I am setting sail as early as the end of May this year!
It has not been easy. From the point in which an idea is born, to getting the commitment, can sometimes take our whole life or more… The last few months have been a roller coaster of emotions for me, here is where I am at.
· I am sailing my Benteau 343 around the world, it will do the trick!
· I am selling my House and just about all of my belongings to finance most of the adventure.
· I will be back, if the wind so decides, to continue my journey in this direction.
· I discovered the purpose of my dream. It is to make a difference to others that have less (material stuff).
· I have been busy doing many things to forward my dream of sailing around the world. I have learned a lot.
As I sat for lunch yesterday, I was thinking about the process that it has been for me, how did it all start? It really started long ago when I was a kid,
I always dreamed of sailing the world. My desire to do it propels me daily. Recently, I find myself in a real estate market that has slowed down, I am 54 years old, not getting any younger – it seems the perfect timing for me to realize my dream.
1. The Now…
My house is being painted and will be put on the market for sale this week.
Craigslist Ads have been placed, I’ve already sold $1,150 – it’s now in the Sailing Around the World Savings Account – first expenditure is rigging up the boat!
How can I raise some small money to help rig the boat? Good question!
I got great advice from some of you and even with my drive, it is always up the hill.
My idea is to gather stuff that you don’t use that I can sell! I am looking for you to tell me what is that you have that you don’t want that I can sell to help pay for the rigging.
2. Talking about the rigging…is a never ending story…..
I need a watermaker, a wind vane, a SSB radio with a modem, a laptop with the navigation system, the security equipment, the storm sails, ya, ya, ya…. it gets stormy out there!
The lee cloth and others that I didn’t know existed like the “lopo light” and much more, guess what - the money keeps on adding in the wrong side of the balance.
3. And there is the “KNOW HOW” that I don’t know….
I started taking the Coastal Navigation Course and the Radio Operators Course in the fall. You need to know what you really need to know!
Next I started talking to everybody that I know who has done it.
They are called “doners” in the jargon! Among them I knew only one, my cousin Jay. So I invited him for dinner to pick his brains. Then I called JP who sold me the boat, he pointed me to Malcolm.
I called Malcolm and he invited me to come to his lecture last Friday during the boat show. I managed to convince Astrid and Klaus to come with me that night. As you might already have figured out, they are not yet on board in my dream. One more area to work on!
When I told Jay that I was meeting Malcolm, he said, “I know Malcolm and Jackie, I met them in Mexico!” To make the long story short, Malcolm and his wife Jackie sailed around the world for 9 years in a boat just like mine! They had the trip of their lives and what the really got out of it was the meaning of their lives - to be of contribution to others. Briefly, they were in El Salvador for a big earthquake where everything was pretty much leveled. Malcolm (Architect) and Jackie organized a number of sailors. More than 100 sailors in the area raised money all over and built 12 houses in 6 months for the 72 residents of a small local village. Wow! That is what I want to do! It really gets deep in my fiber.
So I met Malcolm and Jackie after the lecture on Friday night and we talked and talked and talked. I was so inspired that I went to see them again the next day at the boat show. Malcolm told me that I should visit the Blue Water Cruising Association booth at the boat show.
At the Blue Water booth I met Boudewijn and I talked to him for an hour. He invited me to Blue Water’s Club Night the following Tuesday. Boudewijn is a “doner”!
On Tuesday night, to my excitement, I arrived at the meeting expecting 10 people, there were over 250 people there!
At the break Boudewijn introduced me to a number of experienced sailors, I was just thrilled! A couple shared about their trip, exactly the same trip that I want to do. There again, what they got for themselves was the meaning of their lives. I saw my dream come alive. These people are an inspiration, and a contribution to others while fulfilling their own dreams.
This has led me to the meaning, the possibility of my own voyage around the world. The reason for my trip is to make a contribution to others.
On the same Saturday I listen to Anne speak about her trip. Anne shared details of her 15 year sailing excursion around the world with her husband Martin. She and Martin took used eye glasses on the trip and distributed the glasses to people in need all over the world. I like the idea as there are many people all over the world who don’t have access to eye glasses the way that I have throughout my life. I am also inspired to do a shoe and clothing collection. The plan, since my boat is not that big, is to have a team who will send the items to me to pre-determined destinations throughout my voyage. The majority of the people I will meet have next to nothing, and some have never used shoes in their lives.
I am open to your suggestions.
The cruisers will then be in charge of the distribution.
