ARM AND LEG OPTIONAL SAILING
When we sailed across the Atlantic, we left the Canary Islands at the same time as BLESMA.
BLESMA is the British Limibless Ex-Service Men's Association, and it's a charity that supports veterans who have lost limbs or sight. The BLESMA sailors were crossing the Atlantic on a arm and leg optional voyage. Every veteran on their yacht had lost a limb in the service of their country, and they were now on a voyage from England to the Caribbean by way of the Canary Islands.
I met some BLESMA sailors in the supermarket at Las Palmas in Grand Canary, and they were fired up and ready to go on a transatlantic adventure. It's nice to have arms and legs when you sail offshore, but arms and legs are optional if you have a positive attitude, and you are willing to do whatever it takes.
Many years later, another ex-servicman, Craig Wood is sailing around the world with his family on an arm and leg optional voyage.
Craig lost both legs and one arm in Afghanistan to an improvised explosive device. He has one good arm and three prostheses that have made it possible for him to sail offshore. After recovery from his war injuries, he became a paralympic sailor competing at a national level. After a competition in Australia, he decided he wanted to sail around the world on his own yacht.
Although he is a triple amputee, he was able to earn his British Yachtmaster's certificate.
He sailed on a series of monohull yachts in the Med and Great Britain, but he eventually chose a catamaran for a circumnavigation.
He spent the last couple of years cruising with his family along the coast of Central America, and he is now embarking on a solo transpacific voyage that will require two and a half to three months. His voyage will raise money for BLESMA and will set a world record for the first triple amputee to sail solo across the Pacific.
He has done singlehanded voyages in the past logging 1200 miles offshore in ten days.
He plans to sail from La Paz, Mexico to Yokohama, Japan in his 41 foot catamaran.
Catamarans create a relatively stable sailing platform which makes it easier to move on deck with his leg prostheses..
Sailing singlehanded across the Pacific is a monumental task with significant risk.
Singlehanders have to sleep sometime, and the safest way to sleep is to run radar and AIS with alarms that wake him up if there are any threats from ships. Singlehanders avoid the shipping lanes as much as possible, and they usually set a timer that wakes them up every fifteen minutes to check for ships and other hazards.
Satellite internet, up to date weather information, AIS and radar have made the job of singlehanding much safer.
The odds are definitely in his favor on his transpacific voyage, and I feel confident he will complete his circumnavigation.
People who are willing to do whatever it takes have amazing adventures.
Captain Dave
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.
