HOW TO BECOME A TRUE MARINER
Joshua Slocum said, "You must know the sea, and know that you know it, and know that it was meant to be sailed upon." What Joshua was describing was a real mariner.
True mariners are in short supply. There have never been so many boats parked in marinas, and so few mariners to take them out of the slip.
The ocean is a mariner factory. When you successfully weather a storm at sea, you're one storm closer to becoming a true mariner. Surviving a single storm at sea may not make you into a mariner, but it's a step in the right direction.
Becoming a mariner takes time, because it requires years to get to know the sea in all of its moods. You can't get to know it from books. You can read about it all you want, but until you experience it first hand, you won't understand the wiles of the sea. You need to put thousands of miles in your wake before you know the sea and know that you know it. I've been to seminars designed to prepare sailors for offshore sailing. Seminars are good at teaching people what to do in an emergency, but there's no seminar that can make you into a mariner. Only the sea can do that. Becoming a mariner is a catch-22 situation. You shouldn't go to sea unless you are a mariner, and you can't become a mariner unless you go to sea.
The wannabe mariner's dilemma isn't as bad as it first might seem. Becoming a mariner is an incremental task, and most of all, you need time at sea. There's no other way to become a mariner except by slipping your dock lines and getting out on the high seas. The trick is to not bite off more than you can chew early on in the process.
When I first set sail on my circumnavigation, I had never sailed offshore at night. I was comfortable with the idea of sailing during daylight hours, but night sailing was an entirely different matter. I felt as if I was sailing blind and it made me uneasy. I had to start thinking like a mariner about night sailing. I quickly discovered that if I reduced sail and slowed the boat down at night, my distaste for night sailing went away. Slowing down at night was one of the first mariner-like lessons I learned on my trip around the world.
The sea has many lessons to teach, and if we pay attention, it won't be long before we start behaving like mariners. Our sea legs will come, and eventually we will learn to swashbuckle with confidence as we sail the seven seas.
Knowing the sea, and knowing that you know it, isn't impossible, it just takes time. If you are patient and put in the time, your confidence will increase, and you will know that the sea was meant to sailed upon. You will become a true mariner.
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.
