“God gave man eyes, yet he can not see”
“When I dare to be powerful – to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important weather I am afraid”
– Audre Lorde
“It’s easy to see, hard to foresee”
– Benjamin Franklin
“Only those who look with the eyes of children can loose themselves in the object of their wonder.
– Eberhard Arnold
“There will always be flowers for those who want to see them”
– Henri Matisse
“Dream lofty dreams, and as you dream, so you shall become. Your vision is the promise of what you shall one day be; your ideal is the prophecy of what you shall at last unveil”.
– James Allen
“Fear guards the gates of freedom”
– Alex Dorsey
Well I have passed 3000 days living free, on the sea, and traveling the world. I must say the hardest part of my journey has been maintaining vision. Many of my readers were quite disappointed when I sold Namaste. But when I sold her I was at the height of my ability to see the world around me, I had vision, real vision, and I knew it was the right thing to do! I was centered, at peace, and I felt more “whole” than I ever have. As you know my life quickly got complicated with a larger boat, love, and I lost much of my ability to see my path. I lost that special light and I may have found it today.
You all know how much I like the book “The Alchemist”. So much of the story has to do with us seeing our paths and listening to the world and signs around us. It is my humble opinion that the majority of us just don’t see, listen, or even care to. We are to busy plugged into the system, being obedient, making money, and blind to any calls of our own hearts or destiny.
I had a really good day yesterday. I took my buddies advice and “ate the frog”. I let my stress go and really enjoyed the day for the first time in a long time. I wasn’t stressed about leaving in March, my boat, or going anywhere. I caught a beautiful little tuna and shared it with friends as sashimi for dinner. My friend’s girlfriend is from South Africa and has been pounding how much I would love Africa into my head. I love indigenous people, simple living, freedom, nature, and the wild.
After dinner I came home and booted up my charting software. I plotted a course from Panama to the Gambia river in Western Africa. My course is from here to the Bahamas, Bermuda, the Azores, Madeira, Canary islands, the cape Verde islands, and into the Gambia.
This route has been on my mind lately and in the past weeks I’ve contacted the EU, and some sailing websites in Africa on email in search of information. The problem with West Africa is there just isn’t much cruising information and much of the coast (Ivory Coast) is quite volatile. The Gambia however is a “safe” place to go. “Only fear guards the gates of freedom Alex, don’t stress it”.
Well today I shot a bunch of primer on the aft cabin house, looks good eah?
After that I went through my books as I’m getting rid of things I don’t need and trying to make more room around here.
I went over to Hanz’s restaurant to put my books up in the book swap. I know all the books there like the back of my hand. I got some good charts of Spain and the Med a few weeks ago.
I looked down and couldn’t believe my eyes, I kid you not, a cruising guide to Western Africa. First of all I didn’t think one existed, and secondly I’ve never seen a cruising guide to Africa on a shelf in all of my years looking at cruisers book swaps.
“What a coincidence” I thought. I picked up the cruising guide with wide eyes and beneath it was a guide to the Atlantic Islands (Azores, Madeira, Canary, and Cape Verde islands).
I was stunned for a moment and I got the feeling my path was unfolding for me. It was just one of those moments.
I opened the Atlantic islands guide and my route was printed before me. I opened 
the Western African guide and it is basically of the Gambia. I didn’t dig or even look for a book, they were just laid out for me.
“Not a coincidence” I thought!
I came back to Splendid and saw the aft cabin house all covered with fresh primer and I smiled ear to ear, “perhaps I am going somewhere in March” I thought.
Do I have the ability to see my path back? If this is the case I may have real direction again, and that is very exciting to me. In my entire life I’ve had only a few years where I had the ability to see my path. Not the one I wish to forge, or the one society tells me to walk, but the path I’m meant to walk. Many of you may think I’m nuts and your probably mostly right, but I am really excited about this.
It may seem like a silly coincidence to you but I may have my internal compass back?
“Eat the frog”!
Peace, Love, and Africa?
– alex