SQUALLS LOVE THE DARK
I am one hundred percent sure that squalls love the dark.
Why else would they attack at night when there is no moon or sunlight to detect their approach.
At night they sneak up on you, and by the time you realize you are in trouble, they are well into their attack.
If you examine our satellite track, you will see that there is a ten mile deviation to the west, and that is the precise location that the squall began its dastardly attack.
Unfortunately, we had a thousand square feet of sail area up in our double headsail rig making the sneak attack in the darkness more exciting. We had to get all that sail down before something broke or someone got hurt.
On the positive side, it was pouring rain, and I did not have a shower for two days, and this was the perfect opportunity to let mother nature give me a shower while we sorted out the sail challenges.
I stood at the helm minding the sheets that control the sails, while Dito went forward in the downpour to roll up the code zero, and to remove a line tangled in the genoa preventing it from furling completely.
It was dark, very dark, and very wet. We ultimately won the battle after our ten mile deviation to the west. As best we can tell, no harm was done except to our egos.
I don’t think we will be carrying 1000 square feet of sail at night in the doldrums again.
At least I got a free shower, and I am feeling really clean.
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.
