Splendid is heavily laden with fuel, food, water, love, and dreams. She is ready to set sail and we have all the equipment needed to make a film. My pockets have a large hole once again but the pantry is stocked for 4-6 months, and I even have an extra spear for my gun. I can’t think of a better way to start a journey, I like to travel lean, funnily enough so does Carla.
Carla and I rented a friend’s old beat up pickup truck to go to Colon and do some provisioning & fueling. We spent over $700.00 that day but we spent it wisely and on staple items.
There is an evil fuel station here in Puerto Lindo that charges over 50% on their fuel because it’s 30 miles to the next station. Truthfully I’d rather throw money away then support such a shyster, hence, renting the truck.
Carla has never been sailing and is excited to see the islands I believe to be the most beautiful in the world. It’s not the white sand, crystal blue water, or warm breeze that gently blows through the coconut palms that makes the San Blas my favorite place. Nor the lack of ciguatera, hurricanes, shops, cars, or bars. It’s the fact that the Kuna people live at the heart of minimalism. They are Indians, and live in harmony with their environment.
When I first visited the San Blas I envied the children growing up in the grass huts spending their lives on the reef, playing, hunting, and growing old. Like oil rising over water I believe the small amount of my Native-American blood dominates my being. My soul gravitates to having less, living simple, hunting and most of all living free! This philosophy, forged with sailing, is the message I wish to convey in my next film.
Carla and I will be filming a lot and I told her the other day I want to shoot a “if I die” video clip. Something my buddy could post on Project BlueSphere explaining how absolutely content, and how focused I am on my path.
A man realizing his path is one thing. I hope Project BlueSphere is a beacon for a few to help them with this, but arm-chair “entertainment” cruising is not my intention. My intention is for a few of my readers to realize their dreams, and more importantly take the first step. Realizing your path is the easy part. Perhaps its time to walk it, I know it is for me!
I’ve been many things in my life, but it’s time to put the chapter of shipwright behind me. I still have many projects but I am a sailor who finally believes his ship to be sound. It’s time to go sailing. I’ve only seen a small part of the San Blas, perhaps 15%. When I was here so many years ago the jungle between Panama and Colombia was infested with the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia), basically gorillas like the IRA, ETA, with good intentions that end up as corrupt and blood-thirsty as the forces they try to fight. Anyway the area was quite dangerous, and now it is not. I hope to explore more of the eastern San Blas to the Colombian border.
We had friends over for a dinner last night. Jim & Heather (Scottish) from SV Charmer, and Mani & Raffi (Brazilian) from SV Brava. Our good friends from Brava are sailing to Bocas Del Toro, and Splendid to the San Blas. Saying goodbye to good friends is a part of a sailor’s life.
In the next few days I will point Splendid into the sunrise and sail east starting yet another chapter in my life. I have many questions I wish to ask. Where will we go? Will we have money? Will we get sick, will we be safe? Will Carla be here forever? Will we sail across the Pacific or Atlantic? Will I loose Splendid on a reef without insurance?
The answer is simple, I don’t know, and I’m good with that!
Once again I wish to thank all the contributors who have helped me over the past few months. I gave my friend Mani a spare alternator yesterday that he needed. He gave me a Balmar Duo-Charge a few weeks ago, and a nice sheet of stainless this morning. Some of you contributed money to “the cause” and hopefully my/our words, pictures, and films will render some value.
I have a wind generator a friend gave me a while back (Hornet) and it’s just too big to mount on Splendid. I’m going to give it to a family I know in the San Blas to help them power a light on windy nights. I’m really quite opposed to introducing technology to the Kuna but the reality is it’s happening one way or the other and I feel assisting them with natural power versus fossil fuel consumption is probably a good thing?
I surely don’t want everyone to buy boats and come cruising as the anchorages are getting more and more crowded every year. However I do hope that some of you that really feel the call of the wind/sea take the step you need. I was so very lost in the system waking up, going to work, paying bills, and waking up to go to work so I could pay bills, and working more to pay my bills. Success shouldn’t be weighed by possessions, financial worth, or the illusion of “security”. In my humble opinion a man should measure himself with a very small stick in one hand, and the other extended for the man behind him. Perhaps it’s time for your step?
My next blog will be written from the San Blas.
Peace, Love, & Coconuts.
Sail far & live Slowly
-alex
Will you have the spot on?
Didn’t think about it but I’ll find it and turn it on :) I’m thinking that I’m only going to connect to the Internet once a week to post a blog and answer emails. I’m looking for a little space from technology. I want my focus turned towards my film and the Internet can be very distracting. If my batteries are still good I will mark my locations with the spot. They need some sort of special, lithium AA battery.
Alex,
Happy you are taking off but what about those of us that contributed some flow on Kickstarter and have yet to receive our links to your previous films. Don’t leave a fellow sailor hanging.
James,
The links went out this morning through kickstarter, let me know if you could download them okay.
Scraping Splendid’s bottom today :)
Cheers
Safe travels, may you both find your nirvana. Keep us posted. Darren and Cindy
I would love to see a short video clip of Carla’s reaction with her first sail. I know when i have taken people out sailing for the first time they seem to realize the unbelievable feeling of the beauty if the wind.
Safe travels
Bon Voyage!!
I am always telling my friends about where you are and what you are doing. if you get the spot on that would be pretty cool but if you can’t maybe every once and a while you could just post your numbers. heck it might even give a few of us “me for sure” a little practice of finding a marker with your lat n lon.
So I can’t wait to hear more about the Kuna and how they have changed since you were last there. i hope they are still pure and have not been impacted. You mentioned that you were going to give a family there a wind gen. it is a great idea if you can teach them about the modern trappings and show them that they can design a future that is less foreign reliant and is renewable. You said that they are already using outboard motors, imagine if they were introduced to the solar panels harbor freight sells and some kind of high end electric outboard motor “added a url at the bottom as an example”. The startup cost might be comparable to a new outboard 4 stroke but then after they have it would hopefully just be batteries every few years. You are in a position to help them Alex you can see both sides and you have the awareness needed to choose a path that could ultimately preserve them and their way of life.
http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/product.do?part=223790&BASE
Safe travels my friend! I hope the cruise with Carla is all you have dreamed. It has been a while working on this particular phase of your journey and you have worked hard to see that your current dream will come to pass. For all your negativeness towards work, you sure have done a lot of it. With that and along with your supporters, you have earned a life reward. Work is good as long as it fuels your dreams and your dream isn’t just amassing (?) more money. Maybe it would be a good time to visit you in the San Blas after you have filled your much needed and deserved personal time relaxing and enjoying life after the huge goal and completion of your wonderful ship Splendid! She is Beautiful as I hope cruising will be. Full sails, beautiful anchorages and a wonderful adventure with a superb mate is my wish for you.
Xcllz,
I actually thought of trying to raise some money to get a few families set up with solar the right way. Maybe attempting to set a good standard to moving forward with technology, good idea with the electric motors, the Kuna have plenty of sun.
Jeff I’m not negative towards work, just work’n for the system. Good hard work keeps me focused :)
I just posted a short YouTube. I don’t know if it will show up I’n the player on this page the way it should but if you click on it and go to my YouTube channel you’ll see the video isla grande.
I also clicked off a spot to show where we are. Only about 5 miles from where we were but on the other side of some complicated reefs.
It feels Gr8 2 B moving !!!!
Yo Bro… Got your messages on Skype. Good to see you moving. YES. Keep me posted as to how I can get down there and spend some time with you. I think it needs to be done. I’ll work it out on this end.
Busy here. Panacea is coming along nicely. Pretty forgiving at this time. Looking forward to spending some time in the San Blas with you and Carla. I’ll have to move a few things around, but give the skinny on how to get there and I’ll take it from there.
Rainy season here and projects are piling up. Go figure. Take good care and be safe. See you down the sea…
Capt. Paul
s/v Panacea
Nice video by the way…
Cruising, play time. It’s all good. REAL GOOD.
Capt. Paul
s/v Panacea
Alex,
“The answer is simple, I don’t know, and I’m good with that!” Wiser words were never spoken.
As far as your intent to help and inspire others to take to that path, for me, you are providing exactly that. I thank you for that, thank you for helping one to live a more meaningful life.
Mike
Woot, Carla and I are anchored I’n the San Blas. The last 15 miles were a push with a strong opposing current and 20kt headwinds, knocked us back to 1.5 -2.5 knots. Immwoundering if I need a better pitch on my prop?
We are going to take a few days off as we are both exhausted from the previous weeks, Carla and I have been working really Hard.
I’m happy we had such strong current and wind. I really put the motor under a heavy load for 3-4 hours, and not a hiccup :)
Atlast!!!!!!!!
I just lit off a spot if anyone wants to see my location. We are anchored out & private, Paridise :)
fms.ws/816Eq/9.57209N/78.85156W
Wow, there is nothing there but green jungle and blue water. Beautiful. What’s the depth going over the reefs?? Looks shallow from the satellite view.
Thanks VETS!
http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/boa/3031524190.html $6K??????
enjoy the islands and but stay out of the swimming pool……………….G
http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/boa/3031524190.html