The locals are dumb founded. The weather just wont quit this year! My friend Alex arrived in PC this morning and I’m stuck on the boat for the next 36 hours. I really wanted to be at the airport to meet her but unless I surfed onto the beach it just isn’t happening. I had a cab driver meet her at the airport and bring her to a hotel.
I’ve been Scrap’n, paint’n, and clean’n. This last weather system is pretty strong. Again with the torrential rain, wind, and sea coming from the North. My path is with nature, and truthfully I believe it knows best, it beats living in a climate controlled environment, at least for me.
So, I’ve been pulling my hair out over my motor issue lately. It will increase in RPM’s and it sounds like fuel starvation. I opened up and checked my lift pump, all looked good. I tightened all the hose clamps, still the same problem. I took the lift pump out of the equation and bypassed it with an electric feed pump, same issue. Holding my head in my hands thinking I need to rebuild or replace the hi-pressure pump (expensive) was ruining my day. I know my filters are clean (new) and I have a vacuum gauge on my Racor, WTF!!!!!!
A few hours later I figured it out. Guess what dumb-dumb did? About a month ago I was re-arranging my tools and engine room and put my back up starting battery on my new (6 weeks old) fuel line. It was restricting the fuel flow. The engine has been running smooth for the past few hours :) I’m really, REALLY, happy about this!
Yesterday was spent helping another cruiser who lost his anchor package overboard. He also lost his outboard overboard a few weeks ago. You know guys we need to keep our equipment on the boat. It is funny remembering back to my first international log. I wrote it from Bimini Bahamas. I ran aground, lost my anchor, and when I retrieved it punctured my inflatable with it. Wow, how times have changed. It just takes time like anything else. We need to get out there and build our skill sets. Learning is so much fun!
Thank you for all the holiday wishes, and Kirk, it’s good to hear from you bro, we had some good times, eah?
I just put two loaves of bread in the oven, a banana bread, and a raisin/oat/almond loaf. I like to give away bread to my friends in the anchorage when we all get stuck for a while. Fresh hot buttered bread goes a long way on a blustery day. So many people dictate how long they can cruise away from stores by the amount of preservatives in their bread, I just don’t get it, bread is so easy to make. We are going to have a “cooking with Alex” segment. Real men bake, for real!!!
It will be strange having someone around again, we’ll see where it goes? Alex is an awesome lady I met just over three years ago in New Caledonia.
I’ll finish up my next video tonight.
Peace, Love, and coconuts.
Sail far and live Slowly _/)
-Alex
Alex,
We are all dying to see some new pics, especially some pics of Alex (not you, the girl one)
Alex:
Weather happens… SW Florida has been running a bit chilly too. But this week it’s going to rebound into the mid to upper 70’s and have a great weekend.
Blinders? We’ve all got ’em. It seems like I spend a lot of time working on a solution to a project and then my buddy comes over, looks over my shoulder and says something, I think, is stupid and he’s right on the money. So I tighten the bolt or whatever and that is that.
It’s just the way of boats…
Pat and I are doing fine. Charters are really slow at the moment so I’m working on wiring, hoses and just general “to do” lists. I’ve got a leak in one of my chain plates that has been buried behind the cabinets, so I have to cut the back of the cabinet out to get to it. Five more to go. What are they thinking when they build a boat and then think their isn’t any maintenance to do on it, forever.
So that’s about it. I need to get in a sail or two to clear my brain. I always get more done when I’m on the hook somewhere.
Take care and enjoy the bread. I’m a gluten free guy, but there’s alternatives. Never as good as “real” bread, but fills the need.
Happy New Year!
Capt. Paul
s/v Panacea
Wow,
I have an awesome opportunity. I know a guy stripping a boat. For roughly 2k I could get a 400GPD Sea Recovery water maker (new membranes), a Westerbeke diesel generator (working), two sets of dive gear, and a dive compressor. If I could raise the cash I’d buy it all. If someone out there is thinking of doing a charter and wants to prepay, I’ll give you an extra week. I have a few friends I may approach about a micro loan. If I could fill dive tanks it would be good for dive charters :)
Sail far _/)
I have followed you almost from day one. I probably look at the web page everyday, looking for any new entries.
I can’t express how much I enjoy your journey- however (there’s always a “however”)-You are always talking about money-how little money you live on- how much money you need for all the items you need/want to buy-If im not wrong just a little while ago you wrote that you were going back to the way you first started and that you were not going to charge for charters and what ever someone wanted to give/donate was fine with you- now in your last re: post you sound like you want $2000 for a week charter and you will throw in an extra week.
Im sorry Alex – it just seems like you are always begging and hustling for more $$$.
Alex-you have such a great thing going with project bluesphere–hundreds of people follow your every move.
I just read the last blog and that is almost exactly what i was going to say. i know you need money to eat and repair the boat. so there is nothing wrong with making money by chartering or doing dive charters. i mean the sooner you pull up the hook and head across the ocean the better for me as well. I just seem to think you have lost your focus. Which by the way you have a tendancy to do from time to time. I can remember when you sold Nameste . You ended your voyage before it was completed and eventually returned to Florida with the hopes of charting doctors to third world countries on a larger boat. Then of course you fell in love and that ended that plan. Then you and Sam ended things and you wanted to get back to the true sense of what you had started and now you are back to making money and chartering at $1500 per week. whats up Alex? I hate to be negative because you have given so much. Just be true to your self and your readers. I was excited about your book coming out. Now i think it might just be done to be a money maker. Prove me wrong.
sorry to agree guys. maybe a name change of living on the hook ,and fixing an old boat. Alex we love you ,but the site is not really about sailing at all anymore.Now you have another 6 months where you are now. Its not up to us to tell you how to live, but we are here to follow your sailing adventure.Seems you have different plans every other week..We support you but things have gotten boring….still hangin but losing the love
If anyone thinks I take more than I give, or “hustle” anyone, please take advantage of the unsubscribe button at the top of the screen, its really quite simple and there for a reason. I’m not here to please anyone, nor am I “entertainment”. This is my life and I share it so others who are interested in doing the same may learn from it. It’s a learn from my mistakes kind of deal. I have been struggling to find a clean water source for quite some time now and excited about the possibility of doing so.
I live well below my means, don’t owe anyone a dime, and consume a tiny fraction of natural resources in comparison to most of the people on the planet. More importantly I strive to live on less and that is what I’m about, I’m a minimalist. I believe in “personal responsibility” and live my life accordingly. Wen someone needs help I’m the first guy to show up, and the last to leave. If I wanted to live on more than 6-7 k a year I’d go back to making films or being a stock broker and really “hustle” for money and super-consume. If you want to open up a discussion about this please be my guest, I’m up for a discussion. I’d like to say I don’t have to explain myself to anyone, but find it my responsibility to do so.
With Namaste I didn’t end my journey before I was done, I realized my “circumnavigation” changed into a life long journey, I wanted a home I could stand up in. I wont apologize for growing. Every one of my charters has gone back with a wonderful, often life changing experience. I always try to leave more in my wake than I take. I can pull up thousands of emails where people have really been inspired by my work and that’s all I really need to feel confident about my website. Over the years I have had a number of people reaching out in suicidal states, it goes with the territory. It is very hard for me to associate my my time (charters)with a price. I also have a number of people cruising that have told my my website and time “Saved” their lives. My work is worth it, at least to me. Here is an email I received just yesterday:
Hello Alex
As one of the many followers who’s been watching your travels, progress and life inspiring motivation, I want to thank you for providing such detailed information on your adventures. I just sent you a $25 donation via Pay-Pal, wishing I could send you more right away however, I recently took a HUGE step myself.
Although I don’t have a sailboat yet, my next step in becoming autonomous is purchasing a boat within a few months. Before I embark on my sailing adventure, I just made the commitment to take sabbatical in the Dominican Republic and will finish in Panama before moving onto the boat in summer.
As a small business owner, I have become so frustrated with government policy and our economy. The bureaucracy in the USA is absolutely insane, leaving the rat race is going to be a welcome change of pace. I want to add, your courage, perseverance and success at autonomy have definitely inspired me to take the steps I recently have. Thank you….your web page is awesome!
I’ve taken out the senders name to keep it anonymous.
Really, if the “Love” is gone, unsubscribe. And it’s funny you mention my book. I’ve realized that it is not something I want to “sell”, based on it’s content it should be given & shared. That being said I really don’t see anything wrong with charging for books or films in the first place. My time is worth something, no?
My skill sets are high enough I don’t need Project BlueSphere to continue cruising on. I can fix diesel engines, weld, or whatever and make more money than I do with my website. More people than not wouldn’t be so happy about it because they find Project BlueSphere a valuable resource, and I feel compelled to continue doing what I do.
Really, if your “bored” or feel the “love” is gone Unsubscribe here, I don’t know how to make it easier for you:
neo.projectbluesphere.com/Unsubscribe.aspx
Sail far and Live slowly.
Feeling compelled to comment here. Whilst i understand people are keen to see some high seas adventures I think some are being a bit harsh. Cruising, no matter whether you are cruising around your local coastline or doing an ocean crossing, boats cost money to equip and run and lots of it. Alex is getting Splendid ready for a crossing and is doing all the work himself which is time consuming to say the least!
Alex, Keep up the good work! I know that reading your logs about all the issues with living on a cruising boat and the ups and downs involved with it is truely inspiring. We all know you will make that crossing soon and i for one will be here to watch!
Any videos coming??
Mike
Bill & Ted need to go on their own “excellent adventure” to see what its all about. It dosnt get much more adventurous than an ocean crossing. Alex, when you are old and grey, the nay sayers and free loaders will still be sitting in their armchairs thinking they are going to go cruising someday. Sometimes “someday” never comes. You have shared more adventure than many will ever see in their entire lives. Keep on keeping on. Write your plans in the sand at low tide so you can change them anytime you want. Panama sounds like paradise found, it seems to me you are happier than most of us over here. except when you have women and children in your life, the stress was starting to show) Money is just a necissary evil that we all need to live in this day and age. I am beginning to realize that my rental properties take too much of my attention and distract from a cruising lifestyle. I am trying to come up with alternate ways to make a small income. You have your charters and web site, use them, it works for you.
Wow.. Im sorry alex. I can see your pissed off. Every one please send only praise or money or you will be asked to take a hike. I purchaced both dvds and loved them. But Bluesphere is much different from your intent years ago. Things you would never do you now do,.now pay per view video,family cruising dvd. watermaker ,shuttle students,No we have no right telling you how to live ,but on the other hand you put your life out there to follow. You change you plans weekly . 3 people spoke out earlier and there must be many more out here. There just is no focus anymore. I believe no one meant you harm.Just giving you some feed back. Minamalist???? you always need money so you can buy more stuff for the boat. Im love what bluesphere used to be about,I still have hope ,but will check in monthy instead of daily… Brett
Brett, I’m really not pissed off at all. As I said I’m more than happy about opening a discussion, don’t take a hike. And yes, BlueSphere is ever evolving. I chance my plans all the time and you can count on me changing them again. If Splendid was ready (Money) I’d cross an ocean in May, but the reality is she is not. It is cheap here and a good place for me to have things machined, fabricated, and there are no hurricanes. I’ve been talking about refitting Splendid , or the boat I was to buy, in Panama / Colombia since back in Tahiti.
I’m In Panama with Alex, she is a good friend. She was my doctor in New Caledonia when I ran my thumb between my starter and flywheel. When i showed up to her it was pretty bad and infected :(
Anyway, I’m not pissed off and having a great time. We went to a Salsa club last night and I’m spending a few “civilized” days with a nice woman.
Cheers and Happy New Year
Its all good alex, You have inspired me to break free myself. I have just a month ago packed my house up in the midwest moved to florida and soom will be looking for a sailboat my self. Little by little I’m getting there .Just getting to this point has been a major step for me.. I look foward to meeting you some day .I regret If came on to strong. We all live and learn.. Cheers to a new year and hope its good to us all.. Brett
Alex:
Great post and great thread rolling along. Nice time to clear the air. You need “stuff” to make “stuff” work and you need money to do the job. So many people see you as an personality that sips rum, enjoys sunsets and plays in the sand all day.
Sure they know you work hard, but I think they are missing the point… You are living your life in a glass house. This is your choice. I for one am thankful for that. I’ve learned a lot about “Life” from reading over the years. Sure, there are times that I don’t agree with you and chime in with my 2 cents, 95% of the time, I look at your “Life” with empathy.
I’ve learned the most by putting myself in your situation. I think the situation through and then make “my” mind up thinking of what “I” would do. That’s where the learning thing comes in. If I can come up with different ideas that make my life easier on Panacea or a different way to run my charters then I’ve scored.
So enjoy this thread. The guys that want you to change back to the way they perceived you to be a few years ago, have forgotten what the site was all about in the first place. They want to live through you. They want to create a movie in their minds of what you should be doing. I can’t see that happening.
Change your mind as much as you want. They have. I’m sure if they look back on their lives, they have gone many different directions. That’s life. Change is all we really have. Being the same, on the same corse… Well it’s boring.
Continue to live your life. Continue to do it in a glass house. Your ramblings, writings and videos contain real gems for people if they look for them AND use them.
I’ve dug ’em out and my life is better for it and so is Panacea.
I think that they may be caught up in your energy of change. It’s hard out there sometimes and you have to work to get to paradise. In fact most cruisers I know don’t like long passages. They dread leaving port where they’ve been comfy for a while. They look for perfect weather windows and then force themselves to hoist the anchor and head out for a week at sea. They get sick, things break, things leak, engines stop, sails rip and then they pull into port, drop the hook and “Pop” their in paradise.
It’s all worth it. So they write articles, cut hair, make shell trinkets and sell, sell, sell to put the boat back together and do it again. Yep, everyone is trying to make a buck to live free. Weird. But necessary.
A couple of bucks for a video. Cool. A free book where you pay what you think it’s worth to you. Great. If it works keep it up.
I’m a street performer too. Play my guitar and do magic shows. I draw a crowd and do my show. It’s free up to that point, but in the end, I pass my hat. I only ask for them to pay if they enjoyed the show. It works. It has since 1974.
If they had a good time, laughed, applauded and walk away from the show with out dropping a couple of bucks in the hat, then it’s just like shoplifting. If they can’t afford to drop anything in the hat but stop to say thanks, then that’s all I need.
I think some of your readers are forgetting to say thanks or they’re just shoplifters.
Once again… My 2 cents. I’ll drop some money in you hat amigo, and say thanks too. Keep it up!
Capt. Paul West
s/v Panacea
P.S. Ask them if they built a website, kept a log of their life for people to read, produce, shoot, edited and upload videos and share everything that you know with someone… How much would they want… I’m sure it wouldn’t be in the realm of FREE.
You give without expecting it all to come back, but it will from sources that understand the principles…
Alex —im sorry—-I in know way wanted to offend you or anyone else—-I agree with you making money anyway that you can—-all I was trying to say was just say so—–please don’t send out mixed messages
I have bought all your dvd s and your new upload videos—-I have also entered your raffles for charters even though I have my own boat and already live on it full time—-I do not work and am retired—-I have cruised in the past and will again leave my home port—–I know exactly what it takes to be out living on the hook
again Alex I am extremely sorry that all this was taken the wrong way
Just wanted to say I appreciate hearing about the costs. Both financially and in the form of the extended periods of time and ingenuity required to fix and upgrade items yourself. The self sufficientcy, or efforts in becoming as close to that as possible.
I have owned a boat in the local marina, for 10 years. At first I had no desire to sail for extended periods of time and greater distance, now that desire is strong. There is a big step going from a good income / job and sailing on weekends, to taking the leap of faith and sailing farther without said income. Repairs to the boat are of no real concern now, being able to pay to have it done. I could go sailing right away, but without an income out there, it would not last long. Sailing on capital, instead of income, would ensure there was an end to the adventure. It would make the difference between vacation with a date to return to work always on my mind, and the dream / lifestyle I am looking for. Money used to seem ubiquitous, but with the housing crash and economic downturn, the only way I can sail for an extended period without the income I currently have, is through the same self sufficientcy Alex employs.
Hearing the costs, and how others are making it work, is of great value to me. I have asked Alex before to give me some insight into how much he lives on, where that money goes, and how he raises the money. I know it inspired some posts on the subject. The information helped me make the next step in a more informed way, and I extremely appreciate the insight into how he makes that work. Looking forward to reading about a sailing adventure too Alex, but these insights have brought me closer to an adventure of my own. :)
Moving aboard in 2 months. :)
Cheers,
Mark
Markvnuk expresses my situation perfectly. I have the means to start the adventure, but not to continue it indefinitely. The indefinite part is what I look to Alex for, for guidance and inspiration. Anyone who has retirement income or enough savings to live off the hook without financial worry for the rest of their lives doesn’t need inspiration or advice. Its those of us who want out now without extended visible means of support who need this site. Alex, with the crumbling state of the US economy and society, you offer hope and a possible way out, and there’s nothing wrong with you making some money from those of us who might follow in your footsteps.
I had to weigh in here as well. Alex armchair quaterbacking is never going to go away. This is one of the only places in the world that one can obtain a actual close approximation of what the cost of cruising is. I happen to like ice in my drinks so mine is slightly higher. The on thing I have realized is that if you give someone something for free they don’t value it. I give of my time and resources to charity all the time and I can tell you the people who don’t have to pay for my services are always the ones who are never satisfied. My wife is a ER nurse up hear in Canada and just because you don’t pay out of pocket for services everyone thinks they are the boss and should have some say in how things are run. Keep you chin up we are all either Pips or Whore it is the nature of life buyers and sellers I say you charge a annual or monthly fee similar to the way Lats and Atts cruising club is set set up and thin out the heard as well as create a steady stream of dollars. I would gladly pay to have unlimited access to all of your content Video, How to’s, Logs, ect…. Just my two cents! Have a great time with Alex you deserve a little break. I hope you are enjoying you Christmas gift fro us. Take care and Live slow and prosper.
Mike
Alex, you have been nothing but an inspiration to me. All the ups and downs that you go through I try to learn from as I go through the job of preparing my boat for unending cruising. And I do understand the money issues. I cringe every time I have to spend a penny these days. I wish my boat was in shape to make the trip down to Panama so I to could experience the cheaper cost of materials and fabrication.
I think you have to actually own a boat to understand the expense ( of everything). Something for those naysayers to think about maybe.
Anyway, You rock Alex! Don’t change a thing.
Wally
S/V Hokule’a
Thanks guys, for the good, the bad, and the ugly. I’m glad this blog shook it up a little. I just saw the old sea recovery water maker and I’m going to get it cheap. My buddy will work with me on it is a really old 110 system I don’t think it will work on my 1800 watt inverter. The cat pump in it is the same one I have and is belt driven by the 110 motor, I’m either going to change it to a dc motor or direct drive ( belt) to the little kubota. I will need a new membrane but all the other parts come with the system. It is going to be cool to have fresh clean water :)
I actually thought it was pretty cool that people wanted to get involved and spoke their minds. Differences of opinion are a good thing. As for Alex changing his mind – hell, most of us strapped to our desks and conformist lives don’t have enough time to consider different directions. I also see the log as a place where you expose your thoughts not neseessarily the absolute direction you are going to take. As far as the cost of a charter with Alex – money well spent from one who knows. I would be glad to talk with anyone who is serious about going to see Alex and spend a week. It may give you a very different perspective on what it takes to stay out there.
Happy New Year Alex
Kirk
Life is constantly evolving and isn’t a static thing. You have to change and adapt as the situation changes or get left behind.
What a bunch of douchebags. You keep on keeping on brother and do your thing. You earned it in blood and sweat. Your not here for anybody but you. although you’ve helped me in ways you will never know. Brett from marathon