A TASTE OF DRAGON'S BREATH
Tonight the dragon was breathing from the Baja deserts onto the Sea of Cortez. But it was only a baby dragon.
Only once in the past six weeks have we tasted the full fierce wind of the dragon’s breath. We were down in Balandra bay close to La Paz, and one night the wind blew hot across the decks and down our hatches.
Dragon’s breath comes off the hot Baja sands, and sweeps through gaps in the mountains to blast and toast the sailors cruising the Sea of Cortez. You know it’s the dragon’s breath because the wind is hot.
This afternoon the wind blew 20 to 25 knots and was only warm - not hot. There is a baby dragon out there letting us know what’s coming when hot dragons blow.
There are other clues in the sky that the baby dragon is doing its thing. A dusty sunset and windy sky let us know the dragon is waking up.
If we had a way to measure humidity, we would see a drop in humidity to confirm the dragon’s breath.
The smell of dust is in the air, and it reminds me of the sandstorms we experienced when we sailed up the Red Sea.
The. Baby Dragon tested the anchors around us, and two yachts failed the test. We watched them drift across the bay as their anchors dragged.
It’s a sobering experience to see yachts dragging anchors in only 25 knots of wind. I wonder what will happen when it is blowing 35 or 45 knots or even 50 knots this summer in chubascos and tropical storms.
Thank you Baby Dragon for treating us so well in this early test. You reminded us to set our anchors securely and test them rigorously.
This afternoon our anchor did not budge, and if the Big Dragon does not wake up, we should sleep soundly through the night.
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.
