Well I just got one of the most important pieces of cruising gear out of the way. I now have a Cat 1 ACR Globalfix ipro 406mhz satellite EPIRB with internal GPS. What a long way EPIRBS have come since my old ACR satellite2. This is one -if not the most- important piece of cruising gear you can have. The magic button if you need immediate rescue at your fingertips. I got it sponsored for some advertising and I’ll be making an instillation video for them. The Pacific is growing closer, thanks ACR! I’ve had ACR EPIRBs on various boats for the past 15 years or so. I’ve never had to pull the trigger on an EPIRB but what a great peace of mind. The 406mhz signal is credited with saving over 30,000 lives. And the new ACR EPIRBs can even send an “okay” message when you’re at sea, pretty cool. Check out www.406link.com for more information. If you plan on doing cruising of any kind you’ll want one of these onboard.
I’ve been engulfed in my blog-book project. I’m trimming out much of the mundane (waiting for weather/fixing) blogs and focused on the travel for the most part. I’m telling some of the behind the scenes stuff which includes my experience in LA, Canada, and making the break to cruising and minimalism. It also tells a behind the scene story I was afraid to tell until the statute of limitations was up. No, I didn’t intentionally break any laws.
What a quick and fun read it’s turning out to be. I got kind of emotional reading my Pacific crossing blogs, what an adventure that was! I still can’t believe I did it. If you want to go back and read some of the Pacific crossing it starts on my 3/2/2007 blog, Tick Tock.
Carla and I are going to make some plans. We are thinking to transit the Canal around our birthdays (mid-July). Transiting the canal is an expensive but once in a lifetime experience. Twice in my case. I’m going to be looking for 3 guys to pitch in about $500 and spend a week with me which will include a 2-day Panama Canal transit from the Atlantic, to the Pacific.
If I had about seven grand I could do everything I want to do on Splendid for our trip across the Pacific, however the reality is it isn’t going to happen. I’m not able to work here and I’m not willing to beat Splendid up with backpackers getting drunk, vomiting all over the boat, putting cigarette butts out on the deck, and doing everything they can to transport illegal drugs. If I can stir up some conventional charters I’m all about it, but otherwise, I’ll just have to do without and go minimal.
Carla is getting super-excited about the crossing as am I. Reading back in my older blogs I’m reminded that putting together this old boat has got to come to an end and I need to feel the sea-spray on my smile, the wind in my hair, and adventure in my soul. That’s what I was built to do and its getting to be that time again.
Once we transit the canal I’m thinking to go up to Costa Rica for some surfing and a change of scenery. Then down to Ecuador for some inland adventure. If we can scrape a little money together I’d like to bus down to Machu Pichu before crossing the Pacific again. Maybe my book will bring in a few bucks?
Carla posted another beautiful blog and I’m starting to worry she may steal my readership. She is so insightful, talented, and kind, I feel a bit guilty sometimes. Why do I deserve such a nice woman? The truth is we are just really kind to each other, honest, trusting, and happy. We both have an uncanny ability to care for the other, it’s a constructive relationship.
Well that’s it for today. I’m planning on writing the rest of the day away as it’s grey & nasty outside.
I still feel like the luckiest guy on earth :)
Sail far and live slowly.
-alex