ADVERSITY IS OPPORTUNITY IN DISGUISE
I am really good at recognizing adversity when it stares me in the face.
I am less skilled at recognizing opportunities masquerading as adversity. Sometimes opportunity has to whack me over the head and beat me up before I see that it’s there.
I was planning to sail to Australia two years ago, and a week before we were to set sail, I developed fever, chills, and abdominal discomfort that required a trip to the emergency room. Much to my chagrin, I discovered that I had a necrotic gall bladder, and I was fortunate I did not die. It took four surgical procedures to sort out that problem and several other procedures to deal with complications along the way.
I survived that adversity, and I am extremely grateful I did not set sail across the Pacific Ocean to French Polynesia with a necrotic gall bladder as I would have died of sepsis during the trip.
A necrotic gall bladder was adversity of the highest order, and dealing with it saved my life giving me the opportunity to live long and prosper once again.
We sailed out to the Galápagos Islands and had an unforgettable adventure right up to the moment that the Covid 19 bomb dropped.
The Galápagos Islands closed down, French Polynesia closed down, and all of Oceana closed down. We were stuck in Galapagos with no place to go.
All Caps ADVERSITY once again ruled our world.
We quarantined in Galapagos for 40 days waiting to see if things improved, and when they did not, we set sail for the Sea of Cortez.
We had a great adventure sailing through the doldrums, and 2000 miles and 21 days later, we arrived in the Sea of Cortez.
We didn’t know anything about the Sea of Cortez - we had no cruising guide since we never planned a Baja California adventure.
Little did we know that we had arrived in one of the premier cruising destinations in the world. An awesome cruising opportunity unfolded before our eyes, and we didn’t even know it was there.
Cruising the Sea of Cortez during a pandemic means the anchorages are empty, the charter boats are nowhere to be found, and the hundreds of bays in the Sea of Cortez are your personal playground to enjoy with your friends.
Imagine cruising in remote bays for months at a time without a single jet ski terrorizing your anchorage.
This is the first world class cruising destination where we don’t have to worry about other yachts anchoring too close, dragging their anchor and colliding with Exit Only. We have been struck by 120 foot and 80 foot megayachts on two occasions, and anchorages full of incompetent skippers are a threat that we take seriously.
The Sea of Cortez is a clear water destination. When you anchor in twenty feet of water, you can look under the boat and see the seabed below. There is no need to dive on the anchor to know if it is dug in. Simply peek over the side of the boat and have a look.
The biggest challenge you face is where to anchor next, and how long to stay there.
Hurricane season begins July 1, and you need a tropical storm/hurricane plan.
In the Sea of Cortez you can anchor in a hurricane hole in Bahi Don Juan by Isla Los Angeles or haul the boat out of the water at Puerto Escondido, Guyamas, or Puerto Peñasco.
Exit Only has never had so many options for dealing with tropical storms and hurricanes.
Never in the face of adversity has Exit Only had so many opportunities for adventure.
That’s the way adversity works.
Adversity’s gift to us is the opportunity to explore the Sea of Cortez.
Adversity truly is an opportunity in disguise.
Awesome music video that captures the essence of what it's like to sail offshore in a catamaran around the world when conditions are less than perfect. David Abbott from Too Many Drummers sings the vocals, and he also edited the footage from our Red Sea adventures. This is the theme song from the Red Sea Chronicles.
Sailing up the Red Sea is not for the faint of heart. From the Bab al Mandeb to the Suez Canal, adventures and adversity are in abundance. If you take things too seriously, you just might get the Red Sea Blues.
If you like drum beats, and you like adventure, then have a listen to the Red Sea Chronicles Trailer.
Flying fish assault Exit Only in the middle of the night as we sail through the Arabian Gulf from the Maldives to Oman. And so begins our Red Sea adventures.
Sailing through Pirate Alley between Yemen and Somalia involves calculated risk. It may not be Russian Roulette, but it is a bit of a worry. Follow Team Maxing Out as they navigate through Pirate Alley.
Stopping in Yemen was just what the doctor ordered. We refueled, repaired our alternator, and we made friends with our gracious Yemeni hosts. We also went to Baskins Robbins as a reward for surviving Pirate Alley.
After you survive Pirate Alley, you must sail through the Gate of Sorrows (Bab Al Mandab) at the southern entrance to the Red Sea. The Gate of Sorrows lived up to its name with fifty knots of wind and a sandstorm that pummeled Exit Only for two days. Life is good.
Although I like the feel of a paper book in my hand, I love trees even more. When people purchase an eBook, they actually save trees and save money as well. Ebooks are less expensive and have no negative impact on the environment. All of Dr. Dave's books are available at Save A Tree Bookstore. Visit the bookstore today and start putting good things into your mind. It's easy to fill your mind with positive things using eBooks. No matter where you are or what you are doing, you can pull out your smart phone or tablet and start reading. You can even use electronic highlighters and make annotations in your eBooks just like paper books.
