I CAN'T BELIEVE MY EYES
We are now well into the Sea of Cortez which Jacques Cousteau called the Aquarium.
We didn’t know what to expect when we got to the Sea of Cortez. We had no idea what type of wildlife we would encounter along the way.
Today we have a partial answer to the wildlife question.
The Sea of Cortez has sea turtles, booby birds, sailfish, and a plethora of dolphins.
In a single hour, we experienced a wildlife display that eclipses anything we had ever seen before.
Sarah and Dito started the Wild Life Hour by spotting a large sea turtle that had two booby birds standing on its back.
The turtle did not seem bothered in the least by his aeronautical visitors. It appeared oblivious to the booby birds standing on its shell, and it could have submerged instantly leaving the birds to fend for themselves.
It makes me wonder if there is some sort of symbiotic relationships between the birds and sea turtles, because this is the second time we have seen booby birds perched on sea turtles. Maybe they clean his shell of barnacles or parasites, and that could be why he floats patiently on the surface with the booby birds on his back.
Several days ago we saw a single booby bird perched on a sea turtle, and I was sorry I did not get a picture to prove that such things actually happen. This time I whipped out my camera, and I got a picture of TWO booby birds perched on a sea turtle which the world will soon see in all its glory when I get back online. We slowed the boat down to a few knots to get our picture of the nautical threesome, and then we noticed on the horizon in front of us that there was a large school of dolphins jumping out of the water. I turned on two engines at full throttle to go party with the dolphins about half a mile ahead.
Poseidon had other treats for our nautical eyes before we caught up with the dolphins. On the port side of Exit Only, a massive sailfish jumped out of the water about ten feet into the air. He did not do it just once. He did it six or seven times. He rocketed into the air and easily did at least twenty feet across the water in each jump, and then he dove back into the sea. The sailfish was bigger than me - that’s a big sailfish.
We don’t know what motivated this display. He may have been attacking fish from below, or perhaps jumping high into the air for a surprise aerial attack on what was in the sea below. He might have been doing it for pure joy. I will never know.
What I do know is that if it had jumped on board Exit Only, the sailfish could have speared a person with his bill which is a scary thought. I have a lot more respect for sailfish and the harm they could cause if you decide to tangle with one of them.
After the jumping display by the sailfish, we continued motoring to the school of dolphins. More than twenty dolphins cavorted around Exit Only for half an hour. These dolphins were jumpers and spinners. One jumped near the port bow of Exit Only doing a triple spin before hitting the water. It reminded me of a triple sow kow done by ice skaters in international competition.
David used his Go Pro on a stick to photograph the dolphins underwater while they swam in front of our bow. I have never seen underwater photos of racing dolphins, and when we reviewed the videos, we were blown away by the power and agility of the dolphins and the clarity of the water in the Sea of Cortez Aquarium.
Once again I am reminded how amazing the world is.
If you go to the book of Genesis in the Bible, at the completion of creation, God surveyed what he had created, and He said “It is good.”
God was right. It is good. It is very good.
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.
Captain Dave and his family spent eleven years sailing around the world on their Privilege 39 catamaran, Exit Only. During the trip, the crew shot 200 hours of video with professional cameras to show people what it's like to sail on a small boat around the world.
The Red Sea Chronicles is a one hour and twenty-two minute feature film showing their adventures as Exit Only sails through Pirate Alley in the Gulf of Aden and up the Red Sea. The professional footage documents their experiences in Oman, Yemen, Eritrea, Sudan, Egypt, and the Suez Canal. It chronicles the rigors of traveling in a remote section of the world rarely visited by cruisers. Exit Only dodges Yemeni pirates, fights a gale and sand storms in the Bab al Mandeb at the southern entrance to the Red Sea. The crew explores deserted islands on the western shores of the Red Sea, and learns to check the cruising guides for land mines before venturing ashore.
The Red Sea Chronicles also has outstanding Special Features including an Instructional Video on Storm Management that tells sailors how to deal with storms at sea.
And don't forget the two Music Videos: "The Red Sea Blues", and "Captain - Save Our Souls".
The Red Sea Chronicles is a first class adventure that stokes the sailing dreams of both experienced and wannabe sailors alike.
Join Team Maxingout as they sail through Pirate Alley and up the Red Sea
See what it's like to cruise on a catamaran before you spend a bazillion dollars purchasing one
After watching the Red Sea Chronicles you will be able to see yourself sailing on the ocean of your dreams
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.
