SAILING IN UNCHARTED WATERS
We are in uncharted waters. Covid 19 is raging around the world, and there are no charts to guide us safely through the Pandemic.
We are well past eighty days of quarantine on Exit Only, and so far we are coronavirus free. We have been meticulously careful to not expose ourselves to Covid 19, and when Dito goes ashore to get groceries and supplies, he wears gloves and a mask. So far it has worked.
Baja California Sur is putting up a strong fight against Covid 19, and they have enforced their lockdown as much as is humanly possible.
Surprisingly, there are still Americans who regard Covid 19 as a bad case of flu, and they don’t take the pandemic seriously. They are driving back and forth to the USA and traveling by air as well from La Paz to Tijuana. They are pushing the safe envelope very hard, and some of them are going to pay for it with their life.
I feel blessed to have had my quarantine on a boat. There are fewer temptations to do things that could infect everyone in our family. When you have total freedom of movement as in the USA, it’s easy to let your guard down and do things that place your entire family unit at risk.
I probably take Covid 19 more seriously than people in the general population. If that is a fault, I offer no apologies, and I will continue protecting those I love by maintaining quarantine until the need for quarantine is gone.
I just got a report on a church from Kentucky who decided to hold church services because they felt it was time for things to open up. Now they have 40 members of their congregation sick with coronavirus.
It’s never over until it’s over, and believe me, Covid 19 is nowhere near over. This snake has many heads, and until you chop them all off, nobody is safe.
I was saddened to hear of the passing of a Real Ocean Cruiser in South Africa - a writer, journalist and extremely knowledgeable sailor who could not stand up to the ravages of Covid 19. It took his life, and he was only in his fifties.
Group think in America is very strong, and people have decided it’s time to restart the economy. What they don’t understand is that this game is not over. The first half may be done, and the half time show may have been fun, but now it’s time for the second half. Many folks have sewn their own seeds of self destruction by abandoning the masks and social distancing, and they are going to pay dearly for the fun they had during the intermission.
I would not feel so bad about people sewing the seeds of their own destruction if their unwise behavior only affected them. If they were the only ones who suffered, they would get their just rewards. But that’s not how coronavirus works. It uses the foolish to reach and destroy the innocent.
We wear our masks for two reasons. We do it to protect ourselves from liberated people who are exercising their right to spread their disease through their communities. We also wear our masks to protect the innocent - to protect those who are vulnerable because they are immunocompromised or who have comorbid conditions that makes Covid 19 especially risky for them.
It’s far from over, and I don’t know how bad it’s going to get. But I will do everything in my power to protect my family from this unseen killer that is no respecter of persons.
Just because we are sailing in uncharted Covid 19 waters doesn’t mean there is no hope. We don’t throw up our hands and surrender. We have just begun to fight, and eventually we will win.
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.
