to?

The sea has always been my answer. The sea is the last, and only frontier where a man can live in peace from the police, adjusters, inspectors, collectors, creditors, regulators, and committees. Well this is not necessarily true, at least not today.

For the first time in my life I’ve felt a small connection to the land. The wild, vast, rugged mountains of Patagonia had a calling to me. It’s hard for me to put into words how much I enjoyed visiting Carla’s sister and family in their little cabin.

I casually asked Carla’s sister if land was expensive where she lived and her answer was something quite beautiful. “I don’t really know, people who want the paper pay for it, and others just build a home, raise a family, and live as we do”.

Argentina has soooo much land that it is still possible to homestead. This is what my new sister and brother in law have done.

They choose to pay a little tax even though there is the possibility that the Indians may try to take the land back, but they found this beautiful piece of land, built a cabin, and are raising their family in it.

Many years ago when I started project bluesphere I vowed to write in a certain way. I promised to write about what I felt as I traveled and not necessarily about what I saw. Too many writers write from a place of ego in order to intensify the reality of their experience. The sea always a little bigger and the wind a little stronger than reality.

For three days in this little cabin I lived by the heat of a wood burning stove. I ate vegetables from the garden, pigs from the pen, beef from the field, berries from the bush, and bread from the oven. The children were born in the washtub without the help of doctors or midwives. The beer was brewed only a few miles away and the cheese was made by the neighbor.

The little boy of the house, not four years old, takes his two year old sister to play in the forest for hours. The little girl is being potty-trained and if she needs to go he brings her to the outhouse for her business and cleans her bottom.

No TV, no video games, just sticks, stones, bush, nature, pets, and love.

I was dreading it but had to use the unheated outhouse one night. I was in a thick wool sweater and my pants pulled as high as possible to protect me from the cold night air. I kept the door open as I needed the light from the brilliant night sky to find the roll of toilet paper hung on the wall by a nail, and the bucket of ash which I needed to cover my waste with so it didn’t smell the following day.

It was here I realized that for the first time I felt whole being on the land. I felt safe which is something I never feel on the land. I was surrounded by nature living in a house built with love and wood from the property. The food I consumed was natural and free of chemicals, hormones, or genetic alteration. I felt this little cabin was living in perfect sync with the nature that surrounded it.

Am I idealizing Patagonia? Probably. Argentina has plenty of its own economic and government problems, as does Patagonia. Carla tells me that sometimes the Indians burn the white man’s home as they don’t believe they have the right to live on their land. Then the white man burns down their homes to reclaim it. But I feel there is still hope here. Perhaps western society will fall or realize that our system needs to exist within the confines of nature and not outside of it. Perhaps western thinking will evolve to something harmonious with nature and not driven by money and control before building inspectors, police, and tax collectors infect this beautiful place?

Also an interesting fact. Tincho and his wife Noe are the couple in the center of the picture. Tincho is a sailing buddy from about a decade ago in Colombia. How strange they live just a few miles away from my new family in Patagonia?

Anyway, at the very least I wanted to introduce you to some of my new family.

Carla and I are back in Buenos Aires after a 20 hour bus ride. We are getting married in about a week, how cool?

Peace, Love, and Patagonia.

– Alex

I don’t know where to start. I LOVE Argentina, not to mention Carla tambien!

The first thing Carla and I had to do as soon as we got to Buenos Aires is to go to a government office and apply for our wedding.

As soon as pen touched paper we realized this thing is really going to happen and Carla’s dad snapped off a picture of our faces, “Oh SHIT”! A few seconds passed and we had a good laugh.

We were only in Buenos Aires for a day before we took off to Mar Del Plata for two days of surfing lessons.

I suck at surfing but had a lot of fun even though the water is pretty cold. We had a great instructor that really took his time with us.

Needless to say when I come across a stray long-board I’m in. Surfing is so much fun, not to mention great exercise. I don’t have any problems catching the wave, but man, it’s all about the pop-up. Getting to my feet is the hard part.

Carla on the other hand is pretty good at getting to her feet and riding a wave.

When I met her in Sabanitas Panama two years ago at the bus stop all she had was a small backpack and a long board (8’). That was her idea of packing light. She practices her pop-ups and surfs every chance she gets.

I tell you after a few hours of surfing in cold water I was knackered as hell, no problems sleeping at night for sure.

I’d like to find a nice beach-break where we could hang out with Splendid for 6 months and just learn how to surf and get in shape. 

Anyway after having a lovely two days in Mar Del Plata we boarded a super-bus for an 18 hour ride into Patagonia for Puerto Madryn. The buses are incredible and more akin to flying uber first-class than what we think of as a bus in the US. The seats either recline all the way so you can fully lay down, or 90% of the way back. You’re served hot meals & drinks (sodas, beer, wine, whisky, or champagne). And they play movies. It’s a really nice way to travel and see the country, cheap too.

All I can say about Argentina at this point is, If this is the 3rd world I don’t want to live in the 1st. Argentina is still Latin America but with a HEAVY European influence.

Sure, people have and make less money in general. But everyone has access to great healthcare, and more importantly, food. I haven’t seen any big super markets yet. Carla and I go to the local butcher/cheese shops for the most amazing meats & cheeses. I’m hooked on the prosciutto. I can’t even start to convey the quality of meat over USDA, it is exceptional.

I’m a food guy and healthy/clean food is really, REALLY important to me.  The bakeries are fantastic, as is the dry/health stores where you can pick up any grain, rice, or dried fruits & vegetables.

The locally produced fresh apples, pears, and berries are equally as lovely. The apple I had last night lead me to believe that I’ve been eating GMO shit since I was a child. The apple tasted like what apples used to taste like when I was a kid, what’s up with that, yo?

Anyway today we are renting a car to travel around a national park. I’m hoping to photograph some penguins, whales, and elephant seals.

Tonight we board a red-eye bus for Bariloche, Patagonia, which is in the mountains. It’s just spring now so the weather has been quite lovely.

I’ve said it 100 times, and I’ll say it just once more. I’m such a lucky man!

Peace, Love, and Patagonia.

-Alex

Well guys I’m on a plane for Argentina in a few hours and I’m having major separation anxiety (Splendid). I love to travel but I’m a home-body at the same time. Kind of like a wondering turtle with his house on his back.

As you know the sea has been calling me hard for years, and now it’s calling Carla .

My morning coffee is either spent dreaming over charts, writing blogs, or battling with my final refit list. My days are spent attending to that list. Splendid was an enormous project but I can see the light on the horizon and taste the salt on my lips. Only 27 more items on a long list that I have been wrestling for years.

As soon as Carla (my wife ) and I return from Argentina We will try to stir-up some charters and knock off this list so we can go voyaging as soon as humanely possible.

If you want to visit the San Blas islands or spend some time on Splendid learning about cruising please let me know and we’ll work something affordable out. If you have an old drifter/Asym (sail) or SSB sitting in your garage that would work on Splendid I’d be willing to trade time in the San Blas for it.

Here is my master list:

Finish refrigerator box insulation and install my new refrigeration system. ($600 50-80hrs)

Install new Foley Teflon engine seals to stop oil leek on main engine. ($300/10hrs)

Order parts for Falkon Windlass & install ($400/10hrs)

Get new house batteries (6, 6 volts, $680)

Get new oars for Dyer ($110)

The monster haul-out project! Install my new Marlon thru-hulls, install new stuffing box, paint bottom (copper coat), paint hull, add new depth sounder. (4k +/- 1 month in yard)

Fabricate a new forplate. ($300/6hrs)

Fabricate new stanchions ($500)

Re-rig triatic stay ($150/5hrs)

Find a used drifter or asymmetrical spinnaker. ($1500-2k)

Fabricate sliding, alternative-propulsion outboard bracket for stern ($300).

New Chain ($800)

Find used BC (scuba) vest ($150)

Repair my Sea 225 SSB radio or replace ($300 repair, thousands to replace)

Panama Canal Transit ($1500)

Order new halyard ($175)

Get spare fresh water pump ($250)

Oder spare Parts for bilge pumps ($120.00)

Order rebuild kit for raw water pump ($80)

Order spare gasket kit for Perkins ($200)

Order spare alternator ($300)

Order spare parts for spear gun ($150)

Build new Medical kit ($300)

Fill Diesel tanks ($1400)

buy grundens fowl-weather gear (his/hers $550)

buy satellite phone with minutes for email/blog updates from the Pacific ($2,200)

Hide a few bucks under the mattress (3-5kish)

Sail across and get lost in the Pacific again (Priceless)

I know this list may seem long but it represents freedom! This list represents a sailing boat that is able to make fresh water from salt.  Freeze, dry, or home-can fish, fruits, and vegetables gathered from extremely remote islands.

As a young single guy I wouldn’t sweat not having a watermaker or refrigeration system. But as I’m getting older (48) I want a bit more comfort, and want to share that comfort with my woman.

If your young and single I highly recommend voyaging on a much smaller and simpler craft. The harder my voyages have been, the more rewarding they have been. Those hard passages are what make the man and sailor you dream of becoming. Only once you have the knowledge on how to survive this way on a simple boat should you consider doing it on a comfortable boat, not the other way around.

I’m confident that if my engine breaks I have the skills to navigate without it. If my watermaker breaks, I know I have the skills to collect, conserve, and find fresh water. If my refrigeration breaks I know I have the skills to home-can and dry my food to take to sea.

I have 100% confidence and understanding of all my systems as I have built most from scratch and carry spares. I have a spare refrigeration compressor and controller. I will have extra gas, soldering gear, a vacuum pump, and plumbing. I’m planning on a few years in the S. pacific islands this time before hitting a major port.

Anyway. I’ll have my spot active for the trip to Argentina and I’ll be blogging from the road. It’s a red-eye to Buenos Aires, we arrive at 6am.

Peace, Love, & penguins.

– alex

This picture was taken by my friend Nick the day I left Mystic, CT. (2003) for the world. I refer to it as the “Day number one” picture.

When I think back to who I was then, a decade ago, to who I am now, time stops as I could ponder the differences for an eternity.

I suppose some of my transformation is because I’m older, but the reality is, it’s because I’ve found time for myself. I found a way in this tangled-mess of a society we “live” in to unplug, distance myself, and to reward my efforts with Love and freedom, and not financial gain and ego.

My journey has been long, bumpy at times, but has really brought me where I need to be. Like restoring my sailing dinghy and Splendid, in many ways I’ve been restoring myself and building a man that is more seaworthy and capable.

To restore life to something, or to create it from nothing is a pleasure and worth every ounce of sweat. There is no price I could put on this little dinghy as so much love has been poured into it from both Carla and I.

It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey, right?

Love is the only reason we are here, and the only commodity worth perusing. In no way am I a master, but I intrinsically believe that we can exhibit Love in everything we do.

So, so, so many of my readers plan on starting their sailing/life journey in 2, 4, or 5.8 years from now. They plan on starting when they can “afford” it or once their children are out of the house.

Perhaps I’m naive, but I don’t think our children and loved ones should be holding us back. Perhaps our children will learn how to live life based on watching their parents live their own? Maybe this is the lesson they really need to learn? Perhaps this is a lesson we need to teach ourselves?

For those of you who dream of sailing off one day, start your journey today by searching Craig’s list or eBay and find yourself a sailing dinghy to restore. Restore it as the tender to the boat you don’t have yet and dream about. It may just be the inspiration you need and you’ll have something beautiful you can sail, seems like a plan to me and a big step you could take for only a few-hundred bucks?

My hands are full at the moment preparing for my trip to Argentina. Marriage is not a journey I ever thought I’d take but here it is, yet another gift from the universe, I am so very thankful.

I also want to thank you guys for reading and being there. Project BlueSphere has been such a rewarding experience. It’s brought me so many friends and I’ve learned so much by interacting with a community of peers that have the same dreams as I do.

Man I cant wait to launch little Splendid and get back to rowing with Carla!

Peace.

Sail far and live slowly.

– alex

So Carla and I are busting-ass getting out of the Bambu house, finishing the Dinghy, and preparing for our trip & marriage.

As most of you know, I don’t like moorings & docks. Well I’m a big fat hypocrite because I’ve just put down a mooring.

I hired a few local guys to fill 4, 55 gallon drums of cement. They are all connected with 1/2 chain which runs up to the surface and a big swivel. I’ve dove on the barrels and they are already over a foot settled into the mud.

I decided to put a mooring down as opposed to go to Panamarina because I have friends here to watch Splendid, I don’t have to spend the money for the marina which would have been the same cost as putting in the mooring, and I have something I can sell once I leave next year. We are also planning on doing some day snorkeling charters out of Puerto Lindo and the mooring will be quite convenient.

Carla and I leave at the end of the month for Argentina. Here is the plan.

We fly into Buenos Aires. The next day we bus to Mar Del Plata for two days of surfing. Then off to Puerto Madrin (Patagonia) to snorkel (cold) with seals & check out the Penguins for a few days. Then its off to visit Carla’s sister near Barloche in the mountains of Patagonia. We are going to take a 2 day excursion from there to check out Puerto Mont Chile on the Pacific. After a week we head back To Buenos Aires to get married, then spend 5 days hanging-out with the family & friends at a county house outside of Buenos Aires.

I get tired just thinking of all the running around & buses but it sounds like a hell of a lot of fun!

By the way the buses in Argentina are more akin to flying in the states than the buses. They have first, business & coach class for buses. The sleepers fully recline with private entertainment centers, privacy screens, and food & bar service. We have a few long (12-18) hour trips to do but I think we will be comfortable.

After that I return to Splendid with my wife (weird) and go back to the business of finishing up Splendid so we can go traveling full time.

I still cant believe I’m getting married to by best friend, how cool!

Barloche Patagonia is where Carla called home before we met. If you ever want to Skiing in July you might want to check it out as a holiday destination, they call it the Swiss Alps of the Americas. I’m really excited to see it. Especially to meet Carla’s sister and family who live off the grid in the mountains, they sound like my kind of people.

We are doing this whole trip on a shoestring which is how I really like to travel. And I cant wait for all the Argentine beef, wine, and chocolate!!!

That’s it for today guys. I’m super busy and need to organized. So much do do before we leave.

I hope everyone’s world is as cool as mine!

Peace, Love, and Penguins!

– Alex

I’m going to Argentina at the end of the month and I’m freakin’ as to all the work I have to do.

The dinghy project is at the top of the list. Rebuilding the Dyer midget, as usual, was/is more work than I had expected.

Carla and I are sooooo excited to have her finished though. A proper rowing & sailing dinghy is essential to our plans. Plus the little Honda 2hp will fit nicely on the back if I’m lazy.

I’m replacing all the trim with almond wood, adding a wave-shaped breast hook (too cool), enclosing the aft seat so it will be a water-tight storage compartment, and refinishing and spraying every surface.

Carla is the best helper/partner in the world, no wonder I’m marrying her .

We are also learning to spray paint and considering this practice before attempting Splendid’s hull which is a monster of a spray-job with my little HVLP gun.

In the next 4 weeks we need to finish the dinghy, bug-out of the Bambu house, and I’m thinking to build a mooring. I know, I know, I HATE moorings but this is a bit of a “if you cant beat’em, join’em” deal. We are planning on leaving this area as soon as we can and I could sell the mooring for what I have into it when we go. We are also planning on doing some day-charters when we get back and it would be really handy. I’m thinking it is the safest way to leave Splendid for the month I’ll be away.

Wow, so the US government shut down, that’s pretty major, all because some people don’t want to have affordable health care for the people? Seems pretty silly to me. When I’ll be in Argentina I’ll be able to walk into a hospital without any ID and get care if I need it regardless of my nationality or income. It’s so funny to me the things some people fight over.

Well, on November 22, I’m getting married for the first time in my life. I don’t know that much will change in my life as I’ll still be waking up with my best friend every day. It will be easier for us traveling as we will have American, Croatian  (EU), and Argentina passports aboard. Options are good.

I can’t wait to post pictures of the the Dyer when she is done.

I’m really bummed I haven’t had the time to blog the way I like to but I’ve just been sooo f’ng busy. I don’t like it at all, and once we return from Argentina I’m hitting the breaks hard. I need to slow back down to a pace I can manage.

Peace, Love, and Coconuts guys.

Cheers

– Alex

Well its been big family fun around here lately. Carla’s brother, wife, and 3 month old daughter came for a few weeks and her mom is here for a few more days.

Carla is really close to her family and I’m gaining so much from this relationship, really AWSOME people.

I’m so excited to go to Argentina in 6 weeks!!!!

We will also say goodbye to the Bambu house soon. Its been a great experience and a lot of fun. However Carla and I both have been reassured that we don’t want a house, business, or any big responsibilities.

No wonder people scream about the expense of owning a sailboat and house, its so much work. I’ll choose just the boat   Splendid is a lot less maintenance than the bambu house (house, car, staff) and we are happy to return to our simple lives soon.

The Dyer midget restoration project is coming along well and I’m looking forward to rowing again. I’m spraying on primer in the picture here. Such a great boat.

Kiara, Carla’s niece, is Splendid’s youngest crew member at 3 months, such a cuitie.

I’m worried about what to do with Splendid for the month that I’ll be in Argentina. There are not many affordable haul-out alternatives in the area.

I’m either going to leave her at anchor with a friend watching her, or bring her to Panamarina for the time I’m away.

Sorry I haven’t had much time for blogs but I’ve been busier than I have been in many, many, many years.

Sail far and live slowly

Peace.

Alex

Life has never been better.

I proudly have .62 cents in my bank account. I’m waiting on some cash from running the house and some insurance money for saving that boat from sinking a few months back. But at the moment I have .62 cents in the bank and $38 bucks in my pocket. Guess what, life is grand! Also the car doesn’t run, my motorcycle doesn’t run, and my outboard is shot. My buddy Hanz is a good outboard mechanic and is looking into it. I’m so looking forward to splashing the Dyer and rowing, rowing, rowing my way to the shore, minimalism, and health. A rowing dinghy is really the only way to go for me! I’m sick of all the technology, mechanical crap, and complications.

I’m taking this opportunity to restore my old Dyer midget sailing dinghy. The wood under the bumper was completely rotten. I pulled off the rub rail and the wood on the inside, and outside of the fiberglass hull. I pulled out the seats and oarlocks and cleaned her up today.

I couldn’t find teak, but found some really nice almond wood. It’s very hard and according to local carpenter very strong and will last in a wet marine environment. As you can see in the photo I’ve wetted the wood and I’m bending it prior to instillation.

I’m going to make a few modifications to the midget. There was foam under the two seats and I’m going to fibraglass them solid and put watertight access to both of them so I have some storage for a light, some fishing gear, or whatever.

I’m going to sand, prime, and spray her in the coming weeks. I’m thinking of going with a black hull

Carla, my bride to be, is in the states visiting her brother for 4 days and returning with the 5/16bbb gypsy for my new/used Lofrans falkon windlass, and the Glacier Bay Micro HPS refrigeration system I scored on eBay. As soon as I can afford the refrigeration foam I’m going to continue building my refrigerator box.

Oh how I cant wait to go voyaging again. I’m sooooo ready to leave Panama and continue on my path with Carla. My list is getting quite small now. I still need a drifter (sail) and to replace my stantions and life lines. The haul out is a big expensive project but I’m sure it will happen in the not too distant future. I need to fix blisters, re barrier coat, replace all the through hulls, and fabricate my sea chest. I’m also thinking of building a keel cooler. Still seems a bit intimidating  but my project list is diminishing quickly and Splendid will voyage as soon as humanly possible!

Peace, love, and coconuts guys.

Sail far and live slowly.

– Alex

It’s 4:30am and as usual my brain tugs at my sleep, my thoughts a thorn in the night.

I’m getting married in a few months.

For the first time I’m in a relationship that works. We both have the same dreams & life philosophy. We are both travelers, independent thinkers, students & teachers.

We know how to take care of each other and make each other laugh. Most importantly we are comfortable in the silence of each other’s company, and Love (understanding) flows through our time.

I cant believe I’m getting married at 48! My smile is long this morning. When I left the matrix (2003) I never knew how far my journey would bring me. It’s much farther than miles ever could.

We fly to Buenos Aires (Argentina) at the end of October.

We have a few days of blood tests and family before we take off to Patagonia. The trip to Bariloche (Patagonia) is about a 20-hour drive from Buenos Aires. If you’re a skier and want to ski in July, Bariloche is the posh place to be.

We will spend a few weeks bombing around Patagonia visiting Carla’s friends & family and return to Buenos Aires on the 19th of November or so, we get married on the 22nd.

The big day is pretty simple. We sign papers in an office with friends & family then go to a Tango club that Carla’s dad has reserved for the occasion.

Carla’s mom rented a house in the country for the following week so the family can all kick back and enjoy some time together.

I know Carla’s parents & brother and I love the family as much as I do Carla, truly genuine people, I’m really so lucky!

Speaking of family. Carla’s dad arrives for a visit at the end of the week and a few weeks later her brother (from Miami) , his wife, and three-month old daughter will arrive for a visit as well. Her Mom is even coming from Argentina. 

I’m really excited about seeing Argentina. Everything that I have read leads me to believe I’m going to really love the country, especially Patagonia! As you know I’m all about nature and wide open spaces.

Argentina produces great chocolate & wine, not to mention it has the best beef in the world. What more could I ask for? A great woman and nice Yacht you say…, check!

My life is an adventure and I now have a partner, I’ll drink to that!

I’ve started work on building a new refrigerator box.

I had to demo the old one and I pulled out 6 or so large trash bags of wet foam.

Carla’s brother is bringing our new refrigeration unit in a month or so and I’d love to have the box finished.

The box is not a cheap thing to build given foam and epoxy expense. That being said once this project is done it will really change our life. A 27GPH water maker and refrigeration, wow, that’s fancy

When we come back from Argentina we will have to figure out how to make some money for a haul-out, and to put the finishing touches on Splendid. We are both ready to leave the Caribbean for cooler destinations. We are thinking about Europe the following year, or sailing for Hawaii, Alaska, and spending some time in British Columbia.

Does anyone have experience with Webasto diesel heaters? I’ll have to figure out how to keep Splendid warm and livable in colder climates.

Freedom is something we must demand in our lives. It is the light that guides us on our path through life which brings us to what we all need, Love (Amor).

Life is more than grand, it’s priceless. It’s hard to understand how there is so much hate, war, and violence in the world when life is such a precious gift.

Peace, LOVE, and Coconuts.

-alex

The “light at the end of the tunnel” is blinding me!

As you guys know in 2007, on the island of Tahiti, I made a decision to trade “Namaste” for a larger boat that I could grow old and retire on.

My plan was to buy a fixer-upper, and take 2-3 years off of sailing to restore a larger yacht. Well my plan took 2-3 years longer than expected, about 6, but worth every minute, drop of sweat, heartache, and blood.

I’ve been holding off on restoring the cockpit as it has basically been my workshop. Every surface has been covered with epoxy, paint droppings, knicks, cuts, and worn heavily over the years.

What a transformation a week makes!

Every surface of the cockpit has been stripped, sanded, faired, primed, sanded, and painted. The helm has also been restored and I built a new dash that still needs to be wired.

Although I’ve been working uber-hard on Splendid I’m finding the energy to make this last push, and it helps to have the best girlfriend (almost wife) in the world.

I’ve felt really disconnected from Project BlueSphere in the past weeks as I just haven’t had the time to be creative, think, and write. But I’m so excited to be getting Splendid to a place where I can get back to the business of being a full-time seaman.

My heart aches for the sea and watching the stars twinkle above my sails, and new horizons reveal themselves with the light of a new day.

Carla and I are really starting to talk about where to sail next. The Pacific or Europe? I know the Pacific and Carla and I are both getting done with the Caribbean & Latin America.

We want to wear jeans, sweaters, and be a little farther from the equator.

As I’ve written before Carla has 2 passports, Argentina and Croatia. Croatia joined the EU in June and I/we have the opportunity to work and live in the EU for a while after our wedding.

I’m thinking it might be a good idea for me to get my Captains license (European) as we might want to charter in Croatia, Greece, the Pacific islands, and wherever else we like.

But as you all know my travel plans change with the wind and are not even close to being set in stone.

All I know at this point is I’m getting married in November, and where we travel after that will be a new adventure.

I’m really looking forward to seeing Buenos Aires and bombing around Patagonia for a while at the end of the year.

Splendid will soon be ready for real chartering with her new face-lift, galley, water-maker, and new refrigeration system.

I scored a new (demo unit) Glacier Bay micro HPS 12v holding plate system on EBay, and its coming with Carla’s brother in a few weeks.

He is also bringing my new 5/16 bbb Gypsy so I can finally install my Lofrans Falkon windlass.

I’m so excited about my life I can barely sleep at night. I am the luckiest man I know, thanks for watching over me mom!

I’ve also really enjoyed having a dog for a spell, Lucky is the best behaved dog around.

Once Splendid is done I’m contemplating getting one for the boat. I like the idea of the added security, not to mention the fact I just love dogs.

Well that’s it for today guys. I’m off to fix the water-pump at the house and return to Splendid to do some more rolling & tipping (painting), in the cockpit.

Peace, Love, more Love, and Coconuts.

-alex

Adventure is where you find it.

Although I’ve been spending more time off the boat in the last month than I ever have I’ve been buying boat stuff, supplies, and still finding some time for fun. Carla and I took a jungle tour with our friend heather the other day.

I find the jungle covered in bugs, snakes, and poisonous frogs, but we had fun. I’m not much of a land person and I’m not even fond of swimming in fresh water (lakes & rivers), but what the hell, when in Rome right?

Carla found some fresh bananas and I even found a cacao (chocolate) tree.

We trekked up onto the mountain for hours following a stream and small hunting trail.

The sky roared with thunder & lightening as usual but the canopy protected us from the rain.

Everything was sopping wet though and full of life. There isn’t a square centimeter where something isn’t growing. The trees and rocks are covered in fungus or moss, and eyes watch from everywhere.

Being on land so much is a really good exercise for me. Even though I’m having fun I can assure you that the boat life is for me long term.

It’s funny people say “a boat is a hole in the water you keep pouring money into”, I find it completely the opposite. If you own land or live on it everything has a price. The food you eat, the water you drink, taxes, power, and so on.

The land is so uber-expensive I cant see straight. We pay people to clean the house and keep the garden clean. We pay to fuel the car, the house, and people even like to stop by and give us bills for electricity & phone. ARRRGGGGG, I’m happy with my solar panels, sails, VHF radio, and peace on the water.

If I did live on the land though it would be somewhere as remote as Patagonia, man I cant wait to see it in November.

Well I’m off to do epoxy & fiberglass work in the cockpit. We have a charter in a few weeks and I have a ton of work to do.

By the way the flower is a pineapple flower.

Peace.

Alex

This is Lucky. She is an old mutt that Carla and I inherited with the Bambu house, she is our dog until November. She prefers the boat to land and loves to drive with her head out the window and stand on the front of the dinghy with sea spray in her face. She smells terrible as she has bad teeth but is happy as an old mutt can be. Freedom is such a beautiful thing!

It was the funniest things a few days ago when she was getting some lovin’ from a local stray and got stuck-together for about 20 minutes, I can’t believe I didn’t snap off a picture.

Since I left the states in 2003 I haven’t worked so hard (to make money) as I am now. I’m super motivated to finally get Splendid to a state that I feel comfortable doing some long-distance voyaging, and money is a necessary evil.

Carla and I have really been busting our asses on the bar, restaurant, and guest house. We’ve decided to close the bar & restaurant for the most part. Too much work for too little money. Carla and I work for 5-7 hours each (10-14 man hours) shopping, cooking dinner, entertaining, and after expenses we make about $50.00. We need balance in our working/living lives, and want to spend that energy on Splendid. When the restaurant is open we don’t have energy for anything else and are completely knackered 24/7. The rooms are bringing in some money, and I’ve been hired by the insurance company of the boat I saved to do some work on it.  Apparently my buddy and I really saved the insurance company some money by saving the boat before it sunk (fuel spill, etc.) in a national park. We are getting a few bucks for the salvage, and I’m looking after it for the moment.

The nice thing is I’ve had a little money in my pocket, well not at the moment, but I’m able to buy a few things here & there. I needed a new phone and bought a Samsung xcover (waterproof) android. Nice android for about $200 and it will download weather faxes from the SSB at sea and act as a backup chart-plotter. The android isn’t as sexy/functional as the iPhone but for the money, worth every penny!

I also bought a gallon of West System epoxy ($150) and some fiberglass for the cockpit project. We still had wooden decks in the cockpit and Carla and I removed them yesterday. Over the next few weeks I’ll be fairing, sanding, and painting the cockpit. We decided to keep the original look of the Cheoy Lee Midshipman by painting the cabin-house and all areas that were originally teak, a beautiful shade of brown.

It’s nice to have a few bucks lying around to buy supplies. I’m also looking to buy two laptops (both our old laptops have died in the past few months) and a gypsy for my Lofrans Falkon windlass so I can install it as soon as possible. We really make every cent stretch as far as humanly possible. “Must haves” is my motto. I also bought a pair of used Steiner binoculars ($157.00). I haven’t had binoculars since Guin broke my last pair in Colombia many years ago. Good binoculars are a “must have” in my world.

It’s been hard to find the time to blog lately. When I wake up I have responsibilities these days and I must admit, I’m not too fond of it. Carla and I are both looking forward to the day we can go back to our minimalistic lifestyle once Splendid is in better repair & outfitted for long –distance sailing.

Well I’m off to buy some thinner (in our temporary car ) to clean up the cockpit before I start sanding.

If anyone wants to trade a room to stay in down here, for some elbow grease let me know.

Sail far and live slowly

– alex

I threw a party for Carla and my birthdays last night. Carla is on July 11th, and I’m on the 14th.

I invited 7 of our friends. Believe it or not, two of them had birthdays this week as well, so it turned out to be a quadruple birthday party, man do I have a hang-over

I made BBQ chicken, salad, and baked potatoes for our friends along with having an open bar, fun! Needless to say there were a few hang-overs today.

There has been some bad boat energy lately. about 3 weeks ago I saved a boat that broke free of a mooring (why don’t people just anchor properly?), and last weekend a friend an I saved a boat within 1/2 hour of its sinking. Her nose was in the water and there was no time to try and pump her out so we pushed it onto the beach with my dinghy and had a tractor pull it up onto the mud as she wanted to slide back to the abyss from all the water weight.

I’m a bit tired of saving peoples boats and never even getting a “thank you” from the owners. I noticed Namaste (not my old boat) sitting a bit low in the water last night and informed the guys at the bar. They said the owner left about 5 months ago and didn’t have anyone look after his boat, and this morning she sits on the bottom in 40’ of water. WTF is the matter with people? It really amazes me how careless some people are with their boats, it really breaks my heart every time a boat is lost, such is life.

Spending so much time ashore has been interesting to say the least. I’ve gone from our simple life of living aboard Splendid to having a sailboat, house, car, two cats, a dog, and a staff, too damn funny!

The howler monkey’s are a bit annoying as they like to pick a mango, take one bite, and throw it at you or your car, they make a hell of a mess but are fun to have around.

Lots of weird bugs too, this guy was amazing and seemed to like to be pet, check out the video on my YouTube channel (upper right-hand side of this page).

We are booking the Bambu house easily and think we will do pretty well. We offer some cool local tours like jungle hikes, day snorkeling trips, canopy tours, not to mention good food & company.

Well, that’s it for today, I need to go back to nursing my hang-over and getting ready for my day-charter on Monday.

I finally got sterling Hayden’s book “wanderer” in my hands, a present from Carla and I’m looking forward to reading it from a hammock if I can ever find the time.

Peace from paradise.

Sail far & live slowly.

– alex