WHERE IN THE WORLD IS CAPTAIN DONNA LANGE? From the Executive Director OceansWatch North America Merry Christmas and Marvelous New Year!! Feliz Navidad Joyeux Noel Kontan Nwel
The 2011 cruising season is well underway. OWNA Caribbean tour begins January 12 with an OW lead boat landing in Grenada and on to Trinidad for a 6 week development tour. Captain Andy and crew will be sailing through the islands developing projects, meeting locals and sailors. Join the OW boat as a volunteer or plan to meet up at one of the destinations. See the schedule on the OW page Oceanswatch: Where we meet needs by sea. For present projects in the Caribbean and around the world, www.oceanswatch.org/north-america. See the volunteer pages, Haiti and all that you can do. Contact Me: donna@oceanswatch.org Facebook: Donna Lange Skype: inspiredinsanity
Summer Schedule September 5th - STELLA BLUES JAM 9:30p September 12th- StoneChurch Coffeehouse Concert 7:00p "Inspired Insanity Around the World" Sunday eve Irish sessions at Aidans 5-9pm Coffee Depot Open Mics -Fridays..7:30-10p
Log update: August 29th Moving on....I have been making some decisions for moving forward. The need to focus has brought me to some new tactics for my world. To effectively help to build Oceanswatch and a career in nursing I have chosen to apply to enroll in a master's program in nursing and administration. It will get me moving forward developing the organizational skills to manage OW and all the other projects I have before me...speaking, writing and performing as well as give me the practical nursing skills to facilitate medical works for OW projects. I won't be leaving the sea, but for now, captain work is pretty scarce.
Location: SV_Inspired Insanity is out of the water for the season. For a time, I need to focus without concern for II. She will be safe and sound until I can regroup to give her a proper refit of the living spaces or possibly find a someone with a dream to sail the world who would like to own her. For upcoming OW work in the islands, I will need a larger and faster little ship that can lead flotillas and carry more supplies. Sequoia is completing a refit to his own 36' sloop, Nepenthe, as well. It will all come together. Bob has done a brilliant job recovering from surgery and restoring the woodwork on Calypso. She is more beautiful than ever. We have been enjoying playing music together as we had the privilege of doing the music for a wedding a couple of weeks ago...all by steel pan and Bob's accompaniment on the bass and guitar. Don't miss September 5th Jam at Stellas and the 12th at the Stone Church Coffeehouse Concert. Great fun nights. Thanks to Rosemary and all who joined us at the Farnham Farm and Hope Brown Center last Sunday. What a wonderful evening I had sharing my stories in such a pristine eco environment in the world on Prudence Island with such lovely folks. thanks so much. It is exciting to see the dream to write a series of children's books be realized... Prized artist, Bonnie Blue, has begun to paint the key illustrations for the first book, Capt D and Popcorn Island. The books wil combine stories from sailing the world with sharing eco conservation and caring for others around the world. Bonnie is bringing the characters to life... Captain D, once a mermaid.... We are having alot of fun. NORWALK BOATSHOW!! Join Sequoia and myself, alongside Schooner Dolphin at the show. Dolphin is nearing launch and gorgeous. We will be giviing tours as we share the Oceanswatch vision. Cruising World @ the Annapolis Boatshow !! Thanks to the wonderful folks at Cruising World, on Friday Oct 9th , 2-3pm I will be one of their seminar presenters alongside Don Street and Jimmy Cornell and others. I am very excited. I will share songs, photos and some confidence building ideas as I tell stories of my journey. On Saturday and Sunday of the Boatshow I will have the privilege of joining the Seven Seas Cruising Assoc booth, encouraging cruisers to become a member of the association and consider joining OceansWatch as we colabor to help folks in the islands where we cruise. It is an incredible opportunity to network. Tour South Instead of sailing to florida, this year, I'll be taking time to visit the Seven Seas Cruising stations along the Intercoastal waterway on my trip south. I plan to be in Hampton VA for the send off of the Caribbean 1500 Rally November 1 and continue south from there stopping along the way. Anyone who wants a visit!!!!...give me a ring or email. I have a few 'calls' already, to make with great sailing friends. Any clubs who might want me to speak or do a program, feel free to give me a buzz. Sorry that I haven't been as active with logs,.... Check out FACEBOOK to keep in touch daily. It is just so much easier to update...Most of my daily stories and lots of new photos are ending up there... big hugs to all. "Keepin On Keepin On Keepin On Caring...for all of you as you care for me, making this world a positive place to be in..." Let's keep in touch.
The Haiti/DR full length story has its own page... Check out OceansWatch NorthAmerica!!!! JOIN TODAY.. Oceanswatch will have a booth at the Norwalk Boatshow September 24-27. Oceanswatch lead ship, SV_Schooner Dolphin will be featured at the boatshow as she is being refit at the Norwalk Marina where the show will be. She is nearing completion of the rebuild and ready to launch soon. You can enjoy a "tour of Schooner Dolphin". all the reports, new projects... EXCITING days and great OceansWatch experiences to be had by all who will give of their time to CARE.....!!!
II and I at sea again. We just sailed out the Palm Beach inlet. 9 days to RI!!! big hugs xoxoxoxoxox The Haiti/DR full length story has its own page... Check out OceansWatch NorthAmerica!!!! JOIN TODAY...all the reports, new projects... EXCITING days and great OceansWatch experiences to be had by all who will give of their time to CARE.....!!!
The Students of Ecole Good Samaritan in La Hatte, Ile la Vache, Haiti
Donna with key leaders, the Committee for Development in Ile La Vache, Haiti
A solar oven to reduce the use of charcoal for cookiing.. the deforestation of the island has had devastating effects on erosion of the precious soil.
This is my son Keel's Project!!!! One I am glad I am not going on myself....I never got good at "rolling" a kayak. Too many Rocks for me.!!!
In March of 2009 Keel and a group of 3 other paddlers, will embark on the longest self support journey of our lives. The focus of the trip is to raise awareness of a once free flowing river that currently holds more dams than any other river drainage in the world and to document the impact on the Columbia River from previous ways of life to present day water quality throughout the 1,243 miles of river. The itinerary is expected to take almost 2 months from the source of Columbia River, in Canada, to Astoria, OR at the Pacific Ocean. The end goal is to raise awareness of hydro electric energy and help reduce the amount of waste and destruction for future projects in the Columbia River drainage as well as providing research for other water sheds around the world.
He has fabulous photographs he is offering free with donations to the project or for sale which helps him to be able to go on the project as it supports him...Their lifestyle is siimple so your donations will go a long way. Contact Keel Brightman
SEE BELOW for UPDATES: OCEANSWATCH DONNA'S PRESENT LOG UPDATES NEWS FROM FRIENDS MUSIC VIDEO NEW SONGS AND UPCOMING EVENTS SCHEDULE
April 3rd, Update to the OW team.......
Good Morning to all..
This trip has become on of the most life changing experiences of my life. It is as if life has taken me up on my offer to 'care' and exposed me to so much I had never had a capacity to see or know. But now is the time to open my eyes. From the time I got off my boat in Bristol after circliing he globe, it seems every person in my world has become instrumental in helping me to 'take my head out of the sand" I have to thank Bob for continuing this process as he began to open my eyes to the depth of the corruption in the US and world in politics as daily he researches the internet for 'real information'. Having been a lawyer, he is good at it. How many times has he explained 'the way things really are' . Though I had always thought of myself as a realist, I had no idea how the banks or stock markets worked....I had no idea the house of cards created in these last 20 years by the mortgage companies. Every day I would say.."I can't believe that people know this and don't stop it". Maybe I am not the only one who has been living in total ignorance. But Bob has been gradually exposing me to reality. But this trip has taken it much farther.
I think we all know that immorality and suffering is everywhere in this world....but I had no idea how desperate the time is. Our world is parallyzed by the lack of love that exists today. Our population is 5.5 billion people and now the statistics of those who are enslaved is reaching huge proportions. What is the cost of every single thing we buy today? It is the abuse of millions upon millions of children ... Not just those in China we understand so little of and close our eyes to, but I now know, that the Caribbean is the home of the greatest number of slaves in the world. I have seen it with my own eyes. The abuse is beyond rampant. The second largest income in the DR is from prostitution. Millions of these young girls are abused by the 10s of millions of men around the world who pay money to rape them, hurt them.... 40,000 a year are sent to the US. The largest whorehouses of the world are filled with Dominican girls. And it is incredible to hear, but it is accepted as a way of life here. Every girl here who is not educated enough to get out of the system will be forced into the industry. They have no choice. It is their only way to survive. Children 5 years old and up....And if they aren't being abused for sex, they are the labor force that makes every piece of junk sold in the 'Dollar Store'. We are intrigued.." How can they sell something like this for so little"....because those who make it are literally starved and enslaved to do so. It isn't magic...some child, millions of children...all over the caribbean. The Banana Republic is everywhere. In the DR they have a 'free zone'...This is an encampment, 40' high razor wired fences protect the goods from hitting the street or from the eyes of the world from seeing the level of abuse behind the walls. Containers of parts come in and the watch, or cell phone, clock or piece of clothing goes back out in the same container. The corruption is staggering. Though there are normal labor laws on the rest of the island that are somewhat enforced, behind the barrier of those walls, there are no rules. Anything goes to force those held there to make their quotas. It is beyond my comprehension that men have fallen so far into the depth of sexual addiction that they can mutilate and abuse so many girl children in this world. It is one thing to consider that there are 'a few pedifiles' in this world, but this is not a few. Millions of men. Maybe we somehow accept rape as a part of war, but now the number of wars and populations at war is heinous and so is the rape and abuses that arise within it. It isn't just Rwanda. It is the Caribbean. The people here are forced by the governments that hold them all captive to their addiction to money and power. They keep the people under control by denying them education. The basic understanding of germ theory and basic sanitation is unknown by the masses here. Poverty is a way of life. Entire islands are held captive. We have all been used by these governments to justify this. Just last week, the Chinese justified their abuses of their labor force and environment saying "it is the western world that causes this as they buy the products we make...They can pay for environmental cleanup" If there is money to be made, it will be done no matter the attrocity to do it. We have all become pawns to rationalize the slavery that is now more widespread than comprehensible. Just consider the junk that is contained in one Dollar Store and imagine tiny fingers, raw from long hours of work, no way to return to family....no chance to experience love. It is simple...supply and demand. As long as there is money to be made selling us all this junk and abusing young girls..some child will be forced to make it happen. Suddenly, the idea of buying cheap shit makes me sick. What is it worth to free one child?
On my flight to Haiti I ended up sitting next to Joan Conn who heads a NFP org that hellps the Restavec Children...5-12 year olds that are given away to people who lie and tell families they will give the child an opportunity... they end up as child slaves. Half a million in Haiti alone. This was not a chance encounter that I met Joan. She and her husband are sailors who first saw this attrocity when flying into haiti to return to their cruising sailboat. I will have to get back in touch with Ryan Flynn and White Orchid....I had no idea how extreme the horrors really are. Every person I have met here has opened my eyes in one way or another. The owner of the pub, Frank, and I have sat for 4-5 hours every day after breakfast talking...He lives here. He knows. There is a Honduran woman who owns a jewelery shop in the Plaza to Jose Oshays where I have been playing music and hosted here. We got talking one day and as I told her why I was here with OceansWatch, she let me know about a school project here. But she also brought a book out from behind her counter. Evidently, one of the photographers from the book comes to the DR and has become a friend. The name of the book is ONE. I don't know how, but I read the book from the first page to the last. It contained the 'real statistics' and world behind those encampments, within the halls of the Marriot hotels where young girls are handed over to men to be used, starved and left on the streets without any health care, behind closed doors to the public.... a horror. There are eleven chapters illustrated with real photos of beautiful children in the world....slavery, hunger, trafficking,orphans,HIV/Aids, war, statelessness,diseases,thirst, corruption, education. 150billion dollars are spent in the corruption that shrouds these statistics. With that we could feed the world 10 times over. I believe that every human being needs to read this book.
OceansWatch can help. We can reach these people by sea. Education is the vital link to change. The organization that publishes this book does Hero Holidays, similar to our desire to do charters with folks to help in the islands. They establish the projects and folks pay to participate. Potentially we could work with these folks bringing people by sea. I will make contact today,talk to these folks and see how to get copies of this book.
I have attached the photos I took in Ile La Vache. Hopefully we can make them into a slideshow like the others on the site. I will get some photos here as well. There is so much to do.
Big hugs to you all. If there ever was a day to sacrifice all to try to help...it is now. Be encouraged my dear dear friends. It is worth every moment we labor to do this work if only one child or adult is helped but I believe we can help many. xoxoxo d
DONNA TO HAITI
These are very exciting and challenging days.Along with a yearly music tour in the Caribbean, world solo sailor Donna Lange, also amember of the board of directors for OceansWatch, is expanding her coasts to include a vital OW introduction trip to Haiti and the Dominican Republicbefore landing in the Virgin Islands. OceansWatch works with the world’s sailors to undertake marine conservation projects and offer humanitarian aid to coastal communities in developing countries.
Working with sailors, divers and scientists we undertake projects that help coastal communities protect their marine environment, develop sustainable livelihoods and ensure all their children can attend primary school. As OceansWatch in North America is getting “on board”, this trip is a vital step.Donna will begin to build relationships with the island communities while doing OW Village Surveys, Educational Surveys, making contacts to incorporate Reef Checks training and sustainability in the developing island communities she visits.
OceansWatch is built on fabulous networks within the cruising community. Famous long time sailing and musician camarade of Donna’s, Michael "Beans" Gardner, 11 years ago created Good Samaritan Foundation( www.goodsamaritanofhaiti.com) on the small island of Ile La Vache in Haiti along with a local man Jean Phelix Joseph.For years Michael has been organizing sailors to help in Haiti.That momentum created the long awaited support he sought which came through friends, the Tortolla Rotary, Tortolla Marine Association, and the community in the BVI, Michael’s music venue for the winters. This Christmas season, a sailing troupe from Tortolla brought much needed small boat engines and gifts to the fisherman and families on Ile La Vache.Yet still the need for clean fresh water and supplies is desperate.Donations to build the much needed school facilities are growing.Donna knew of Michael's mission and supported Good Samaritan School as a sponsor all around the world and now back, is anxious to test the waters using the principals and programs of OceansWatch to allow the OceansWatch Cruising Community to join those helping in this poorest of islands in the Atlantic.Though the situation is so desperate in Haiti, Michael has found that the people are willing and hard working, diligently using whatever resources they are given to make a better world for themselves.
On March 24th, Donna will fly to Haiti in the early morn from Florida and make her way across the continent to the south coast.There she will be met by Jean Phelix Joseph who works with founder Michael Beans Gardner of Good Samaritan of Haiti Foundation. Joseph will host her and arrange her transport and safety on the small island of Ile la Vache.Donna will have the opportunity to share 2 full days meeting the children in the school and the community sharing music.She will distribute the reading glasses and school supplies she will gather in the few days she has til she leaves.With OceansWatch surveys in hand she can make valuable assessments and friendships which will allow them to formulate the project components to share with all the OW members worldwide.
The introductions and contacts are necessary in a land like Haiti where carefulness and preparation are needed to ensure a safe passage into the harbors while visiting this deeply challenged country.Each visit must be coordinated with those there who can facilitate a positive and fruitful experience.It is hard for Donna to contain her excitement at the opportunity to be so graciously hosted by those at the Good Samaritan School.
We look forward to hearing the updates as Donna continues on from Haiti to the Dominican Republic.There is a headquarters for Reef Check in Santo Domingo where Donna will land and make contact.From there she hopes to use those contacts to make initial assessments for future projects there.While in the Dominican Republic Donna will be hosted by Irish Pub “Jose O’Shay” Owner, Frank Brittingham, where she will be performing Sunday thru Tuesday evenings, leaving on April 8th.
From the DR, the next port of call is ST Thomas, where again, the Brittingham family irish pub, Molly Malones, will host Donna to play 4 nights of music, from Irish to classics to her own songs of sailing and caring.On April 11th,representing OW, she is to be joined by Michael Beans Gardner (www.beansmusic.com) as they do a Benefit Concert to raise money for the Good Samaritan school.Many thanks to the Brittinghams for hosting Donna and this concert.She will also be joining “Beans” at Tortolla’s Myettes pub in Cane Garden Bay on April 18th for a second of 5 benefit concerts Michael will be doing around the Virgin Islands.
As Redhook, in ST Thomas, is Donna’s home port and the place where her world of sailing and singing began, she looks forward to the camaraderie that has been her life line to the new world she enjoys as a sailor, musician and speaker.She is also playing gigs at local Redhook hotspots like Latitude 18, and Careggas’s in the “Boatyard” where Donna did those critical rebuilds to her boat before setting off to solo sail the oceans of the world.
Everywhere Donna will go she will be sharing the OW mantra of Cruising with a Cause and introducing cruisers to the opportunity to join with OW in the Atlantic and around the world.The world’s oceans are a small place where sailors find themselves over and over again in the company of dear friends.OW hopes to allow us to be much needed friends to those living in the island communities we enjoy. Any OW members who will be in these Islands or near, please contact us. Please visit www.oceanswatch.org and become a member of OW today. Donations can be made to OceansWatch and to www.goodsamaritanofhaiti.comthrough their websites. To help fund my trip to Haiti, donations can also be made through my website www.donnalange.com .
2009: Reaching Our Potential
Keepin On, Keepin On, Keepin On CARING.... For all those goals that keep our hearts lit on fire every day to give our very best. And for those areas where our fire is waning, a new perspective. And for those areas that aren't really working for our life, a new aproach to that goal. And for all those in our lives, only love to enrich all of our life experience.
UPdate February 23 A brand new day... the world is changing, too fast for me i think. I am spending a bit of energy trrying to keep up with all that is going on. I will hold my tongue but the politics of the day are scary at best. So... but amidst it all, I do come to the same conclusion that the best spent energy is caring and loving.... taking care of each other. Sharing the positive.... Lots of positive that is for sure, from OceansWatch going forward... a great time at the Miami boatshow, great new contacts. The opportunity to be a presenter for Strictly Sail boatshows is at hand so the book is going to have it's proper deadline... I seem to need deadlines, though sometimes it seems to create a rushed end... at least it gets done. It has been an unwavering moto of mine, though it is not a virtue I love. There is a better way through discipline. the Keepin On thing. There is still hope. Many thanks again to Cruising world and Billy Black, Tim Murphy, John Burnham for all their dedication to helpng me get out the article 'Confidence at Sea' It has been a tremendous help publicizing my journey and opening opportunity for me to speak and get reconnected. thanks to Jeff from www.saratogaboatworks.com. I am looking forward to doing a program for them on Lake Champlain. Rosemary got ahold of me from Prudence Island and I will be visiting there in August. I am looking for help getting a promo package together and help marketing. I find that I am not the best at self promotion. Others are so much more effective. so please do let me know if your club or group would be interested in a program, a 'Confidence at Sea' Workshop, or seminars on any topic that we can put together whether regarding sailing, the mechanics of boats or finding purpose while sailing getting involved in the islands we sail. I am on my way to a towing endorsement class as I set myself up to be able to work for SEatow in RI this summer. I am also looking into teaching for SeaSchool creating classes in the eastern seaboard areas. Please keep in touch. the month of may looks like it will have some deliveries. and I am looking to an April trip to the CArib to play some music and catch up with friends. Maybe a tour to Haiti , the Domican Republic and then on the STT on Inspired Insanity... All good. biggest hugs xoxoxo please keep in touch...i love hearing in from you all.
January 15th.... Today I sit upon Inspired Insanity in the middle of Lake Worth Florida, the wind generator whizzing along sustaining us as I type away. The tremendous investments and hard work of the last year on SV_Sherry Lee have paid off and we have a buyer. The new owners have a gorgeous, repowered and seaworthy vessel. I have to say, that it is a bit of a relief to shed the responsibility for such a regal ship which has revitalized my energy to invest time going forward in many facets of my world. I made a big investment and bought a new computer with storage capacity enabling me to use a voice recognition program. Now daily I am reading my journals from my journey into the computer as it types for me. we are making daily headway towards getting the first book about my journey into print. It is very exciting. But this computer also facilitates all the organizational needs of my involvement with OceansWatch and beginning to really network to find speaking and tour gigs as well as facilitating writing articles. Especially, now that I no longer have a job with Sherry Lee, I have to go on and build a viable way to work. I am considering reinstating my nursing license which will be a long process, as well as I need to renew my Captain's license this next year. The clock is ticking. All good,. Great things are happening though daily... I am catching up with old friends and finding new ones...old acquaitances manage to find their way into my path here in florida all the time... February's edition of Cruising World contains my first article to publish "confidence at Sea' under the Point of View section. Thanks a million to Billy Black who manages to always come up with another good pict to bail me out... And many thanks to Palm Weather Gear, MTI adventure wear who sponsored me for my foul weather gear the second half of the world...They got in touch with me when they saw the pict with me wearing their jacket. They are developing a new line of gear specifically with the boater in mind.."BlueStorm' gear and have asked me to participate in that development...That is exciting...and beyond that, Lilli caught up with my son, Keel, who had suggested I call MTI for sponsorship.. They are going to sponsor the Columbia Experience for some desperately needed dry suit gear, looks like... fantastic. All great stuff. Click on Keel or Columbia Experience to find out about that project starting in March...It is on my home page too!!! Keel has 3 articles that have been published also with lots of his amazing photos, which are all available for sale and to support the Experience. OCEANSWATCH is bustling as we desperately try to catch up with the organizational aspects of the org so we can get on with all the real projects going forward. We have the NA Projects we are researching with the Good Samaritan School in Haiti and with Hands Across the SEa, plus a fun marketing plan getting off the ground to allow us to start doing boatshows and more events to build our membership and introduce us to the cruising community to link them to these projects. OWNZ is using their experience in the Pacific to create the tools we can train Cruisers with to allow them to interact more creatively and positively everywhere they go, collecting valuable data and finding the needs we can help to fill. We are on board with Reef Check Training, Ecodive, and other training programs that we can offer to equip the cruiser to evaluate the environments collecing data which can be provided to many research organizations we will be interacting with directly. There are so many ways the cruiser, on the water and at home, can not only enjoy their world but help at the same time. I am available at this time for deliveries, teaching, or combo cruises this spring as it will take time to get my nursing credentials up to snuff...as well as other opportunities to skipper and manage in the marine industry. Music music music... any gigs out there??? I am anxious to be playing out again. My sound system is working great..Bob and I are practicing having a great time. I am planning a tour in STT the first 2 weeks of April!!! so Caribbean Ho soon. Big hugs to all... xoxxoo d
Join OceansWatch: Sailing, Diving, Cruising with Purpose
Yes, OceansWatch NA!!! We have completed the Non-Profit Incorporation!
Go to the OceansWatch page and see the incredible work going forward. Watch for the article in Sail-world.com OceansWatch has her first donated sailboat for use in Reef surveys and sustainability work in the Pacific Islands!!!!!
Schooner Dolphin restoration for like works in the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic as well as around the world. First Reef Survey Training program to be held in Tonga, next month... click on the OceansWatch logo for more details...
HELP CREATE A SUSTAINABLE WORLD
Congratulations
all the entrants to the CARIB 1500 Rally!! Friends on SV_ Sapphire,
Entrepreneurship and many others I met at the workshops prior to their
leaving Hampton Roads, VA.
To a Fabulous time at the Seven Seas Cruising Assoc GAM!!!
What a welcome to me and OceansWatch as we talked of partnering our
orgs to help the coastal communities where the SSCA cruisers go-
EVERYWHERE AROUND THE WORLD. Just a note to any who have thought SSCA
was only for long passage sailors.... No Way..Any and all cruisers,
whether by sail or motor are welcome, regardless of miles offshore. So
if you have been wanting to join those morning breakfast get togethers
of the SSCA in ports all along the ICW and coastal harbors of the whole
World....DO IT... All who love the ocean are welcome.
log update: NOrfolk VA to West Palm BEach...Inspired Insanity and I...... The Caribbean 1500 rally was postponed. A big front was due off the coast of SC on wednesday. It had been a great week with Steve Black and all his staff. Davis Murray was right in step, making sure the boats were ready, gving classes in fishing, navigating, and entertaining to boot. We had a blast at the event gig jamming his songs for a fun and devoted crowd. Davis was on the first carib 1500 19 years ago and hasn;t missed one. Networking for OW, I was meeting great folks, Seven SEas Cruising Club folks, and some amazing cruisers who have already come to the conclusion that the islands need help. Hands Across the SEa is a couple who found the need for school books in the CArib islands was desperate so they have been working to resource and deliver books... great great folks. Another couple took 9 years to circumnavigate partly because they got involved where ever they went, providing engineering expertise, helping with water supplies, generators... just very talented people, offering their help. I was encouraged greatly and able to distribute flyers about OW to all the participants. Plus in a ladies round table workshop, share a bit about keeping fit on board and mediation, managing fear and stress. it was a fabulous time. Bill and Linda Knowles, saviors from my early returning days in Barrington RI, were amidst those going to the Carib with the rally. So was Barry Bourdon, another saving grace. He is the Californian, who after having spent 18mos in NZ, provided the team NZ that welcomed me to the Bay of Islands in 2006. He called in al his chips there for me. Now as skipper of a Catana 50, he would also be in the rally. But the winds were calling as they were all northerlies due to the coming weather. The winds coming off the coast would be much less than those developing offshore so I was not at all held back by the conditions that would halt the Carib 1500. I needed those NE winds. I would be taking a course between the coast and the gulf stream. The stream would be raging north at 3 kn, but there is a reverse current that spins off toward the westing innerward coast of NC and SC called an eddy. So I needed to keep in that reverse current. We had been very succesful bringing Sherry Lee south and always had current helping us. so I would follow a similar course but with no planned stops. going into port is more of a hassle for me, though in retrospect, I may need to change my strategy regarding sleep. i can do the weeks of no real sleep quite effectively in the conditions offshore. The consequence is that I am not recovering. I am finding it tremendously difficult to get back on line with any real effective mental energy afterwards. I realy wanted to stay in VA to meet Bill and LInda's daughter so I planned to get thet boat ready friday morn, meet with them and then head back to II and get on the way. I was running late, as can be expected, so I didn't loose the docklines til after dark. the inlet to the marina we were at, Little Creek, was pretty short and straight forward, or so it always seems in the light. It was a bit stressful getting my barings in the dark and missing the shallows, but by 8pm we were in the clear of the chesapeake bay heaading for the bridge tunnel gap to head out to sea. It always seems to take a bit to get the boat squared away once underway, a solo thing. hard to steer and set things up, but we got into our groove within no time...following the lighted channel, keeping just outside the bouys giving plenty of room for the commercial freighter and military vessel traffic. Cold.. I was in all my familiar southern ocean layers of clothes, scarf, gloves and beany cap...but the wind was biting and increasing. It was a great sail out. But by morn the winds were dying down. I had been setting my new alarm for 20 min stretches so that I would be reminded to do a horizon check. I didn't take any naps that night. Too much traffic and too close. The next day was a sail down the coast of Hattaras. I had never taken it so close as I hadn't done it from the perspective of coming out of the Bay. While in VA, I connected with a n amazing amazing amazing group of musicians playig in Virginia Beach, who let me sing in and play with them at their gigs and open mics for several nights while i was there. It was great fun to keep Karl on the phone as I sailed down the coast right by them. it was halloween night and I was missingt he big party, but getting out was too important. The storm that was holding up the 1500 was due off the coast Tues morn. I had 2 days to get south of NC, so I thought. I figured I would catch the edge of it but it would be going north and I was heading south of the front line. I was pressed a bit. My new little engine saved the night as I lucked to be able to motor sail around Cape Hattaras in glassy conditions, winds on the nose (of course, despite weather forecasts even from the vhf)... but all good. the challenge was that with no wind and driving, I was handsteering though because of the sidewards thrust from the little engine as it was on the starboard side, actually allowed me to use some tethering. But it was another long night...beautiful... dolphins visited. The wind seem to follow on my bow as I turned a bit more SW to keep to shore. I was makiing good enough time with the engine. I had to clear cape lookout, but stayed inside the outer bouy to keep out of the gulf stream. plenty of water with calm conditions to sneak it. By Monday morning, i was getting reports of NE winds that would pick up. the front was ahead of schedule. Sure enough, between Cape Lookout and Cape Fear, the gale arrived...and not 25 knots of wind. the new gib file showed 30-35kn along the coast, but it was suppose to be less as close as I was.. So much for forecasts. It kicked up to over 40kn for a few hours that day, pouring rain, gusting. the seas kicked up pretty quick to 10ft. The winds settled off at 30 kn for the next 24 hours. It was nearly on the stern, playing games with me. I must have jibed my entire main and whole headsail with pole rig, a dozen times, literally, following the wind. STill a bit of a chore on II, I have to go forward to swap to the other jib sheet. plus with a radar reflector flying, I have to completely unhook the pole and move it back and around the line to the reflector, just as if there was an inner forestay to get around. Unfortunately, I had to keep a tight course to stay west of the gulf stream but not too close to the coast. I had to clear Cape Fear ahead. The seas starting heaping up as I approached the cape. At the last minute, i changed my course to be more east of the shoals given the seas at 12' or so were going to be dangerous coming up on a shoal that could be only 10' deep of water. It was a bit rockin and rollin but we cleared it all fine. But now I am into the trip 3 days. the hours of gale winds had enough steady moments that I had started to take 30min naps. The night before I had gotten a bit of sleep. The next stretch between Cape Fear to Charleston SC was a bit more offshore and finally I would really catch up a bit on rest. not sleep really, but those 30 min cat naps work. the fourth night, I only came up for horizon and course checks, but stayed below and rested inbetween. There was one thing I hadn't counted on and that was finding that my little engine was getting swamped horribly by the seas at the stern. I have to say, that one more time, my greatest concern on the trip was for the 'Engine'... as I watched the seas engulf it one after another. my perception was that the engine was in the up position. This is one of those times when I realize the subtle effects of lack of sleep. somehow my brain worked on presumption. I had goten into the routine of raising the engine after I used it so it was in the up position. Somewhere along the line, it either managed to be shoved by the water and inadvertently fell into the down position or I forgot to raise it, but I looked at it for 3 days and perceived it as being as far up as it would go. It took a beating there. I had serious concerns as to whether it would run for me when I needed it. I was already changing a plan to stop in ST Augusting to rest, figuring the engine might not work for me. I was approaching Cape Canaveral on the 5th day. The seas still up, winds 25kn. Again, I had to change my course to keep in deeper water with the crazy seas climbing. It was alot of navigating. A long night. On the 5th day, the winds died down and clocked to the west, lightened. Another front was due off Florida on Friday. I was contineing to get the 30 min watch rests. I felt good. No time for writing or even keeping a log but ok. finally the seas settled and so did the wind. It was too the point where I was considering my little engine. I had covered it with a good sail bag to help keep the water out, but there was damage. the fuel line was severed. the mind starts doing the creative engineering thing. How can I fix it. Finally, too, I was within phone coverage. I got Bob on the phone. He was encouraging. maybe the engine would run. It hadn't actually sunk. As long as water hadn't filled the air intake, the cylinders should be fine and it should start up fine. So that was amazing. maybe it would start. but the fuel line. We chatted it up and then I thought of the inner fuel filter under the engine hood. I could put fuel direcdt at that point and it should work. I got off the phone and went to work. in just a minute of time, the fuel liine was attached. I cleaned all the salt water out of the engine space. primed the fuel bulb...got down to where I could give her some good pulls... Unbelievealbe... she started up. Yow!!! I was smilin... and now I could consider another plan. I called bob again...should I limit myself to the wind or get more fuel? It isn't like me to get more fuel..but I was tired and near enough to get into palm beach by midnight with some fuel. otherwise, it would be another whole long night. Despite my normal way... I decided to take the time to go into /fort Pierce.. it was a lovely day, sunshinin. engine purring. And great folks at the marina to ehlp me. I had a first cold beer, and even an offer of a gig...all good. It took 2 hours but was a good stop. Needless to say, the seas never really settled enogh for me to run the little engine and the winds stayed up enough to keep me moving at 3kn so I ended up sailing to Palm Beach anyway. With a west wind though, the engine was paramount for getting into the inlet. 2am, i put in that text to Bob...i am safe and sound on the anchor right astern of Sherry Lee...SAfe and sound.... big hgus xoxoxox d
PS....AFter a short night but long nap for me, I arose in Lake Worth on II. I had alot to do to clean up from the trip. The little engine fuel line end needed to be replaced..laundry...la la la... It was still very early when I went to lift he hood off the little engine, having to lean way over her side... wait... lean way over... suddenly I realized that the engine was in the down postion.. in fact it had been in the down position the whole time she was being swamped. somehow, lack of sleep had allowed me to look at that engine for 4 days, while it was being swamped and my mind never percieved the obvious thing 'wrong with this picture'... the engine had fallen down into the down position and I never saw that. My mind presumed it was up because I had put it up. so ...Wild.. The mind. Luckily, there was no permanent damage. The engine survived, and my concerns about the future use of the engine in big seas is less now. Where it should sit, in the up position, is above the stern rail and out of harms way. Crazy....
"Inspired Insanity and I left on Saturday the 4th of October,2008 on course for Norfolk VA......"
Captain Donna tooling the Sherry Lee away from the boatyard and to her mooring
Hangin in the travel lift just before Splash!!!
Great NIght at Stella Blues, thanks to Red Eye Flight, Chris Martin, Ron Poisson, Joe Colpit...and all who graced me with their fabulous energy enjoying the night, Only Gratitude!!
Thanks
Lorraine for finding this URL for me... Yesterday, Bob was opening some
mail from Florida, going through his monthly subscripted magazines and
there lo and behold on the front of the May/June Ocean Navigator was
me.. Billy Black had submitted a photo he had taken of me coming into
Newport harbor last may... Thanks Billy and Happy Birthday!! Check out Ocean Navigator for great sailing articles! I have begun the process to have an article published here...
IT WAS GREAT TO SEE YOU ON TORTOLA, AND MEET COOPER. AMAZING HOW WE KEEP CROSSING PATHS IN THIS BIG BIG WORLD. I'LL BE LEAVING MAY 11TH ON YOLO FOR THE CHESAPEAKE. THAT IS, IF WE HAVE SOME WIND?? WE'LL SEE. YOU TAKE CARE. AND, PARDON THIS WEBSITE INTERVENTION. YOU GO GIRL!!!
Thanks Stephane for this really wonderful illustration of "Can Hear Harmony" http://www.peacefuljourney.ca/video.php Stephane is enjoying the Azzores and planning his next leg to the Mediterranean.
This is my son Keel's Project!!!! One I am glad I am not going on myself....I never got good at "rolling" a kayak. Too many Rocks for me.!!! 
