Project BlueSphere

A watermaker is an expensive piece of gear for a voyaging sailboat. By no means do you need one to take off into the world on your sailboat, but in my case, it is becoming more and more of a necessity. The more time I spend away from the dock in remote areas, the more […]

Every day I’m here, I’m in awe of the magical beauty of the San Blas Islands. It truly is paradise for the voyaging sailor. I say “voyaging” sailor and not “cruising” sailor because they are two very different things.  The voyaging sailor is one who is able to look after his own ship. The “cruising” […]

Well the dry season is here and it’s time to paint Splendid’s hull. Splendid was born in China and I’ve always gone with a Chinese color theme ( black, gold, and red). As you all know I have a “Shrimp boat” mentality when it comes to paint. I don’t want to look like the rich […]

Carla and I have been together almost a year. We met last January 12th and it stuck like super glue. Needless to say I’m looking forward to 2013 living and loving in paradise with my bonnie lass! All I can say about Carla’s Dad is what a great guy! Man I hope to be in […]

“If a job’s worth doing, it’s too hard”. – Scott Adams I took this photo in the Galapagos in 2007. This Ecuadorian man told me with pride he had been a digger since he was 9 years old. His right hand is covering the stump where his left forearm used to be. “I’m still an […]

My SEC licenses are long expired and you shouldn’t take financial advice from a washed up ex-broker/financial advisor, not to mention a guy with less than $250 to his name. But I do have some thoughts, and remember, This is NOT a recommendation! It’s been over a decade that I woke up and had the […]

La vids es aci (Life is so). My creative plate cant be any fuller. I’m working on the new TMS (The minimalist sailor) film, book, website, and the new face of Project BlueSphere. The plan is to spin Project BlueSphere into a venue that will unite sailors around the world through a multi-lingual social networking […]

“To know how to free oneself is nothing; the arduous thing is to know what to do with one’s freedom” – Andre Gide   It’s hard to explain living with the Kuna in this magnificent place. Life here is so simple, slow, nourishing, and natural its hard to describe with words, perhaps this photograph will […]

I know I’ve been quiet for a few weeks but I’ve had a guest. We had a nice motor-sail from Linton, caught a big barracuda which fed us for nearly the whole time, and had some good laughs & discussions. We spent a fair amount of time with my Brazilian friends from “Brava” and had […]

Sorry it took a while to get a new blog up but my laptop screen has totally gone the way of the doe-doe! My guest (Mike) arrived and all I can say is we are having a blast. We stayed in a nice hotel and went out to the casino in Panama city. I took […]

  I know you want to see pictures of paradise but today you get this. I nice cup of mate goes a long way when its raining like hell. I sat protected in the cockpit enclosure sipping mate and watched the sky fall for hours yesterday. The seawater became brown with mud from the local […]

If I had an evil stepmother she would banish me to the engine room, WHAT A CRAPPY PLACE TO WORK IN! Luckily when I get out of such an evil ship-hole I have a real princess to reward my efforts with te frio (cold tea), a warm smile, and lunch. There is an extra 30 […]

Okay, I have to admit something, we got a $100 washing machine. I know, I know “minimalism” right? Every time we go to the French marina to do laundry it ends-up costing about $40 for 3/4 loads, and takes 3-6 hours (waiting). They only have 2 washers and 1 drier. They have the only paid […]

Wow, it’s been an experience reading my own blogs and writing this book. It’s not so often one dives into their past and micro-analyzes it in such detail, it’s a healthy process. Now I know why some people keep a diary. It’s a positive tool and we can use it to understand our lives on […]

I know I’ve been quiet, but I’ve been hyper-focused on writing. I’m taking a break from the film for 6-8 weeks and going to release a book before Christmas. My web developer and close friend emailed me all of the blogs in a word document as we are revamping the website. As soon as I […]

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 […]

I’ve said it a thousand times and I’ll say it again. I’m such a lucky man! Instead of making money we are making music, films, and I’m writing. A number of people have suggested that I compile the blogs and put them in a book format, which I am. I’m also telling the story of […]

Well, dreams of the Pacific are getting me up before the sun. I make coffee and pour over charts, pilot charts, and historical weather data. The decision to travel east towards Africa or West returning to the Pacific is coming to an end. However I’m working on a new concept for Splendid’s Pacific crossing. I […]

The Holstee manifesto. I’ve never heard about it and don’t know how popular it is. As you know I don’t read papers, watch the news, or keep up on current events as I live in my own life and time.  Someone mentioned this manifesto in the last blog and I just had to post it […]

Cruising (Freedom), saved my life! Today I want to talk about health (physical & mental) and cruising. Most of us live in a complicated world of fossil fuel consumption, radiation, phones, faxes, email, traffic, alarms, pollution, bills, sub-human food quality, and stress. We combat this with alcohol, tobacco, drugs (Legal and illegal), and entertainment (television, […]

Well Carla took her first step to learn how to sail. I put her in the Dyer, set it up, and towed her out of the anchorage (it’s tight in here). As soon as I started towing her I noticed she was passing me (down wind) and threw the painter in the Dyer. She’s a […]

Dare to push the button? Day in and day out over the past decade I’ve talked to people who share the same dream as I do. People who want to be free to sail the world and just can’t figure out how to take the first step or actually cut the dock lines. I keep […]

Well the last blog, Dinghy Vs. the Inflatable, was a popular one. It took me a really long time to “get it” as the immediate benefits of an inflatable are so apparent. But in the long run the hard dinghy has so many more advantages, and is far, far, far more economical and practical. My […]

A few days ago I was shooting the dinghy segment of “The Minimalist Sailor” and running through the pros/cons of both types of boats. After editing it I decided to heed my own advice. I’ve retired the inflatable for a while. Its deflated & stowed on the back deck and the Yamaha 9.9 is in […]

I have an opportunity if I have any daring & spontaneous readers. Carla is going to Miami on the 2nd for just over two weeks to visit Family. I’ve been planning on going to Linton in the next few days to do some shopping and drop Carla off, however she can as easily leave from […]

I’m relearning the “live slowly” part of my mantra. Sun, clouds, rain, stars, birds, planes, and satellites pass overhead, and I notice them all. We are anchored far from other boats, check the current position page. We are surrounded by peace & harmony. Carla and I are just livin’ plain slow. The day may bring […]

My first 3 boats were named “On Location” 1, 2, and 3. My voice mail always said “ Hi, I’m not in right now as I’m on location, please leave your name, phone number, and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can”. So I was either at work or out on the […]

I’m in the middle of a great book, “The Education of Little Tree” by Forrest Carter. Carla bought it for me as I’m such a fan of indigenous living. It reminded me of this funny clipping I found on-line a while back (click on it to enlarge). The book is set in the 30’s and […]

There has been a little magic blooming in my world. For so many, many, years now I’ve been wanting to get out of a deflatable, and into a proper sailing dinghy. Well that day has come, Splendid’s tender is a beautiful Dyer midget. She needs a little work but everything is here and she sails […]

Filming was off to a slow start as I was really due for some down time. We have been out here over a month and I’m just starting to get my strength back for boat & creative projects. I’m finally getting into my creative space. I’ve mostly been focusing on shooting time-lapse video and working […]

I always write about the good stuff, today I’ll write about some of the cons of cruising. I was looking at this boat at anchor the other night and thinking about the film, it occupies much of my thoughts these days. What a magic and beautiful thing it is to be so free to sail […]

Well Carla’s Brother and his wife left yesterday. It’s always a sign of a good visit when the time flies quickly. He is going back to Miami to look at boats, something small (27-30) for the weekends and vacation time. If anyone knows of a uber-cheap slip/mooring in the Miamiish area please let me know. […]

Well I must say Carla’s brother and wife are good people, we are having a blast! He is a bit of a computer nerd and really set THOR (my new editing computer) up very well. I was worried about backing my film up and he took it one step further. I have 3 hard drives […]

This is a temporary post that was not deleted. Please delete this manually. (af543449-0935-4a24-b045-3492158068d9 – 3bfe001a-32de-4114-a6b4-4005b770f6d7)

“Some men feel the rain while others just get wet” I live in a land of magical sunsets and moon rises. They are starting to blend with each other stitching my life together rather than with minutes, hours, days, weeks or months. Time is stopping and the sea has captured my soul once again. I […]

I’m really having to force myself to write today, I’m in 100% decompression mode. How is it I have been so close (40 miles) to my own private paradise for so long, and I’m only arriving just now? I find myself asking this question many times throughout the day as I gaze at the surf […]

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 […]

Where do I start? I suppose with Kickstarter. My Kickstarter campaign ended and I was able to raise $2,701.00! After Kickstarter and Amazon got their cuts I received $2,473.91, not bad! I also received a private $1,000 contribution which brought me up to a grand total of $3,473.91. It’s so nice to be making a […]

Man everything is in order & life is good in water-world! I’ve got THOR (my new computer) sorted out, money for a small generator & equipment on the way, and now we’re just waiting for the funds to clear so we can go to the San Blas. I’ll also have money for provisions & fuel. […]

Project BlueSphere has brought so many wonderful things to me over the years. Since I “let go & un-plugged” my life has aligned with my path and unless I’m battling with an aggravating and overly complicated system I’m pretty much at peace, ARRRRGGGGG, ALTERNATORS! When I first bought Splendid I started to design her electrical […]

Well I’d be lying if I said my days were anything but fantastic, life is uber-good! The rainy season is already upon us however Splendid is dry. With the decks done I’m able to do smaller and more manageable projects. It’s a welcome change to be able to see a project to fruition in a […]

  Someone in the last blog said they thought my spelling got better since Carla was around and the truth is a lot of things have got better. She really wants to see the Pacific. Our loose plan is to transit the canal in 8 months or so. David (my web guru) just set up […]

I polished up Splendid’s commissioning plate I wanted to show you what all my decks look like. My smile is so long it impairs my vision and I can’t see straight. Splendid is really shaping up. I was flat in the $ department and decided to sell my iridium satellite phone. I will need one […]

If you dream of cruising don’t hold your breath too long, it might be too late! Mark, a friend of mine had a heart attack and died on his boat (Melody) in the San Blas just over a week ago. He was a man who lived his life. It’s got me thinking as he was […]

I’d like to portray cruising as the “cruising” magazines do, “everyday a vacation on a beautiful deserted island”, but that’s just not the reality. I’ve submitted articles to some of the bigger sailing magazines in the past and I usually don’t fit into their “format”. They don’t like articles with talk of bad weather, pirates, […]

Funny picture. Carla and I are talking to each other but having a hard time connecting. Perhaps it’s the fact I’m on my shell phone? Computers on boats are always an issue. Most people only need a cheap mini computer for charts, pictures, & internet. However feature-length video processing, editing, and viewing full HD video […]

Carla’s first blog: Hi there everyone : ) I thought some of you might be interested in hearing about my first impressions. Not that I have experienced much sailing yet because we still haven’t really moved from this beautiful area. But we’ve been doing some work and I am getting to learn what it means […]

Splendid’s decks are almost done. Port, starboard, and aft decks are non-skidie ! I need a day or two to finish the foredeck & cabin house, but wow, the end of an era! No more Cheoy-LEEKY. Yesterday I had to mow the lawn (clean the bottom) as I’m heading to San Blas with Carla and […]

4 years of working on the decks & cabin house is paying off fast. I’ll be done in a few days and touching/cleaning up for a week or so. I did these three sections of non-skid in under 2 hours. The non-skid paint is a little darker than I had thought when I picked out […]

I know I’ve been really quiet but a funny thing happened to me on the way back from Panama city a few weeks ago, I met Carla. As all of you know I HATE the bus, well…, not so much this time. Anyway, on my way back from the city I needed to change buses […]

I found these old pictures of Splendid which were taken just a few weeks after I bought her. What a different boat she is now! Splendid was the first boat I looked at after returning to the United States from Japan. I heard about her from a friend, and heard she was rotting in a […]

Well, it’s that time of year again. I’ve never been a big fan of Christmas but the New Year is when I sit down to write, think, and ponder the events of the previous year and the one ahead. Splendid has been a huge project. If I think of the amount of work I’ve done […]

The images and photo opportunities on Splendid are turning from a horrible mess to beautiful. My new mainsheet is installed and all my winches are back. My friend on “Sara G” gave me 2 new stainless Hershoff cleats for my jib sheet, they’re beautiful. For the first time in a while I can go sailing […]

I love a good quote! The right words put together in a simple sentence can inspire a lifetime of work, start a revolution, or change the way we perceive things. Quotes are ideas that we can easily share with one and other. They are short and easy to understand, well at least they should be. […]

Sailing, working, thinking, reading, eating, sleeping, laughing, dreaming, and everything else is melding into a very manageable bundle with my new concept of time, I dig it. I went to Panama City for a few days to meet a friend from California and run some errands. I was close to the clock during this trip […]

Last night, I don’t know what time exactly, I made dinner as usual. It was raining and I knew it was coming as the howler-monkeys make a racket before the rain and stop once it arrives. They help me tell my time. I got to thinking about the cost of my dinner?  Maybe a dime […]

Here is a recent picture of splendid as she exists in my time, eah? I also got a recent picture of Namaste sailing in Australia flying her drifter and wanted to post it. I really love that little boat! If you only read my blogs in hopes of finding a cruising or sailing tip, stop […]

  Well after 8 years I finally came up with a t-shirt concept. I don’t know about you but personally I think it’s the coolest sailing t-shirt ever! The Chinese character for wind is featured on the back right shoulder, I.E. keep the wind at your back,  and the Chinese Character for courage rests over […]

Well I took off for the weekend to Panama City to attend my friends wedding. I stayed at my buddy Roger’s house, had a blast. Man…, I almost clean up okay? Mavis (right) is my friend Gary’s wife (Colombian), and the one who was bit by the monkey in recent discussion, she flew in for […]

I was really surprised to hear about Steve Jobs, he was too young, what a shame! Life can be brutally short! Some words of wisdom: “Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Everything — all external expectations, all pride, […]

  One of my favorite Spanish phrases, “Life is so”! It’s hard to explain but I’ve been in a really good place. My life is slowing down to a pace I can really manage as I’m realizing the “live slow” part of my mantra while working on the “sail far”! Part of it is…, for […]

No project is ever as easily executed  as when I conceptualize it. As you know I lost my battery bank to some lightning. My batteries were about 3 years old and I was planning to squeak another year out of them but I’m changing them out a bit early. I got a quote on 4 […]

Well, big news, I bought a Canon T3i day before yesterday. A friend is helping me produce the next film and you’ll see his name on it (Charles Lanham). Chuck is also looking for a gr8 deal on a solid 2 cabin cruising boat, so if anyone knows of something please let us know. Preferably […]

What a perfect night in the hammock last night, the kind I live for! Perhaps it was the fact that I’m fasting for two days, the wine, or some cosmic/narcotic jungle pollen floating in the air, but I was wholely blissful laying in my hammock last night. I know I am such a lucky man […]

Well my last week has been out of the ordinary. I’ve been driving a big fancy SUV  (Ford Everest), eating at restaurants, shopping, and having a ball. I took Sandra (Momma D) to see some beach front property and we ended up doing some real four wheeling through some pretty deep mud…, too much fun! […]

Well finally after converting my video shot on the flip to MPEG, editing it, converting it to .MOV, then to .FLV I have a video posted. The Cannon T3i that I want to buy shoots in full HD, and in .AVI format, something I can really work with! I feel weird about charging for the […]

  My aft hatch is just about done with lots of layer of varnish over it, pretty :) I’ve discovered a new way of painting, however it’s quite complicated. It doesn’t involve compressors, spray guns, or rollers. My new painting method uses something called a paintbrush. Rolling and tipping is a good method but without […]

One of the things I like so much about my life is every day on Splendid is a learning experience. I had no idea a hatch would set me back as long as it did but I know more about such things. I have the stern done and I’ve re-mounted my windvane. The paint looks […]

I don’t know about your weekend, but mine was lovely. I had a nice dinner Saturday night with some friends that are watching another friends house. It was a bit strange opening a refrigerator for a beer, using a “normal” bathroom, and sitting around a table having dinner with nice thin wine glasses. I tried […]

My health kick is going a bit south. I’m not eating dairy but ingesting a bit of wheat through beer :) Motivation comes in mysterious ways. For me…, if I feel I have done a good job by 2pm, I treat myself to a Snickers, Coca cola, and a few beers. Not so healthy but […]

“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 […]

Get up, make coffee, write a blog or comment, listen to music, make breakfast, mix fairing compound, apply it, sand it off, get frustrated, go fishing, eat fish (hopefully), clean up, sand some more, look at charts and dream of sailing, wonder if I can finish restoring my boat? The last few days have been […]

Wow, I’ve really been busting my ass and I wonder if the the ass busting blogs will be replaced with sailing blogs one day? I sometimes question my ability to finish Splendid? Have I opened a can of worms, or am I restoring Splendid the way she should be restored…, the right way? I just […]

Well I’ve pictured Splendid with a black hull since the day I first laid eyes on her. It took a little doing but I found a white that I really like, am content with, and will be glad to live with. It’s not too white (blinding) and not too creamy, its just right. It’s a […]

  Well I got a schooling on spray painting today. Its the first time I’ve ever shot paint, and I shot black, the hardest of all colors to shoot and I can see why. I put two coats of hi-build primer and fared Splendid’s ass till it was as smooth as a baby’s bottom. I […]

For the first time since I’ve owned Splendid I’m starting to feel like my old self. I don’t know if you remember my blog from Tahiti when I saw the blue steal boat and decided I needed a bigger boat and more complicated life, blah, blah, blah (July, 18, 07), but it all changed that […]

I have to vent a bit! I promised myself that when I returned to Panama I wouldn’t get caught up in the cruiser soap opera, keep to myself, and steer clear of bad JUJU and people. Sometimes it’s impossible. Many of the cruisers here get stuck and complacent as life here is very easy. It […]

Man, i cant tell you how sweet it is to get on my bike and drive to the store whenever I feel like it! I came back from Portobello yesterday in torrential rain. I had my West Marine fowlies (useless) with me and had to pull over to put them on. It’s amazing how “non-dry” […]

  Somebody please shoot me, I’m going mad with technical issues! What is it “they” say the definition of cruising is? “Fixing your boat in exotic locations”, true-dat! I’ve decided Splendid is just one big work surface! However I think something is the matter with my brain? I don’t understand why it is I need […]

Well I don’t know if it was a good decision or not but I spent the majority of my cash ($900) on a 1995 Yamaha DT175 enduro motorbike. I cant tell you how much I loathe spending 4 hours on a chicken bus to buy groceries, a screw, a chip brush, or masking tape. The […]

  Well I got some fairing compound on the boat early in the morning yesterday then the clouds arrived. I worried about rain but it never came. I’m going to have to contend with the weather a lot over the coming months, I know I must be patient and not loose focus. I have plenty […]

  An appropriate quote: “You don’t get something for nothing. You cant have freedom for free, you wont get wise with the sleep still in your eyes no matter what your dreams might be”. – Neil Peart I forget who said it but another quote is “ Don’t pray for lighter burdens, but for stronger […]

  These chain plates look better than in the last blog, eah? You know when you work on a boat project and you end up going to west marine 5 times that day? Well for me every trip is an 8 hour bus ride, a hotel, or staying at a friends house. HOW THE HELL […]

  I was thinking it would take me an hour to unbolt these two chain plates, pull them, grind down the base, re-bolt them, and re-5200 (seal) them. Ha, That was day before yesterday. I do have stainless covers that fit over them and screw to the deck but they are purely cosmetic. I ended […]

Sunday was a good day. I got a number of projects done but it was the quintessential Panama spring day. About 95 degrees, sunny, 5 knots of breeze, and the hammock had my name on it. My toe rail took a bad hit in Jamaica and I did manage to glass it up. I just […]

Donny Brown I hope your the guy that needed this charter the most, congratulations. I’ll send you an email in case you don’t read this, we’ll work out the details :) I hope you like fish! Man I had a weird dream last night! I went for a swim off of Splendid and the water […]

  Well I ended up partying pretty hard last light, guess I had to blow off some steam? I went to my favorite micro-brewery and ended up in the casino. I used to gamble a bit and the worst thing you can do when you gamble is drink. I told myself I’d loose $50 bucks. […]

   I thought this was a cool photo i snapped with my iphone on the way to my job from Panama. I’ve always wanted to fly but have never been able to afford it. I believe one can find a similar peace and freedom in the sky as on the sea, in the desert, or […]

Wow, I’m soooo F’n tired. I’ve been grinding, welding, cutting, demoing, building, from  7am (getting up at 5:30) to 7:30 – 11:00 pm every night since I’ve been here. Only 6 more days to go, I want to go home. Sometimes I wonder if I can make it? All I do is get up, do […]

  My trip to Panama City was fantastic, I had a really good time and got so much accomplished :) I’m told I may not have access to internet during my job which starts on the 10th. The ship is upgrading wireless. I may not be able to check in until the second week of […]

Well I got my steal-toed (roughneck) boots out of the closet and I’m putting together my tools for my job in April. I’m going to have to leave the tranquility of waking up when I want, eating when I’m hungry, and taking a walk or swimming whenever I have the urge. I’ll put in three […]

Perhaps we all should write one? Time is one of those things we endlessly try to comprehended, yet no matter the effort; the result will always be the same, ignorance. We have no idea where our lives will bring us and we fear the unknown. Maybe this is why we take such comfort in the […]

I really don’t understand the preoccupation with moorings. I just don’t think they are nearly as reliable or safe as anchoring properly. Here is a very expensive Cabo Rico on the reef. It was on a nearby mooring and chafed through its lines yesterday. A proper anchor (for the ground), all chain, and at least […]

  So I’m taking a leek at the Balboa Yacht Club in Panama city this morning and this is the sign that was printed and taped to the wall in front of me and the urinal. It gave me a good laugh. Obviously the staff is doing maintenance on the 21st but I didn’t really […]

Writing a “decree” or “words to live by” is a positive action, it promotes perspective. I highly recommend it. A friend recently suggested I write my decree backwards, “picture yourself at your own funeral, and look back on the life you wish to have led”. Well, I’m doing just that, and living that life. By […]

This is the Chinese symbol for wind. As Splendid was born in China, and is Chinese, I plan on respecting her heritage with some symbology. Once her hull is painted I will hand paint this on her stern as a reminder to keep the wind at her back. I will also have it tattooed on […]

It’s 3:45am and I’m getting a jump on the day so I may fish later. My dreams seem to be centered around a freedom motif lately. In my dream last night I was backing up an old airplane on the tarmac and almost plowed the tail into some other small planes. I was laughing as […]

“You take the blue pill and the story ends. You wake in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill and you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes.” I throw myself out there and don’t mind being judged by my peers, ridiculed, nor […]

  It’s been one of those days. It’s time to make a choice. This is the day you say Alex Dorsey has completely lost his mind or he’s a visionary? Let me tell you a story. In the last three years the Atlanta police department entered my sisters home, tazed her three times, and broke […]