I haven’t done much work to Eleanor since we got her. Carla and I have been putting our energy and Love into Splendid”s refit and restoration. I’ve had an idea in my heart of what Splendid should be since the day I got her, and that 

day has finally come, she’s finished! Here are a few pictures, but today I’m here to talk about Eleanor.

A few months ago I finally pulled the money together to buy two Panasonic 350 watt HIT solar panels, and I must say they are AWSOME! I haven’t run the generator (Honda 2000) since the day I plugged them in three months ago. They are so powerful my batteries are usually in float mode by noon. So what to do with all the extra power, WATER!

As you guys know I built a water maker a few years back, And I just want to say I’m not going to build another engine driven watermaker. Trading a gallon of diesel for 16 gallons of water is not very conscientious in my book, nor the way I wish to spend my time on this earth. There is a better way!

Efficient DC watermakers are expensive, over $7,000, and something I am just not able to afford. I did however find a heavily used Spectra 

Clark pump and pressure vessel for $1,200, and I bought them. The question is, will I regret it, the system looks pretty shot?

Rebuilding the clark pump is not cheap either but something I can toy with as I can afford parts, and the upside is about 8 gallons of water an hour for 10 amps. I can afford that with my solar system all day long, well almost, about half the day :)

My main goal with Eleanor is to make her an efficient home that Carla and I can grow old on as while we travel, and having a clean source of water is paramount in out home. I’m almost 53 and my shoulders are pretty shot. I guess that’s the result of sailing the majority of my life, but well worth it. However hauling 5 gallon jugs of water is getting old! I have high hopes for building a Spectra Cape Horn extreme out of this old clark pump.

Peace, love, and Coconuts guys.

– alex

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

I’m sitting in a magaritaville (Panama city airport) and about to fly to Argentina for three weeks. I’m drinking a few Guinness and decided to write a blog.

As most of my know I write from my heart. I don’t give a shit about generating hits, money, or fame from my blogs, and I’ve been so uninspired since my country voted Trump into office. “uninspired” is an understatement, I’m ashamed! Oh wait, the people didn’t vote Trump into office, he lost by almost three MILLION votes? Don’t get me wrong I didn’t like Hillary but is this really where we are now? Is this “Democracy” ? Build your walls, and have your wars, the truth is its not my place to have an opinion anymore, I quit! My place in this crazy world is to live free and provide the same environment for my beautiful wife. We have obtained our Panamanian residency and Call Panama home now so knock yourself out.

I’m not blogging lately because I’ve lost the connection to my audience. I’m hoping to reconnect and inspire some people with my film “The Minimalist Sailor” which we will release next year. The script is good and we have already won a number of awards for story. It is always my agenda to inspire men who truly seek freedom to find it.

I miss you guys and blogging a few times a week, but the truth is I need to hear from you too? Where is everyone?

All I can say is I Love my wife, boat, and dog. I have no agenda to have money, land, or position. I don’t want walls boarders, hate, or segregation.

Peace my friends,

I hope everyone finds what they are looking for.

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

I’m leaving for the states in a few days. Carla and Nacho will come for a visit three weeks after I arrive. Then I’m off for Panama with Eleanor, FINALLY!

All of my creative energy has been diverted to the production of “The Minimalist Sailor” which we will start filming in June/July. Carla, my father, and myself are all so excited about the project, it’s a Dorsey team effort :)

I must say I’ve been somewhat upset lately. There are a few American boats in San Blas that are making relations between the Kuna nation and the sailors quite difficult. They aren’t happy with Kuna regulations and instead of abiding by them, they are contacting lawyers in Panama city, and even involving the USCG in Kuna matters.

I was voicing my concerns to this on the San Blas Crusiers Facebook group and was quickly deleted from the group and conversation. In order to be heard, I started the group San Blas Sailors, I really hate censorship! It is my firm belief that as sailors, it is our responsibility to respect other cultures as we travel no matter what our personal feelings are, especially when they are so vulnerable and can’t defend themselves from us. But if we think about it, bullies very rarely take on someone their own size. Carla and I came home to a deflated dinghy last week, both tubes in our dinghy have been punctured. I’ve never had such a problem in all my years voyaging and I’m not feeling like I want to
share much these days. Anyway, here is the first blog I wrote on the San Blas Sailors group:

Cowboys and Kunas.

Okay, I have to get this off my chest, once again I’ve lost sleep over what is going on in the San Blas and I would like to share my thoughts today.

There is a war going on in the world. It’s not covered by Fox News, and its soldiers are fighting from every corner of the globe. The soldiers are you and they are me, and this war is taking place on the front of humanity itself.

We are a rapidly evolving species unlike the shark, lizard, or amoeba, who have not changed for thousands or millions of years. If we are to walk into a structure built by man just a few hundred years ago, we have to duck as we enter. We are much taller than our ancestors just a few generations ago.

When I was crossing the Pacific alone in 2007 my mind began to wonder at sea. The Pacific is vast, and it’s easy for a man to get lost in his own thoughts on a 28′ sailboat. I ended up throwing most of my books overboard as I couldn’t let modern philosophies and ideas pollute the pure thoughts and ideas that were being generated by my heart. Some may call it solitude-driven insanity, others clarity. No news, no phones, internet, or television during my eight-month journey, Just time with my soul, and time to get to know who I am at my very core. It was the best and most rewarding time in my life.

Somewhere between the Galapagos Islands and the Marquesas (thirty days at sea) everything negative about humanity (war, slavery, the preoccupation with killing, destroying nature) all started to make sense. How can western mankind have the ability to create such beauty (music, poetry, art), yet manage to destroy nature (my God) every step of the way? Eusociality.

Here is the Wiki definition of Eusociality:

Eusociality (Greek eu: “good/real” + “social”), the highest level of organization of animal sociality, is defined by the following characteristics: cooperative brood care (including brood care of offspring from other individuals), overlapping generations within a colony of adults, and a division of labor into reproductive and non-reproductive groups. The division of labor creates specialized behavioral groups within an animal society which are sometimes called castes. Eusociality is distinguished from all other social systems because individuals of at least one caste usually lose the ability to perform at least one behavior characteristic of individuals in another caste.
“Eusociality exists in certain insects, crustaceans and mammals. It is mostly observed and studied in the Hymenoptera (ants, bees, and wasps) and in the termites. For example, a colony has caste differences; queens and reproductive males take the roles as the sole reproducers while the soldiers and workers work together to create a living situation favorable for the brood. In addition to Hymenoptera and Isoptera, there are two known eusocial vertebrates from the order Rodentia, which includes the naked mole-rat and the Damaraland mole-rat. Some shrimps such as Synalpheus regalis are also eusocial. Several other levels of animal sociality have been distinguished. These include presocial (solitary but social), subsocial, and parasocial (including communal, quasisocial, and semisocial).”

After further study of eusocial societies, I came across Harvard professor Edward O. Wilson’s research and book on the subject and my thoughts on human-behavior expanded even more.
Eusocial societies are societies where its collective, together, build what an individual can not. There is a division of labor, and the working class of the society does not raise their own offspring. Sound familiar?

Edward O. Wilson’s thoughts on human evolution as a eusocial society were highly controversial. Firstly, nobody wants to relate humanity to the ant, bee, or the wasp world (the borg). Have you ever watched ants go to battle with other ants? It’s brutal and unforgiving. Secondly, he observed that during every generation more and more humans choose not to reproduce (homosexuality). This being a definitive evolutionary marker that proves that the human race is evolving into an advanced eusocial society, certainly food for thought?

These ideas rolled around in the corners of my mind as I was sailing in-between Polynesian islands. The differences between the French and the Polynesians were drastic, black and white really. Two distinct types of humanity that are fundamentally different. One who respects and worships the earth, the other who destroys it while worshiping a human figure in the sky. The story was one of indigenous men being dominated by western men, and indigenous man inevitably losing, and pushed farther into the forest as they are not nearly as aggressive or territorial as the white man.

When I was a child I always chose to be the indian in “cowboys and indians”, yup, I was that weird kid. I liked the idea of running free with the horses and nature far better than branding it, herding it through chutes, not to mention dominating and destroying those who saw nature as their God. The more I thought about it, the more it all made sense, and the more I realized I can’t live in the west.
I’ve never been successful living in the western world anyway. I see mankind herded into cubicles by the television, fear, and each-other. Watching humanity enslave itself into a eusocail corner makes me quite sad. I am an indigenous man in my heart and soul. All I yearn for is freedom, peace, the sea, and tranquility. But that’s not a reality in today’s world, is it?

There is an unseen war being fought between eusocial and indigenous men, actually it’s more of a slaughter. The indigenous have been enslaved, murdered, and herded to reservations. Reservations are nothing more than graveyards where indigenous philosophies will perish with their men forever. Forests will be destroyed, and the west will build cities upon their graves, same old story.

By the time I got to Australia, all I wanted to do was come back and live with the Kuna (Guna) Indians in the San Blas Islands of Panama. During my absence, Panamanians had managed to build a road through the Darien jungle, connecting the west with the indigenous culture that had captivated my heart just a few years prior. They were protected by the jungle until then, only trading and having a good relationship with sailors from the far reaches of the globe, real sailors! Now I watch my fellow “sailors” (cruisers) disrespect, belittle, and jeopardize the very fragile last bit of an indigenous society that I love and hold close to my heart.

We have to take sides on this matter! We don’t have to fight their battle for survival as it will be gone forever in the blink of an eye, but we have to decide in our hearts if their struggle in this last ditch-effort of survival as a culture is worth our support, or at the very least our compassion?

Ever since I’ve returned to Panama my heart has been quite low watching what I consider to be the most beautiful place on earth perish forever. Watching my “friends” nickle and dime the Kuna into the modern world and bringing in outside forces to govern it, “supreme court in Panama city”, really? Shame on you, you are attacking the very thing I cherish and hold sacred, I take it personally.

Many American yachties that I know don’t take the time to learn Spanish. Let me give you a Spanish word of the day, “enemigo” (enemy, not my amigo), that is what you are making our community of sailors to the Kuna when you bring in outside forces to govern them.

I’ll leave this page up for a while, truthfully Id like to give it to someone who won’t censor it and will try to reestablish the positive link that the Kuna and sailors have had for so many generations until recently. At the very least, it’s been a venue where I could express my thoughts on the matter.
As soon as my father passes I will return to the Pacific to live with indigenous men of Polynesia. A place where men don’t run and cry to the authorities (mommy and daddy) when they don’t get their way like spoiled little children wanting more, more, more, bigger, and cheaper! A place that is even more insulated from the west.

Enjoy the Paradise the Kuna are sharing with you today, at the very least, try and manage a shred of compassion. And next time you complain about them trying to sell you another “fucking” mola realize it’s their commodity, the only way they can make a buck to buy food that was so plenty before we stuffed ourselves on their food supply (over fishing) and trading it for paper. And as far as the Congreso (Kuna government), that is their battle, not ours, mind your own business!

If you can’t manage respect and support, try and find the decency to sail to Bocas Del Toro, Las Perlas or somewhere else, which is considered part of Panama and is covered by your cruising permit, lots of western convenience and you won’t do as much damage to such a delicate society.

My wife tells me my words are too aggressive, for that I don’t apologize, because the actions of a few have really hurt me with a very sensitive subject. I have also complained about the fees, hid from the Congreso boats, and have been annoyed by mola sales. But the reason I spend most of my time in Linton, and not San Blas is because I can’t afford it and some of you are putting it even further from my grasp, as the Kuna are increasing fees because they don’t want us there. Some of you don’t even acknowledge them as a separate nation. They have a set of defined fees for cruising, anchoring in certain places, and using certain islands. Some cruisers were horrified that after not complying with Kuna laws, they were threatened. What would happen if you went to the US, Australia or England and refused to pay their fees or comply with their laws? The Kuna are not violent, they are protecting the rules set by their nation.

Quick story. I’m about to produce a film “The Minimalist Sailor”. I bought a professional drone in order to get my aerial shots. I’m returning to the States to pick it up in a few weeks and am truly dumbfounded by what I have to go through to take it for a test flight. I would have to register it with the FAA, buy insurance, and pay public parks in order to fly it for a 1/2 hour test flight. Let’s not forget what we love about Panama, and the freedoms we enjoy here. If you can’t afford to go on a cruise you don’t go, if you want to visit New Zealand and can’t afford to go, you don’t go. There is nothing different with the Kuna Nation, if you can’t afford to visit, don’t. We are visitors here and it is my belief that we, as sailors, have a responsibility to set a positive example as we travel.

Peace, Sail far and live slowly.

– alex

As some of you know I’ve been a film-maker my entire adult life. Both of my parents were actors, and I grew up in the entertainment industry.

I left Hollywood after my distributor stole over $850,000 from my company on a film I produced and directed, which not only broke me financially, but more importantly, broke my dreams of continuing my carrier as a film maker.

When I left California I spent a year in Canada and ended up buying Namaste in New England and sailed her half-way around the world. During that time I made the two documentary style Project BlueSphere films which I now give away for free.

I’m flying to Florida in a month to get Eleanor and sail her back to Panama. Carla and I will finally be able to move into our new home and put Splendid up for sale. Splendid is looking great by the way with her new bottom and hull paint :)

I’ve also made a few changes to Project Bluesphere. Please check out your profile page. Truthfully I’m getting tired of Facebook and will build a more intuitive community here at Project BlueSphere where it will become more of an active social network of like-minded voyaging sailors. I’m planning on all users to have their own wall and personal blog page, should be fun?

So much for today guys.

Sail far and live slowly.

• alex

The work in the yard was grueling, hot, and utterly exhausting, Carla and I are thoroughly knackered but Splendid needed some well deserved Love. I was hoping to take a few weeks off to rest but my visa is up and I’m flying to Florida between the 5th, and 12th of January. I’ll go put my hands on Eleanor for a day or two and dream of sailing her south in a few months.

I’m planning on sailing Eleanor down to Panama in March. I want to give the Caribbean some time to cool off her Christmas winds and begin a spring weather pattern. I’m hoping to catch a late cold front and ride it as far east as possible. Getting to the windward passage is usually a motorboat ride and it would be nice to save the fuel. Saving the fuel also is saving time as finding fuel comes with so many other delays like, changing oil, belts, motor problems and getting stuck at some Caribbean bar drinking beers and looking at your boat at anchor for weeks on end. All good times but I’m going to treat this trip like a delivery and make good time. Best to treat the motor like the auxiliary form of propulsion that it is.

I’ve finished the first draft on my script “The Minimalist Sailor” and hoping to complete the film in late 2016. It’s a fairly large and ambitious project and pulling it off will take some effort but I really like the way it’s taking shape. Carla is pulling some amazing musicians together for the score. I need 6 weeks or so to polish the script and to figure out how I’m going to pull it off technically. I’ve been looking at cameras hard, technology changes so quickly. I’m looking to shoot on a Canon C300 with external Atmos recorder (10 bit 1080p) I’m upgrading my editing system and building my computer (Thor) into a pelican case so I can easily throw it into the dinghy and take it with me where ever I go. It’s going to be like a large laptop as I’m building a 17″ MacBook display into the inside cover. I won’t use it as my primary screen but if I need a stable power source for rendering I can bring it to a friends house and let it work for hours or days on end. The Minimalist Sailor is a feature-film project and won’t be anything like my last two PBS films. I’m excited to get back to fictional story telling :)

My father is nestling into the Caribbean lifestyle well. His cardiologist took him off of his blood thinners as he has no stress these days (no Fox News) and is on a very healthy diet of whole foods and peace. He spends most of the day in his hammock overlooking the Caribbean reading his kindle or watching the birds and monkeys in the trees. In the morning he usually goes for a snorkel or kayak. He will be celebrating his 84th birthday in a few weeks, not such a bad life at that age :)

I haven’t been writing many blogs as I just haven’t had the time. If I haven’t been working on the script, I’ve been working on Splendid or getting my father set up in his new lifestyle. I’ve been so busy sometimes I just want to pull the plug on it all and go fishing. Plenty of time for that on Eleanor after Splendid is sold and my film is in the can.

Hope everyone’s holidays are going well and plans for the new year include pulling the plug and living simply on the sea.

Peace, Love, and Coconuts.

Sail Far and Live Slowly.

-alex