DOUBLE EXPOSURE
One of my favorite movies of all time is “Little Big Man” which stars Dustin Hoffman as a western demi hero who lived multiple lives in the wild Wild West.
In one life he was a white person raised by Indians, in another he was a gunslinger, in another a drunk, and in another life he was a scout for General Custer.
When I saw the movie, little did I know it would reflect the pattern of my life. Although I was never a drunk, a gunslinger, or a scout for a corrupt general, I was a person who had many lives.
In my first life I was raised as a conservative Christian, and I survived. (Just barely)
In my second life I became a doctor.
In my third life I became an officer in the US Navy.
In my fourth life I became an eye surgeon in Arabia.
In my fifth life I became Land Rover Man driving Defenders around the world.
In my sixth life I became a circumnavigator of Planet Ocean.
In my seventh life I became a Flying Doctor in the Indian Health Service in Arizona.
In my eighth life I created the Positive Thinking Network on the World Wide Web.
In my nineth life I became a writer, web master, and graphic designer.
In my tenth life I once again set sail on a voyage around the world.
Unfortunately, the best laid plans of mice and men are fragile threads that are easily broken.
Little did I know that Coronavirus would change the world - shredding plans and terminating adventures all around. It’s as if the world was put on hold and nobody was answering the phone no matter how patiently or long we waited.
My tenth life appears to be on perpetual hold - hopefully not terminal hold.
But all is not lost.
I never actually had a plan - I had a purpose.
I was living my life on purpose, and that purpose was having an adventure with my family - I was committed to having fun. Nothing more. I had nothing to prove to anyone on Planet Ocean.
My other purpose was to send a positive message around the world through the Positive Thinking Network - a network of positive websites, podcasts, and ebooks. Making money was not the goal. Making a difference was the only purpose.
The picture accompanying this post is a double exposure. It depicts me surveying the ecstasy and agony of our world.
I am sailing in paradise lost.
The Sea of Cortez is still awesome, and I am blessed to be exploring its shores. But the rest of the world is in turmoil - havoc reigns supreme.
As I gaze toward my northern homeland, I am shocked by what I see. The richest and most powerful nation in history has been conquered by a virus. The country with the most resources on the planet could not get its act together to bring this virus to its knees. It became the hottest of all hotspots on earth with the most infections and most deaths - a stunning indictment of incompetence and lack of resolve.
It’s just sad. All those people did not need to die, and chaos did not need to reign supreme. But it did, and we have to sort through the carnage, pick up the pieces and move on.
So what’s the plan?
I have no plan - only a purpose - and my purpose will carry me through.
My purpose remains the same with or without Covid 19 ruling the world.
I will have an adventure with my family on board Exit Only. I have no idea where that adventure will take us, but anywhere is fine with me.
I will have an adventure driving my three Land Rover Defenders around Planet Earth when Covid 19 no longer rules the world.
I will send a positive message around the world with my podcasts, ebooks, and websites on the Positive Thinking Network.
I will keep going until I am all used up.
That is my purpose.
So take that, Covid 19, you slowed me down, but you didn’t stop me in my tracks, and my purpose still reigns supreme.
That’s all I have to say about that.
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.
