DANGER IS PROOF YOU ARE LIVING YOUR DREAMS
Many years ago before I was ready to set out on my sailing voyage around the world, I was on the Chesapeake bay eating at a crab shack overlooking the water.
A short distance from us out in the bay, a massive black roll cloud scudded across the bay. The evil looking cloud brought strong winds, lightning, and thunder in its wake.
I remember a feeling of fear that welled up in my heart and mind as the roll cloud began its assault.
The problem was not the roll cloud.
The problem was that I was imagining what it would be like to be sailing offshore when a roll cloud came over the horizon. My secret dreams of doing a circumnavigation trembled in the presence of the roll cloud.
I still had not learned the lesson that nothing great is ever achieved without danger.
I also did not understand that I tended to overestimate the danger and underestimate my strength.
Many years later, and many roll clouds later, I actually sailed around the world on my own boat.
I rode to a parachute sea anchor in a winter storm north of New Zealand in my catamaran, I survived a global tsunami, and I sailed through pirate alley without a problem. I was a bit nervous and somewhat cautious, but I survived.
All of my greatest adventures have involved danger.
Sometimes it was only the danger of embarrassment.
At other times it was the danger of a serious complication while I was performing eye surgery.
Sometimes it was financial risk, and the danger of losing my freedom chips.
When I sailed offshore in storms, there was always a danger of being lost at sea.
Danger is what all of these events share in common.
Without danger, none of these things would have happened.
I still don’t like roll clouds, tsunamis, pirates, and storms at sea. They are simply the dues I pay to live my dreams.
When you live your dreams, you don’t need to look for danger, because danger will find you.
That’s how you know you are living your dreams.
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.
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.
