BURNING RING OF FIRE
Johnny Cash sang a song called “Burning Ring of Fire.”
“I fell in to a burning ring of fire,
I went down, down, down,
And the flames went higher.”
I thought about those words last night when we fell into a Burning Ring of Fire at 1 am.
Donna was standing watch, and the radar screen was totally clear on last check. A few minutes later she flips the radar to transmit, and right before her eyes is a Burning Ring of Fire.
We were surrounded by thunderstorms that had not shown up on radar only a few minutes previously.
It was both a surprise and a disappointment. It was a surprise that a circle of thunderstorms decided to simultaneously attack from all directions. It was also a disappointment that a ring of thunderstorms simultaneously decided to attack from all directions.
This has become a nightly event for the past couple of nights. However, this night was different.
The thunderstorms had finger lightning striking the water all around us several miles away. And so began the waltz with the Burning Ring of Fire. You turn on two engines, and you try to keep Exit Only in the exact middle of the Burning Ring of Fire and away from the lightning.
The big challenge is to figure out which way to travel to stay in the center of the Ring of Fire. Six thunderstorms don’t announce their intentions as to which way they are going to travel. You make your best guess at the optimal course of action and make adjustments as needed.
The dance with the Ring of Fire lasted seven and a half hours. It was not until eight thirty in the morning that the last thunderstorm surrendered, subsided, broke up, and finally disappeared.
Dito battled Thor from 1 am to 6 am non stop before bunking out.
On the positive side, we took some great pictures of lightning in the Ring of Fire.
Today, the seas have gone flat, and the gray dome above us is starting to turn blue. I hope that is a good sign - a message - that there will be no Ring of Fire tonight.
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.
