Art Works from the Sail, Pen and Ink

Water Sleep

Dark Glasses Self-Reflection

Prone

Boat Feet

Tom at Rest

Sleep Mask Channeler

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Crossing Post 2

Every night of the 6 weeks I was traveling had a sunset worthy of a good hour-long gaze. While at sea, the color pallet was always the same; very fluorescent. The finest sunset I saw was from the Ft. Louis Marina in St. Martin. Never before had I seen a Cumulonimbus so tall that it cast its own shadow against the clouds in procession towards the horizon behind it. There was a long two-fingered deep purple streak of shadow cut back towards the sky above us. This photo is not of that sunset but it is a good example of the kind of show we were treated to nightly.




We swam in the middle of the Atlantic, at least 800 miles from land in any one direction. The day was eerie- I hadn't imagined that the sea can be mirror flat so far out. The depth was around 6000 feet. For the first time I had a perspective of the back of the boat and nothing but sea in every direction; I saw the last vision of the sailor who goes overboard and drowns.


From the hills of the Azorian Island of Faial, the peak of the neighboring island Pico emerges from the clouds.
Anselmo, the Dutch-Canadian Traveling Free-spirit Extraordinaire. We are at the top of the volcanic crater at the summit of the island.


Sel and I just above the harbour of Horta, where we docked for 4 days. Our night of drinking was full of characters. We started out at the famous bar in the small, where a good mix of locals and yachties go to have the local sagres brew. The walls are littered with sailing paraphinalia and postcards and messages and flags from boats passing through. Tom, Sel and I were eventually joined by Pete the Irishman from Belfast, on the island touring with his local orchestra. He bought us all a round of Guiness. Then came Wallie from Nova Scotia, who had been trapped by a local restaurant owner after closing hours and obligated to drink until he had trouble remembering where he was from. He came in with an entourage of crew and tag-alongs. Among them was Jeff, the 28 year old from Brittany, France. He and a bunch of friends had bought an old schooner rig in LA and were sailing back to France. Later they invited the whole group down to their boat and we stayed up most of the night exchanging stories and having fun conversing in a messy mixture of english french and spanish.

Here is our dear vessel, Wildcard, in her birthplace once again after having crossed 3600 miles of ocean. This is in the Moody Docks near South Hampton. In the picture you can see Anslemo, Richard and I. Tom had already left for home from Falmouth. The boat is a 1999 46-foot sloop. The owner is Peter something-or-other, a retired CEO of Seimens. He wanted the boat brought back to sell it in the U.K. He's hoping to fetch around $400,000 for it.

Clips from the Great Sailing Adventure

Transatlantic 2007

Video

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4455166630112469970

Go to this link to see my Ocean Video

In The Azores

Leaving from St. Martin in the Caribbean we spent 16 days in open seas til the land ho cry 15 miles out from the Portuguese Island of Fiail in the Azores, early Sunday morning. We hope to leave Thursday and pass through Falmouth, UK and then finish in The Solent, England by around the 15th. I am more impressed by the Azores than any spot I've visited in a long time. Much more to come later.

Anselmo said to me last night while we were making dinner on the boat the following (paraphrased). He was peaking of his 'free spirit' lifestyle and refusal to settle into the security of a career and a fixed home.

Man, you know people are scared, and shit yeah, it's scary. Fuck, life is scary, i mean people used to have to fend off wild bears and robbers and shit. Plus, you die, you know. I mean, its like a horror movie, theres the guy with a knife and you dont know if he is going to get you or not! But thats life, what is this about life being safe and comfortable- Thats not happiness you know.