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navigating the high seas |
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What in tarnation is going on here?
Jim and I have quit our jobs in San Diego and have taken on a new project: Sailing around the Caribbean. I wouldn't go as far to say that we are actual "sailors"... that is, it's not something we've done all our lives or expect to do continuously for the rest of our lives. Rather, sailing itself is an exciting means to a marvelous ends: an adventurous exploration of the sea and distant lands.
This website represents my attempt to document this adventure from start to finish, including everything we have done to prepare for the trip.
I have always wanted to combine my love of travel and my interest in the internet in such a way. I did so first with Z-Gatts' Cycling Odyssey, tracking Josh's progress as he made his way across the USA by bicycle. Josh was in the bike, and I was back here, safe and comfortable at home. This time, however, I will be on the sharp end of the rope, doing the headwork directly from the field.
As you have probably noticed already, the internet is an incredible interactive medium, making so much more possible than the traditional picture album as a method of bringing tales back to friends and family. It happens in real time, is a two-way conduit, and can be accessed any time and from anywhere. Rather than sit through a long boring slide show long after the event, guests can scan through the web pages at their own pace, honing in on what interests them most, getting involved with the adventure as it unfolds.
Until Jim and I put our heads together on this one, an adventure such as this seemed to me such a distant, unrealistic dream... considering our relative lack of experience, funds, and knowledge. Sailing seemed like one of those things that you have to be rich to pull off, and that you need to have been born on a boat to have the knack for it. But as I have discovered: with some imagination, resourcefulness, and determined footwork anyone can pursue and live out their greatest dreams.
I hope for this web site to be testament to that idea, that anything is within reach... I want to inspire others to take action and pursue what is most important to them. More specifically, I aim to demonstrate that travel by sail need not be the privilege of the rich and famous. This web site can serve as a sort of "how to" guide for adventurers such as ourselves who want to assess if this is something they'd want to take on. Hence the expense log, packing list, links, etc. The actual travel bit is only half of the adventure... learning how to sail, how to buy a boat, how to pack for ocean cruising, and the actual implementation of these skills has been a fascinating process that I'd like to share.
Also, I do recognize that not everyone is able to romp around the earth such as I do. They have other passions in life, such as their work or families, that make such extended travel very difficult. Or they have health problems that limit their mobility, or live in the Third World where it is much more difficult to save the necessary funds. I see the internet as an way for anyone to benefit from my own travels by showing them people, places, and ideas that they would otherwise not have the opportunity to experience.
I have spent hours learning from the following similar projects:
Glen documents daily life as a scientist at the South Pole John Martin chronicles his journey through kidney failure
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