tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824566335803940212024-03-13T10:36:03.725-04:00 Sea AngelFloating Health Care Clinic (FHCC) operating for Sea MercySea Angelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07589787028009129674noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682456633580394021.post-76506511268745498212016-04-19T15:17:00.000-04:002016-04-20T15:34:50.016-04:00Love You<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4paaihgy-tk/VxfVdnjAaSI/AAAAAAAABFE/hVENl_5nLT8D-itKizu0J4PqytLTDAJbQCLcB/s1600/The%2BLove%2BYou%2BBoys.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4paaihgy-tk/VxfVdnjAaSI/AAAAAAAABFE/hVENl_5nLT8D-itKizu0J4PqytLTDAJbQCLcB/s320/The%2BLove%2BYou%2BBoys.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">In Spanish, I've really only known cerveza and</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"> baño,</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"> because to me they pair together crucially. One day recently, two boys on the beach on the island of Olo‘ua gave Karen and I some greater perspective on language. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">The medical team was ashore at a village clinic when Karen and I spotted
the boys playing near hammocks hanging in the palm trees. The hammocks looked inviting, so off we went toward the trees. When we got to shore we engaged with the boys,
played, and took a few pictures of them before they took off toward an old
shack nearby. We said "bye!" and waved
big. About halfway to the shack they
turned and yelled back,“Love You”, and nothing more. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Turns out they were going back home to get
two worn out children’s books written in English. When they returned with the books, we sat on the hammock and read to
them, and quickly realized that they did not know English at all. We both were a bit taken aback, realizing
those were the only two words they knew in our language. Nice! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">We tried the phrase out ourselves the day after when we were back in the town of
Neiafu, where there is always a group of young kids swimming off the dock at
dusk. As we passed by in the dingy we
greeted them with a loud “love you”! We
heard a whole chorus of young voices yell back the same. Not the worst choice of words if you only are
going to learn a couple. They won't get you a beer, but no doubt the true yield is far greater.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Rotation 1, in the Va’vau group of Tonga was absolutely
splendid. Despite being pinned down in
the harbor of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neiafu_(Vava%CA%BBu)" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Neiafu</span></a> for the first three days due to three low pressure
systems (one of which formed into a cyclone), we managed to operate clinics in
every remote village in the group. The
team we had was absolutely fantastic, dedicated, and worked tirelessly. We had a couple from the UK- Hanna, a medical
student, and her</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"> fiancé James, in</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"> aviation logistics; Ika the Medical Officer
from the Ministry of Health; Alyani, a Nurse Practitioner from the Ministry of
Health; Brian and Sandy, two NZ doctors, married, who not only shared service in
their local clinic, but also came with us to all of the villages we visited. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">It was an awesome team! We saw over 200 villagers, and left no one
behind who desired to be seen. I
realized the value of how the team functioned together when I was trying to
keep us on a daylight transit schedule. It was late afternoon and all the team was aboard, except for Ika. I returned and waited on the village dock as
Ika dressed and bandaged a very badly infected finger. “Malo aupito”, (thank you very much) the
injured man said as we departed. I wish
I had the courage to say what the children had taught me, that underneath those
two words are two others worth learning, worth saying… “Love You”! Because this is why we help. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Karen and I are off now for the Haap’ai group of islands to
the south. We have two rotations
scheduled there before heading off for Fiji.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1014567808580851.1073741837.477461758958128&type=3" target="_blank">For more pictures, visit our Facebook album by clicking here!</a> </span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /><br /><br />For more information on our cause, <a href="http://www.seamercy.org/">visit www.seamercy.org.</a> The Catamaran has now traveled from Carolina Beach, NC, to Tonga- to become a FHCC (Floating Health Care Clinic) for Sea Mercy - and we've completed our first three rotations. Sea Mercy's vision is to be the most effective preventive, curative, promotional and rehabilitative floating health care provider and service delivery mechanism to support the remote citizens of the island nations. Their mission is therefore to ensure that the community sector has the practical tools and talent available to accomplish those visionary ends. To accomplish this in the short term they will provide floating health clinics to needy populations. To effect long term community improvement, they work to increase awareness of the health issues facing these vulnerable populations.<br /><br />Please consider <a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/51">getting involved or donating to Sea Mercy</a>, or simply share our cause with your friends and family. Thank you for being with us on this journey!</span></i><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682456633580394021.post-6344068016080862092016-04-07T09:26:00.000-04:002016-04-07T09:28:28.782-04:00Happy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">We are happy to be back in Tonga! To bring you up to date…. It has been now
four months since we left Sea Angel in Neifu Va’vau, Tonga on our way back to
America. Karen flew a direct flight
back, or as direct as possible from here, Nukalofa, Fiji, LA, Charlotte,
Wilmington, which took her a mere three days.
My dear friend Mike Bartz flew out to Neifu and helped with the last
rotation, preparing the boat for the summer cyclone season, then we enjoyed a
10 day road trip together through New Zealand before flying back for
Thanksgiving. One thing that struck both
Karen and I was how different it felt to be back home after having spent so
long in the South Pacific Islands. Both
of us felt a kind of “shock” in our returning home to the “land of plenty”. Being back in Tonga is very pleasantly
simple. We spent a long 10 days with the
boat in the yard taking care of maintenance, putting it back together again,
and cleaning. We had the pleasure of
staying in a wonderful little cottage on the water during this time so we could
relax a bit in the evenings. We are now
back in the harbor at Neifu and have our first volunteers (Hanna, James, and
Sam) aboard for rotation 1.
Unfortunately, Tonga has been under a late season cyclone alert and the
weather has been downright miserable!
Today seems to have been the worst of it, with the strong winds that
have backed around from the typical SE to the N, then West, squally, rainy, and
with large confused seas. A second low
has developed into a cyclone, now classed as a category 3 which is currently approaching Fiji. It is projected to
weaken substantially before passing over us but it is keeping me anxious. We have been staying put in the main harbor
with the volunteers helping out at the main hospital in the mornings. Needless to say we are all getting a bit of cabin
fever, and all of us want to get out to the villages! We will keep you posted. </span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682456633580394021.post-57990022485734467872015-11-17T11:17:00.003-05:002015-12-28T09:29:56.159-05:00Tonga: The Season Wrap Up <div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">This blog is the toughest one yet to write... <br /><br />Sea Angel is now sitting blocked up and strapped down to the ground in the brand new boatyard in the Vava’u group of Tonga. (We were the first catamaran to be hauled there!) She will sit out the pacific cyclone season there. Mike Bartz, my good friend from Minnesota/Carolina Beach flew out to not only help cleaning and preparing the boat for the lay-up, but he also helped as crew on the last and final Tonga remote island rotation of the season. As a little treat to ourselves, since I chose not to sail the boat to New Zealand, and since it was not far away, we took the opportunity to fly here and spend a couple weeks before heading back to the states for our winter (the rainy summer, cyclone prone season here). Karen, who sailed with me over 1,100 miles from Tahiti, and worked side by side with me throughout all the rotations, flew back North Carolina to take care of some things back home and to catch up with friends and family. There is a great deal that we have experienced together, and these events will leave a lasting impression on our lives and our characters. I miss her and look forward to reuniting with her on my return. The end of this season is bittersweet, to be sure, but these feelings will pass.<br /><br /><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QfNKTRboR3I/VktPT9fQCFI/AAAAAAAAA7k/vfbT2b0K_DM/s320/At%2Bwork.JPG" /> <br /><br /><br />At Work - For more photos visit our<a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.930440956993537.1073741836.477461758958128&type=3"> facebook album</a> <br /><br />The last rotation and the wrap up brought with it so many feelings and emotions. Having brought clinics to all the remote villages in the Ha’api group, we had decided to move the boat for the last rotation of the season to the Vava’u group where the hospital staff had not reached the most distant villages at all this season. Doctor John Lee, the acting director of the hospital in Neiafu was great and even went with us to some of the remote islands. The islands are beautiful, being much higher and rockier, and there were few reefs to navigate through, as compared to what we had to deal with in the Ha’api. We had two resident doctors from NY (Tracy and Barie Salmon) who are identical twins. They were splendid to be with and made the rotation a true pleasure. Over the ten days we visited and set up mobile clinics at the eastern most villages on the islands of Ofu, Olo Ua, and Mata Mata, as well as re-visiting the closer island villages on Taunga and Hunga. All told the doctors and staff saw 56 patients, many of whom were older and could not travel to be seen at the main hospital. We were also able to sneak in a few snorkel trips and swims off the boat after a day of clinics. The Tongan doctors and nurses onboard with us even swam, speared fish and played a bit. We rented a car on the weekend and all of us toured the main island. We all felt good that we competed a very successful rotation. <br /><br />On a sad note, during our eastern island visits when we were out of the main port of Neiafu, a fellow sailor on a boat that arrived the day before suffered a heart attack. There are no resources in Tonga for emergencies, no EMT’s or first responders, and it was early morning when the hospital was closed. The locals tried to reach us as they were aware of our doctors aboard but unfortunately we were not there that night. Despite long attempts at CPR but no available defibrillator in all of the island group, he passed away. It was an acute lesson that simple tools available to most of the western world are absent out here, and the consequences are unforgiving. We have been asked by the local pastor to try and help them locate at least one AED unit that can be available through the emergency response volunteers. <br /><br />The last rotation of the season contained a lot, it was full of beauty, great people, anxiety, sadness, happiness, accomplishment, and a real sense of completion.<br /><br />-DL</span><br /> <br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-giu48o6Abys/VktPTUSeXDI/AAAAAAAAA7I/5uhb-VdRpdE/s1600/Heading%2Bto%2Bshore.jpg"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-giu48o6Abys/VktPTUSeXDI/AAAAAAAAA7I/5uhb-VdRpdE/s320/Heading%2Bto%2Bshore.jpg" /></a><br /><i><br /><br /> For more photos from our first rotation, visit our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/catamaranseaangel?fref=ts">facebook page here</a>. For more information on our cause, <a href="http://www.seamercy.org/">visit www.seamercy.org.</a> The Catamaran has now traveled from Carolina Beach, NC, to Tonga- to become a FHCC (Floating Health Care Clinic) for Sea Mercy - and we've completed our first three rotations. Sea Mercy's vision is to be the most effective preventive, curative, promotional and rehabilitative floating health care provider and service delivery mechanism to support the remote citizens of the island nations. Their mission is therefore to ensure that the community sector has the practical tools and talent available to accomplish those visionary ends. To accomplish this in the short term they will provide floating health clinics to needy populations. To effect long term community improvement, they work to increase awareness of the health issues facing these vulnerable populations.</i></span><div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br />Please consider <a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/51">getting involved or donating to Sea Mercy</a>, or simply share our cause with your friends and family. Thank you for being with us on this journey!</i><br /><br /></span><br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682456633580394021.post-32788152366597403992015-10-19T10:57:00.001-04:002015-12-28T09:33:19.734-05:00We only have today...<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jKmcfksu0s0/ViUD7xT3rcI/AAAAAAAAA5Q/fp3HvmWaLfE/s1600/Boys%2Bcoming%2Bto%2Bvisit%2Bon%2Btheir%2Bboat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jKmcfksu0s0/ViUD7xT3rcI/AAAAAAAAA5Q/fp3HvmWaLfE/s320/Boys%2Bcoming%2Bto%2Bvisit%2Bon%2Btheir%2Bboat.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Lvfd8iGFtsM/ViUB9kb_ObI/AAAAAAAAA40/rUqqauKKinY/s1600/Shuttle%2Bto%2Bshore%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Lvfd8iGFtsM/ViUB9kb_ObI/AAAAAAAAA40/rUqqauKKinY/s320/Shuttle%2Bto%2Bshore%2B1.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Today. Not yesterday, not tomorrow. We only have today. They live by that motto here in Tonga. More on that later... <br /><br />We have just finished up the third of four outer island rotations here in Tonga. In all, we have visited every remote village in the Ha’api group at least once this season. Some villages we have visited twice. Everywhere we have been the villagers welcome us with thankfulness and a simple appreciation that we care, we care for their needs, and we care about them. We have been blessed to work alongside the local hospital staff that truly cares, that undertakes the challenge of open water passages, rock cliff island access, big surf, reef crossings, rain, sea-sickness, all to serve the needs of others. We traveled as far as the northern sub group of Namuka that is very remote and infrequently visited. In total on that visit we saw 154 patients on the medical side, and tested for and distributed 22 eye glasses. We closed out the Ha’api tour by visiting the nearer outer islands one more time before our departure.<br /><br />We have moved the boat to the northern Vava’u group of islands to complete the final rotation of this season. We have two medical residents arriving on the 19th and will work within the beautiful Vava’u group through the end of the month. These are a totally different set of islands with deep water, protected anchorages, cliffs, high hills, and short distances between each. The Ha’api group on the other hand challenged us with shallow water, many reefs, open ocean across longer distance, and villages on the weather side of the islands making anchoring and shore party transport difficult. We are quite happy to close out the season here. Mike Bartz, a good friend of mine will be joining us for the last rotation, and will be remaining into November to help prepare the boat for safekeeping for the upcoming cyclone season. We have scheduled to have the boat hauled out of the water at a new boat yard here in Vava’u. Karen and I will both be flying back to the states for the season. We are both looking forward to seeing our friends and loved ones again. <br /><br />“We only have today”…..Paea, our nurse practioner this rotation described the Tongan schedule, dare I say their view of life with those words. When we arrived here two months ago and met Moses, our liaison to the Hospital for our duration, addressed my many questions and perhaps underlying anxiety, with a simple, “No worries”. Those two statements sum up the simple and beautiful life of these South Pacific peoples. It has taken Karen and myself a while to understand, but we finally have. As westerners, even having been out here as long as we have, we carry with us a residual desire to manage, to control, to anticipate, to plan, to worry about tomorrow. We do it less now, but we still do it. Even out here in the middle of the Pacific we have car payments, insurance, storage unit bills, document renewals, blogs to post, and the list goes on. A couple of days ago we were at one of very few places in Pangi that have of the best basic and slow internet service. I was trying to renew the boat document with the USCG, an important and necessary task, but found myself frustrated when the westerner at the table next to me started to download a book to read which sucked up all the bandwidth and crashed my final attempt. I will admit that I thought about spilling a drink on her tablet. Then I remembered a quote by Cicero from “Wisdom of the Ages” that Karen is reading…. “First it makes no sense to worry about the things you have no control over, because if you have no control over them, it makes no sense to worry about them. Second, it makes no sense to worry about the things you do have control over, because if you have control, it makes no sense to worry”. We have learned a lot here. <br /><br />David</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TJJhaPJNzdk/ViUCuK5LlrI/AAAAAAAAA5E/dAi2JS7pkiI/s1600/Tongan%2Bgirl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TJJhaPJNzdk/ViUCuK5LlrI/AAAAAAAAA5E/dAi2JS7pkiI/s320/Tongan%2Bgirl.jpg" width="215" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A Tongan Girl</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NbgjQEDOEtw/ViUCj_WhXAI/AAAAAAAAA48/NEbKN5S2OWY/s1600/Bethany%2Band%2Ba%2Bpatient.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NbgjQEDOEtw/ViUCj_WhXAI/AAAAAAAAA48/NEbKN5S2OWY/s320/Bethany%2Band%2Ba%2Bpatient.jpg" width="265" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Bethany and a patient</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PsDbiBpoGUU/ViUD9TXmkHI/AAAAAAAAA5c/1JKjcJDRL-Y/s1600/Whale%2Bbreach%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PsDbiBpoGUU/ViUD9TXmkHI/AAAAAAAAA5c/1JKjcJDRL-Y/s320/Whale%2Bbreach%2B1.jpg" width="289" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Breaching Whale</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<i><span style="font-size: large;">For more photos from our first rotation, visit our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/catamaranseaangel?fref=ts">facebook page here</a>. For more information on our cause, <a href="http://www.seamercy.org/">visit www.seamercy.org.</a> The Catamaran has now traveled from Carolina Beach, NC, to Tonga- to become a FHCC (Floating Health Care Clinic) for Sea Mercy - and we've completed our first three rotations. Sea Mercy's vision is to be the most effective preventive, curative, promotional and rehabilitative floating health care provider and service delivery mechanism to support the remote citizens of the island nations. Their mission is therefore to ensure that the community sector has the practical tools and talent available to accomplish those visionary ends. To accomplish this in the short term they will provide floating health clinics to needy populations. To effect long term community improvement, they work to increase awareness of the health issues facing these vulnerable populations.<br /><br />Please consider <a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/51">getting involved or donating to Sea Mercy</a>, or simply share our cause with your friends and family. Thank you for being with us on this journey!</span></i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682456633580394021.post-71972933956359081052015-09-10T12:02:00.001-04:002015-12-28T09:34:26.894-05:00Our First Rotation<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u4bEdIy8Q2g/VfCMcIyfVUI/AAAAAAAAA24/-Uih-SnPAA4/s1600/A%2Bnew%2Btoothbrush.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u4bEdIy8Q2g/VfCMcIyfVUI/AAAAAAAAA24/-Uih-SnPAA4/s320/A%2Bnew%2Btoothbrush.jpg" width="215" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZCGGXd3kHlI/VfCMOPsbEZI/AAAAAAAAA2g/59dszQsGy5k/s1600/Waiting%2Bto%2Bbe%2Bseen%2Bby%2Bmedical%2Bteam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZCGGXd3kHlI/VfCMOPsbEZI/AAAAAAAAA2g/59dszQsGy5k/s320/Waiting%2Bto%2Bbe%2Bseen%2Bby%2Bmedical%2Bteam.jpg" width="170" /></a><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Our first medical rotation is complete and we think it went
quite well! It was prefaced by some
anxiety about the unknown, some unforeseen events, difficulty in provisioning
here, and boat equipment failures; despite the challenges the entire team and
the clinic staff here in Pangai performed splendidly. In the first week of rotation the newly
coronated King of Tonga arrived and all of the islands in the Ha’apai group
took part in the celebration. We enjoyed
the activities here in Pangai but were unable to fully put the volunteer’s
talents to work. Also, Karen and I had a
harrowing few minutes on day two as we were running the generator and the RO fresh
water-maker. I was in the cockpit and
noticed black smoke starting to bellow out of the small manual bilge pump
handle holes. It turned out to be an electrical fire in the
water maker control box! It took a fire extinguisher, and a bunch of engine room
clean up to recover. Fortunately it was
contained to the water maker and both we and the boat were safe. The result however, is that we are now
routinely schlepping water from the police station rainwater catchment system
to the Sea Angel fresh water tanks.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">These setbacks however have been FAR overshadowed by the blessings,
kindness, thoughtfulness, and help from these wonderful Tongan people! We stand in gratitude and through these words
we can only touch on the highlights….</span><br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p0c4HeAdfxQ/VfCMKE3oHOI/AAAAAAAAA2Q/ShU5NB12lAE/s1600/Our%2BFlags%252C%2BTonga%252C%2BChristian%252C%2BSea%2BMercy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p0c4HeAdfxQ/VfCMKE3oHOI/AAAAAAAAA2Q/ShU5NB12lAE/s320/Our%2BFlags%252C%2BTonga%252C%2BChristian%252C%2BSea%2BMercy.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">When we arrived we stepped immediately into the wonderful legacy
of Sea Mercy’s prior work here over the last few seasons. There has been such a beautiful warm, kind,
and over the top welcoming feeling for our arrival. They want and need our services here
desperately. We see the difficulties
they face with the costs to provide adequate health care to the outer islands
and so very much appreciate our being here to help reach those people. Craig from the resort on Uoleva Island
offered us the use of his private mooring ball, the only one in the tiny inner
harbor where we are safe from all wind directions and have great ease in our frequent
departure and arrivals in Pangai. The
clinic here provides us all of our transportation needs in Pangai, and they have
done our large bags of guest laundry; both of which are of great help to
us. The Police department gives us free
access to their rainwater catchment systems; the Army has offered us any and
all help we might need. Matt at the
Ha’apai Beach Resort, and Magda at the Mariners Café have opened their hearts
and help in any way we need.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">We have also been guests at the local church to two separate over the top “feasts”
celebrating the arrival and departure of pastors. On our return from church dressed in our
finest attire, drenched in pouring down rain and finding our dingy stuck under
the concrete pier, two boys without hesitation jumped into the water and
tirelessly worked it out for us. As I
was lamenting the toasted water maker and a suspected need to replace the main
sail, an angelic couple anchored near us- he was an electrician and she was a
sail-maker! She fetched her machine and
sewed up the main on the spot, also giving me assurance the main was in good
shape and not in need of replacement. He
troubleshot the water maker with me and it appears it may be possible to
rebuild the part that burnt. On shore
in the outer islands, as the team and staff worked though the lines of
patients, the locals would bring baskets brimming with coconuts, lobster,
papayas and local foods for lunch and as gifts.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-J0stXSL-3CU/VfCMM3lsdGI/AAAAAAAAA2Y/3f3cfkdHG1E/s1600/Tonga%2Broad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-J0stXSL-3CU/VfCMM3lsdGI/AAAAAAAAA2Y/3f3cfkdHG1E/s320/Tonga%2Broad.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">In all we went to the villages of Uiha and Felemea on Uiha
Island, Ha’ano village one day and
Fakakakai village on another day (both on Ha’ano Island), and the village on Lofanga. In some places the team set up our mobile
clinics in the back of trucks, under shade cloths stretched between palm trees
on the beach, community halls, and occasionally a rarely visited outpost clinic
building. We will be compiling a report
on the patients seen, prevalent diagnosis, general observations, eyeglasses and
sunglasses distributed, and dental work performed to aid Sea Mercy and future
volunteers prepare for and best address the needs of these wonderful island
peoples.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0ZxZ5i0pjws/VfCMRcT0NRI/AAAAAAAAA2o/MfEQtewrrTQ/s1600/Grace%2Bcleaning%2Bteeth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0ZxZ5i0pjws/VfCMRcT0NRI/AAAAAAAAA2o/MfEQtewrrTQ/s320/Grace%2Bcleaning%2Bteeth.jpg" width="221" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lhUVtsKTUnI/VfCMVOEGb2I/AAAAAAAAA2w/0duFMAr9iyA/s1600/New%2Breading%2Bglasses%252C%2Bbible%2Bverse%2Bis%2Bour%2Btest...jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lhUVtsKTUnI/VfCMVOEGb2I/AAAAAAAAA2w/0duFMAr9iyA/s320/New%2Breading%2Bglasses%252C%2Bbible%2Bverse%2Bis%2Bour%2Btest...jpg" width="216" /></a></div>
<br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br />For more photos from our first rotation, visit our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/catamaranseaangel?fref=ts">facebook page here</a>. For more information on our cause, <a href="http://www.seamercy.org/">visit www.seamercy.org.</a> The Catamaran has now traveled from Carolina Beach, NC, to Tonga- to become a FHCC (Floating Health Care Clinic) for Sea Mercy - and we've completed our first rotation. Sea Mercy's vision is to be the most effective preventive, curative, promotional and rehabilitative floating health care provider and service delivery mechanism to support the remote citizens of the island nations. Their mission is therefore to ensure that the community sector has the practical tools and talent available to accomplish those visionary ends. To accomplish this in the short term they will provide floating health clinics to needy populations. To effect long term community improvement, they work to increase awareness of the health issues facing these vulnerable populations.<br /><br /><br /> Please consider <a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/51">getting involved or donating to Sea Mercy</a>, or simply share our cause with your friends and family. Thank you for being with us on this journey!<br /></span></i><br /><o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682456633580394021.post-1631431522805773772015-08-18T15:05:00.000-04:002015-12-28T09:36:05.696-05:00Sailing into Tomorrow<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #6a6a6a; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; text-align: start;">"How much pain</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; text-align: start;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; text-align: start;">they </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #6a6a6a; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; text-align: start;">have cost us, the evils which have never happened." </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #6a6a6a; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">-T. Jefferson</span></span></h3>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #6a6a6a; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y4jspvAJrBk/VdN7Zqr3DzI/AAAAAAAAA0I/xyFK9HeJ_Do/s1600/A%2Bgift%252C%2B7-23-15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y4jspvAJrBk/VdN7Zqr3DzI/AAAAAAAAA0I/xyFK9HeJ_Do/s400/A%2Bgift%252C%2B7-23-15.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Gift for Karen</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Captain's Blog, 8/17/2015</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cXmUEZIKKpE/VdN7Zgtq7tI/AAAAAAAAA0E/SjIqsrT3EXk/s1600/Caves%2Bon%2BNiue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cXmUEZIKKpE/VdN7Zgtq7tI/AAAAAAAAA0E/SjIqsrT3EXk/s320/Caves%2Bon%2BNiue.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Caves on Niue</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QhZ62ykbWc0/VdN7aEblakI/AAAAAAAAA0U/BE-dt1tSoq4/s1600/Lava%2BCave%252C%2BNiue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QhZ62ykbWc0/VdN7aEblakI/AAAAAAAAA0U/BE-dt1tSoq4/s320/Lava%2BCave%252C%2BNiue.jpg" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lava Cave, Niue</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">We sailed into tomorrow a few days ago, if that makes any sense. The <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.timeanddate.com/time/dateline.html" target="_blank">International Date Line</a> </span>does a bump around the east side of Tonga because they wanted to be the first nation to welcome in the new day. Depending on where we were standing on the boat one of us was in one day, and one the other, at least for an instant.</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DdQJlu9uvQg/VdN7aU-2IhI/AAAAAAAAA0g/E5ojAQBL7n4/s1600/Scooter%2Bride%252C%2BNiue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DdQJlu9uvQg/VdN7aU-2IhI/AAAAAAAAA0g/E5ojAQBL7n4/s320/Scooter%2Bride%252C%2BNiue.jpg" width="239" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Scooter ride in Niu</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Today we are in Tonga!! Arriving here has been a huge milestone for both Karen and myself. It has been a long journey for each of us; totally different, but each in its own way challenging us to step out in faith, trust, and hope. The trip from French Polynesia was a relatively long one, the second longest passage of the entire trip. There were several highlights; they included a harrowing lagoon pass entrance, whales breaching off Niue, 4 meter seas, either a lot of wind or a little wind, a crazy dingy landing requiring a crane, a scooter ride to explore caves, and even the beautiful gift for Karen of a rainbow on July 23 under a blue sky with waves thundering and spray flying 100’s of feet into the air (pictured above).</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ACijEOw6NUc/VdN7a2ge9cI/AAAAAAAAA0k/VmRiaBPKfZg/s1600/Whales%2Btail%2Bslap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ACijEOw6NUc/VdN7a2ge9cI/AAAAAAAAA0k/VmRiaBPKfZg/s320/Whales%2Btail%2Bslap.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wv8tcv-tUTA/VdN7aqDzJRI/AAAAAAAAA0w/WhXjXuONAmQ/s1600/Whales%2Bbreathing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="165" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wv8tcv-tUTA/VdN7aqDzJRI/AAAAAAAAA0w/WhXjXuONAmQ/s320/Whales%2Bbreathing.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Whales breaching and slapping tails</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QRcL-UdtuJE/VdN7aIdA9nI/AAAAAAAAA0Y/W1x5DOT8lR4/s1600/New%2BFriends.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="231" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QRcL-UdtuJE/VdN7aIdA9nI/AAAAAAAAA0Y/W1x5DOT8lR4/s320/New%2BFriends.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">New friends and inspiration!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w6fOBdtYM7Q/VdN7aTY2oeI/AAAAAAAAA0c/GZrpOA0kXF0/s1600/Pass%2Bat%2BMaupihaa%252C%2BFP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="209" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w6fOBdtYM7Q/VdN7aTY2oeI/AAAAAAAAA0c/GZrpOA0kXF0/s320/Pass%2Bat%2BMaupihaa%252C%2BFP.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Pass at Maupihaa</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Tonga has been our destination, it has taken a long time, a lot of work, emotional ups and downs, and many, many miles to arrive here. The journey itself, and ultimately our recent arrival, has taught me a lot about fear, anxiety, and living in the day without knowing the future. To do something like this one must have the faith and the trust to step through those emotions, but honestly, even when you do step through they are pervasive and tend to continue to work their way into your thoughts and heart. For me it is my faith in God and a much bigger plan that gives me the perseverance to keep pushing them away. I have found that if you open your eyes and ears along the way, He gives powerful confirmations that you are doing the right thing. This comes in the form of experiences and introspection, but most profoundly through encouragement through other people. We have met many new friends along the way who have demonstrated both similar perspective and faith, and they've been a consistent inspiration to us on our journey. On arriving here, Mosese (Moses), our local official and contact for our work here, uses a favorite phrase a lot, “no worries”. That is a good summary.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I read recently in a daily devotion, <i>When you worry about the future, you heap day upon day of troubles onto your shoulders and you stagger under the heavy load. You re-live over and over things that may not even happen</i>. No worries, we are here today. Later on we will sail into tomorrow again.</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rIbckc_42sY/VdN7Z1hDg_I/AAAAAAAAA0Q/PTj7q27pKUM/s1600/First%2Bmeal%252C%2BTonga%252C%2BSea%2BAngel%2Bat%2Banchor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="275" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rIbckc_42sY/VdN7Z1hDg_I/AAAAAAAAA0Q/PTj7q27pKUM/s320/First%2Bmeal%252C%2BTonga%252C%2BSea%2BAngel%2Bat%2Banchor.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First meal, Tonga, Sea Angel at anchor at last.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br />Sea Angel is sailing for a cause. The Catamaran has now traveled from Carolina Beach, NC, to Tonga- to become a FHCC (Floating Health Care Clinic) for Sea Mercy. Sea Mercy's vision is to be the most effective preventive, curative, promotional and rehabilitative floating health care provider and service delivery mechanism to support the remote citizens of the island nations. Their mission is therefore to ensure that the community sector has the practical tools and talent available to accomplish those visionary ends. To accomplish this in the short term they will provide floating health clinics to needy populations. To effect long term community improvement, they work to increase awareness of the health issues facing these vulnerable populations.<br /> Please consider <a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/51">getting involved or donating </a>to Sea Mercy, or simply share our cause with your friends and family. Thank you for being with us on this journey!<br /><br /></span></i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682456633580394021.post-58618348406197478582015-07-22T14:14:00.000-04:002015-12-28T09:36:57.256-05:00Our First Humpback Whale <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Captain's Blog </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">At Sea, July 21st, 2014</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Our first Humpback whale</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Karen and I have been sailing now 9 days, having left Bora Bora in French Polynesia on the 11th with a brief rest stop at Maupiaa. We have traveled now about 1,000 miles in a mixed bag of conditions, most of which has been absolutely beautiful. The last two days the ocean has been almost glass calm, very little swell, and just ripples on the water from a gentle breeze. We have motor sailed to keep the speed up hoping to arrive in Niue </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_843084576" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">tomorrow</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> by midday. Niue is one of the world's physically smallest countries. We hope to stop there and spend a day catching up on rest and a few provisions, then move on to Tonga, a 2 day sail.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Today was very special, as a matter of fact, it was AWESOME! We had both just walked up to the trampolines on the front of the boat to sit in the sun for a while. The ocean was calm. As I gazed off to the right of the boat a humpback whale breached about 75 feet away. It took our breath away. We sat there in complete awe and excitement not believing what we had just seen. It was HUGE! I guessed it to be 1 and a half times the size of the boat, perhaps a granddaddy at 45 to 50 feet long. As we sat there it breached again, about the same distance and direction off the starboard side. Five minutes later our hearts jumped into our throats as it apparently swam directly under the boat and then breached right in front of us. We were almost looking right down in its blowhole as it took a breath. It felt like that if he lifted his tail it would have picked up the front of the boat. About 15 minutes later he did a lazy breach about 200 feet away, laid on the surface, and then disappeared as mysteriously as he had come. WOW. It is exciting to know that it is calving season in Tonga now for the Humpback, and we hope to frequently share the breathtaking experience with the volunteers aboard.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">As we now approach Tonga we look forward to beginning work there. We look forward to new relationships, friends, and sharing this beautiful and unique experience with the volunteers who are willing to lend a helping hand to those in need.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Thanks for staying with us! </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">DL</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682456633580394021.post-83583325474124885392015-07-11T21:00:00.000-04:002015-12-28T09:38:40.264-05:00Not Lost at Sea<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QF8E9FT_4mY/VaG4mcUCMOI/AAAAAAAAAvY/bWLAo0mdRDk/s1600/I%2Bforgot%2Bthe%2Bisland%252C%2Bisland..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="110" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QF8E9FT_4mY/VaG4mcUCMOI/AAAAAAAAAvY/bWLAo0mdRDk/s400/I%2Bforgot%2Bthe%2Bisland%252C%2Bisland..jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Captain's Blog 7/11/2015 </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Back in January I had met a new friend in Jamaica.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>David Hartman, who is single handing his boat
Ahahata ,and was on the same path as us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>On our first meeting I asked him what his sailing plans were.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said simply, “to get lost in the south
pacific.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have met him at several
places along our journey, and as I often reflect on his statement I thought it
was well overdue to write a blog so my friends didn’t think Sea Angel followed
in his wake! This last month has been full of change and new lessons for
me personally and I apologize for not being on top of the Sea Angel blog and the
Facebook posts. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><br /></span>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">I think this blog shall be about being at the cusp of
change, seeing the destination on the horizon, arriving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is also about the blessings and lessons
learned on the way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sea Angel has now been
nine months at sea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From the beginning,
Tonga has been our destination, our calling, our goal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are now staged in Bora Bora for the final
sail across to Tonga, most likely departing here on Saturday the 11<sup>th <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></sup>or Sunday the 12<sup>th</sup>, and
arriving about the 21<sup>st</sup> or 22<sup>nd</sup>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This month I was sorry to see Rick and Terri
Jo Rogge as well as Weston depart as Sea Angel crew from Tahiti.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wes was the Sea Angel face book guru throughout
the trip and I miss his attention to that. I am indebted to them all, including
the friends that have helped bring the boat this far earlier in the journey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank you to all who have dedicated their
time and hearts to this cause.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N9GEFLJxZyQ/VaG4nKW2qiI/AAAAAAAAAvs/VTePDkwJET4/s1600/Karen%2Btaking%2Ba%2Bswim.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N9GEFLJxZyQ/VaG4nKW2qiI/AAAAAAAAAvs/VTePDkwJET4/s320/Karen%2Btaking%2Ba%2Bswim.jpg" width="141" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Going for a Swim </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"> A very special person to me, Karen, has arrived here in
Tahiti and will be part of Sea Angel in all it does throughout this season in
Tonga.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her goal is very much like
mine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To be able to do something
worthwhile, to give back, to participate in other people’s lives in a
meaningful way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is also to grow, to
learn, to listen, and to make room for God to work His will in our lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes I wonder who will be the greatest
beneficiary in this..<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God I pray first, then it is up to Him who
receives blessings, the Tonga people in need, or us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As Karen and I approach the work ahead we
also need to look behind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This last month
especially, the blessings have come in wonderful ways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We became welcomed guests at a wonderful
church in Papette and made good friends who we will always cherish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At a church on the island of Huahine Iti we
were invited to be with the pastor and give and receive wishes to parishioners
as they departed the service.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People in
town whom we asked directions from chased us down and gave us gifts as we
departed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have met fellow Christian
sailors, all of whom are inspiration in their unique life journeys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have appreciated the Tahitian culture in
dance, drums, kindness, and a wonderful sense of cultural pride.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have been grateful to God for all these
beautiful blessings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But too, we have
made the stark personal realization that if one believes in the works of God,
they must also by definition, believe in real works of Satan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was an easy one to avoid for most of my
life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Preachers don’t talk much about
that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don’t like to think about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both Karen and I, have come to believe Satan
does exist and he can be just as active as God is in blessings, in his own
perverse ways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Suffice it to say as one pushes closer to God,
I think Satan pushes back, sometimes hard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">We are very much looking forward to arriving in Tonga in
less than two weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We need to get our
feet on the ground there, make contact with the Ministry of Health, prepare and
clean the boat, get the lay of the land, and get ready for our first rotation
on August 10<sup>th</sup>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IR4K19dzStg/VaG4lS50LdI/AAAAAAAAAvA/SLnHfkvPwLs/s1600/A%2Bpromise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IR4K19dzStg/VaG4lS50LdI/AAAAAAAAAvA/SLnHfkvPwLs/s320/A%2Bpromise.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Promise at Sea</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HcVSU1dvmyI/VaG4lkg3fpI/AAAAAAAAAvc/fdH6FW-3UMM/s1600/Arriving%2Bin%2BCooks%2Bbay%252C%2BMoorea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HcVSU1dvmyI/VaG4lkg3fpI/AAAAAAAAAvc/fdH6FW-3UMM/s320/Arriving%2Bin%2BCooks%2Bbay%252C%2BMoorea.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arriving in Cook's Bay, Moorea</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--VpUHhZwdH4/VaG4lRoTQtI/AAAAAAAAAvE/MD-OOR4h_Bc/s1600/Captain%2BKaren.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="269" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--VpUHhZwdH4/VaG4lRoTQtI/AAAAAAAAAvE/MD-OOR4h_Bc/s320/Captain%2BKaren.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Captain Karen</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ws030EM9qvE/VaG4l1-VxcI/AAAAAAAAAvQ/Ucv1Umkwf0w/s1600/David.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ws030EM9qvE/VaG4l1-VxcI/AAAAAAAAAvQ/Ucv1Umkwf0w/s320/David.jpg" width="204" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e8UjwCtDxs8/VaG4l4ofEqI/AAAAAAAAAvU/8igTty5GR24/s1600/For%2BKathy...%2BSwapping%2Bsweat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e8UjwCtDxs8/VaG4l4ofEqI/AAAAAAAAAvU/8igTty5GR24/s320/For%2BKathy...%2BSwapping%2Bsweat.jpg" width="197" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V4ADMnLsWro/VaG4miSTcNI/AAAAAAAAAvg/KeCqb-JIoQQ/s1600/Isle%2Boff%2BTahaa%252C%2BGiligans%2Bisland...jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V4ADMnLsWro/VaG4miSTcNI/AAAAAAAAAvg/KeCqb-JIoQQ/s320/Isle%2Boff%2BTahaa%252C%2BGiligans%2Bisland...jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Isle off Tahaa</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RnvI-uQxaLI/VaG4oGn_tdI/AAAAAAAAAwM/2kkJZJQVBvc/s1600/Karen%2Band%2BMel.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RnvI-uQxaLI/VaG4oGn_tdI/AAAAAAAAAwM/2kkJZJQVBvc/s320/Karen%2Band%2BMel.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Karen and Mel</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IniyYuf5kFY/VaG4nY0g3_I/AAAAAAAAAvw/3xJu4zUag7s/s1600/Molehills...jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IniyYuf5kFY/VaG4nY0g3_I/AAAAAAAAAvw/3xJu4zUag7s/s320/Molehills...jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Molehills</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lxS8MKWNtkU/VaG4oHCNR3I/AAAAAAAAAwU/BTCw4S1k3Lg/s1600/Our%2Bfriends%2Band%2Bchurch%2Bworship%2Bteam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="190" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lxS8MKWNtkU/VaG4oHCNR3I/AAAAAAAAAwU/BTCw4S1k3Lg/s320/Our%2Bfriends%2Band%2Bchurch%2Bworship%2Bteam.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our friends and Church worship team</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OQCi1JIgzQk/VaG4nzBD--I/AAAAAAAAAwI/591HrEjezCk/s1600/Palm%2Bon%2BTahaa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OQCi1JIgzQk/VaG4nzBD--I/AAAAAAAAAwI/591HrEjezCk/s320/Palm%2Bon%2BTahaa.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Palm on Tahaa</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Wk6FHB5-SHo/VaG4o4jOuUI/AAAAAAAAAwY/PDdCmQ77zLE/s1600/Papeete%2Bmarket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Wk6FHB5-SHo/VaG4o4jOuUI/AAAAAAAAAwY/PDdCmQ77zLE/s320/Papeete%2Bmarket.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Papeete Market </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TRO8geboZ8c/VaG4pMnu20I/AAAAAAAAAwo/sNRW679q-S4/s1600/Sunset%2Bover%2BMoorea%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TRO8geboZ8c/VaG4pMnu20I/AAAAAAAAAwo/sNRW679q-S4/s320/Sunset%2Bover%2BMoorea%2B1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset over Moorea</td></tr>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-baeUULZ4r0U/VaG4pKRK2oI/AAAAAAAAAwg/EL9P4_K1kK8/s1600/Sunset%2Bover%2BMoorea%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-baeUULZ4r0U/VaG4pKRK2oI/AAAAAAAAAwg/EL9P4_K1kK8/s320/Sunset%2Bover%2BMoorea%2B2.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Another beautiful sunset over Moorea</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Sea Angel is sailing for a cause. the boat is traveling to the South Pacific to become a FHCC (Floating Health Care Clinic) for <a href="http://www.seamercy.org/">Sea Mercy</a>. Sea Mercy's most recent efforts include emergency relief for those affected by Cyclone Pam on the island of Vanuatu. Please consider <a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/51">getting involved</a> or donating to Sea Mercy, or simply share our cause with your friends and family. Thank you for being with us on this journey!</i></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682456633580394021.post-27752484297539047192015-05-27T08:48:00.000-04:002015-12-28T09:40:03.146-05:00A Fork in the Road<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fvYH32ocAQU/VWUiz2GxChI/AAAAAAAAAsQ/PKbLBQiLyVM/s1600/A%2BFork%2Bin%2Bthe%2BRoad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fvYH32ocAQU/VWUiz2GxChI/AAAAAAAAAsQ/PKbLBQiLyVM/s320/A%2BFork%2Bin%2Bthe%2BRoad.jpg" width="240" /></a></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Captain's Blog 5/26/2015</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">I went for a bicycle ride by myself down a very long desolate
road- the Pacific Ocean on one side, a blue lagoon on the other. It is a single road that curves gently along
a narrow strip of coral forming the circular atoll of <a href="http://www.tahiti.com/island/fakarava">Fakarava </a>in the
Tuomotu’s. Just one road. But there on that single road with no turns
of any significance, there was a fork in the road.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">I don’t know. Maybe it’s just me, but sometimes I read a message in these occurrences, a bigger meaning in simple things like
this. But really, I implore, why not a knife
or spoon? Why did it have to be a fork? It was just lying there in the middle of the road begging me for some
sort of a decision. Well, I took a
picture and decided to write about it in the blog. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">I thought about it after the fact and
concluded that no matter how straight or choice-less the road we are on seems (like sailing the ocean),
there is always a fork laying there begging for a decision. We might not always see it as literally as my recent encounter, but it is
there for introspection. Our journeys are simply a series of
decisions. If a literal fork in the road shows up and makes us think, that is awesome. If not, we still need to stop once in a
while and take a fresh look at the road we are on. We must ask ourselves if this is the road we set out on, if we should still be here on
this road, ask ourselves if maybe we missed a turn, ask ourselves if we should leave the road and bushwhack our own path, ask if there was a fork in the road
that was not on the map, or perhaps simply confirm the destination we expect is
just down this road a bit. The latter usually prevails in a well-planned journey, but life is not without its challenges and it is easy to get lost among the waves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">The miserable blue handled utensil in the middle of the
lonely road made me think. Our road does
not go on forever, it has an end, and doing the best we know how as stewards of
our life, we should make this our means, and stop to ponder each fork. That was enough for one bicycle
ride, so I put it back on the boat-<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Sea Angel has arrived at the southern pass into the Fakarava
atoll. It is a beautiful spot with clear
blue water, live coral everywhere, and oops, sharks. Yes, quite a few sharks, the friendly sort I
hear. I watched a local spear fisherman
snorkeling along beside us with an igloo cooler attached to 30 feet of
cord. He put his catch in the cooler and
towed it behind. Behind the cooler swam
the sharks. It was a procession……. fisherman, cooler, sharks. I was on Sea Angel. It all seemed to work pretty well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">We are now well into the South Pacific and within a relative
stone’s throw away from Tonga. I have
really begun to reflect with great gratitude the journey that has gotten us
here. The experiences we have shared,
the sights we have seen, the people we have met, the experiences we have
had. When we arrive in Tahiti (I hear
the land of robust internet connections!), I look forward to putting together a
bigger collage of pictures, videos, and heartfelt stories. With all honesty and sincerity, thank you
for following along with us, for keeping us in your prayers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">-DL<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br />The Sea Angel is sailing to the South Pacific to be a part of Sea Mercy. Sea Mercy is a benevolent program developed for disaster and critical care needs for remote islanders. Sea Mercy is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) charity with a simple vision and mission to "stand in the gap" with a service delivery vessel, trained health care volunteers, support equipment, and critical care services as island nations develop their "outer island" health care infrastructure, when critical health care need opportunities are present, or when disasters occur. If our journey with the Sea Angel moves you, we welcome you to consider donating on our behalf to Sea Mercy - they have several ways to get involved and are so grateful for your support. For more information on how you can help, click <a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/51">HERE. </a><br /> <br />Sea Mercy's Corporate "We Care" Program is designed to help organizations to attract and engage clients, vendors, and employees naturally in the spirit of social responsibility and providing a wonderfully enriching partnership. There are several ways to participate with "We Care". Visit Sea Mercy's <a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/154">website</a> for additional information. If you know of an organization or would like to involve yours, please share this information forward. Thank you for keeping in touch!</span></i><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682456633580394021.post-29061964840771489862015-05-13T15:11:00.003-04:002015-12-28T09:40:37.400-05:00The Sitting Stone <h2>
Within the ruins of the old village of Hakaui, Nuka Hiva, Marquesas</h2>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Sometimes a photograph captures more than the eye can see. This photograph, “the sitting stone” is un-edited, no flash was used, and it is shown just as it was taken. It is of a worn smooth, gently indented, sitting stone in front of an altar in small stone chapel. </span><br />
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The best I can tell the chapel foundations and the sitting stone are many centuries and many, many, generations old. I glanced in my viewfinder immediately after the photograph was taken and noticed a glow to the stone that was not evident with the naked eye. It took my breath away. Weston was behind me and saw the same thing. I do not know what caused the glow but I will hold on to the feeling it created in me. It was one of being in the presence of an energy, the energy of so many people before me. Unrestrained energy in prayer, in tears, in joy, in passion, in love. That kind of energy must rub off, it connects us to each other and the world around us. I was honored to feel, and even “see” the presence of that energy there. </span><br />
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I shall respect the sacredness of that place, a place where so much was poured out, where so much was received. </span><br />
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-DL</span><br />
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Sea Angel is sailing for a cause. the boat is travelling to the South Pacific to become a FHCC (Floating Health Care Clinic) for <a href="http://www.seamercy.org/" target="_blank">Sea Mercy</a>. Sea Mercy's most recent efforts include emergency relief for those affected by Cyclone Pam on the island of Vanuatu. </span><br />
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Please consider donating to Sea Angel's provisioning fund here - <a href="http://www.seamercy.org/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&id=15">http://www.seamercy.org/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&id=15</a></span><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682456633580394021.post-28085417768131192332015-05-03T10:50:00.002-04:002015-12-28T11:13:10.614-05:00Hiva Oa to Nuka Hiva<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; text-align: start;">Captain's Blog 05/02/2015 - Hiva Oa to Nuka Hiva</span></h2>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">We have been resting in the harbor at Atuona on the island of Hiva Oa. It is a very small harbor and is crowded with other sailboats behind the breakwater. We are anchored outside and it is a little bumpy with the swell. We did laundry and rented a small car to tour the island. It is stunningly beautiful and very rugged island. We drove along the ridge at the top to a small hamlet called Paumau where there is very old ruins with tiki statues and ceremonial platforms. We plan to depart here in the morning and sail to Fatu Hiva before moving on to the larger island of Nuka Hiva. All is well. We will share more photos on our Facebook page as the week progresses. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Thanks for staying with us! </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;">-DL</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jjYErCVH31U/VUWMJ5ST1ZI/AAAAAAAAAmA/C2lJxue_U0c/s1600/Gods%2Bpromise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="215" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jjYErCVH31U/VUWMJ5ST1ZI/AAAAAAAAAmA/C2lJxue_U0c/s1600/Gods%2Bpromise.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">God's Promise, A Rainbow at Sea</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KMNqdIADC00/VUWMJtoZ7fI/AAAAAAAAAl4/478Iesz2KHU/s1600/David%2Bon%2Bthe%2Bradio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="215" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KMNqdIADC00/VUWMJtoZ7fI/AAAAAAAAAl4/478Iesz2KHU/s1600/David%2Bon%2Bthe%2Bradio.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Life at Sea - Captain Dave on the Navigation Table</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jkOBe3Jp70k/VUWMMZNKZmI/AAAAAAAAAnA/KPEYwrXvr6s/s1600/Laundry%2Bday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="243" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jkOBe3Jp70k/VUWMMZNKZmI/AAAAAAAAAnA/KPEYwrXvr6s/s1600/Laundry%2Bday.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"It's Grace that brought me safe thus far."</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W_vb14Zl2GM/VUWMM9jibPI/AAAAAAAAAnM/BiPyp8JlsVc/s1600/Mt%2BTemetiu%2Bbehind%2BSea%2BAngel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="263" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W_vb14Zl2GM/VUWMM9jibPI/AAAAAAAAAnM/BiPyp8JlsVc/s1600/Mt%2BTemetiu%2Bbehind%2BSea%2BAngel.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sea Angel anchored at Atuona</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IzGlT0jZmGQ/VUWMPsxzNsI/AAAAAAAAAos/KUDNj5gzxf8/s1600/The%2BSea%2BAngel%2Bcrew.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="255" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IzGlT0jZmGQ/VUWMPsxzNsI/AAAAAAAAAos/KUDNj5gzxf8/s1600/The%2BSea%2BAngel%2Bcrew.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sea Angel Crew - Galapagos to Hiva Oa</td></tr>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-213JVauiaDQ/VUWMQ17psMI/AAAAAAAAApI/sITJcJy_otA/s1600/We%2Bwatched%2Bthis%2Bdaily.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-213JVauiaDQ/VUWMQ17psMI/AAAAAAAAApI/sITJcJy_otA/s1600/We%2Bwatched%2Bthis%2Bdaily.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Daily News</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption">Weston Williams and the Windlass Repair<br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br />Sea Angel is sailing for a cause. <br /><br />Sea Mercy is a benevolent program developed for disaster and critical care needs for remote islanders. Sea Mercy is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) charity with a simple vision and mission to "stand in the gap" with a service delivery vessel, trained health care volunteers, support equipment, and critical care services as island nations develop their "outer island" health care infrastructure, when critical health care need opportunities are present, or when disasters occur. We welcome you to consider donating on our behalf to Sea Mercy - they have several <a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/51">ways to get involved </a>and are so grateful for your support. <br /><br /> Sea Mercy's Corporate "We Care" Program is designed to help organizations attract and engage clients, vendors, and employees in the spirit of social responsibility and provide a wonderfully enriching partnership. There are several ways to participate with "We Care". Visit Sea Mercy's <a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/154">website</a> for additional information. If you know of an organization or would like to involve yours, please share this information forward. <br /><br />Sea Mercy is now working to raise funds to assist with the sheer devastation from Cyclone Pam in Vanuatu. <a href="http://www.seamercy.org/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&id=20">You can learn more here,</a> and please consider a donation or even a medical rotation if you're able. The people of Vanuatu can use help and prayers at this time. </span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682456633580394021.post-21367517901055493912015-04-27T09:33:00.001-04:002015-12-28T11:13:55.667-05:00The "Take Away"<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">"On a day when the wind is perfect, the sail just needs to open and the world is full of beauty. Today is such a day." - Rumi</span></span></h2>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Captains Blog 4/26/2015</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Life at sea, day 17, somewhere near 0828S 13146W.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Today is a lot like yesterday was. Also, a lot like the day before that, and before that… Sea Angel is performing so independently and beautifully I made a joke a couple days ago; we could have just pointed her in the right direction, hopped on a flight to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiva_Oa" target="_blank">Hiva Oa</a>, got a hotel room for 3 weeks, and then gone out in a launch to intercept her when she arrived. She doesn't need sailors aboard. We have proven that the name "milk run" across the ocean is appropriate. Nobody has gotten hurt (recently) and we are all still speaking to each other, so I can categorize the voyage so far an awesome success! The fish out here have been successful too. They manage to identify our lures as tricks (or if it is a not so bright fish, it tastes it, realizes there is a sharp pointy thing that hurts, and then spits it out). They might be smarter than I think. They may too enjoy watching Weston's hyper-speed rod snatching, reel-cranking reaction, along with the loss's appropriate punctuation. We all read a lot. Teri Jo sleeps a lot. Weston eats a lot. Rick laughs a lot. I just make dots with circles around them on the chart.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">We all knew the great distance this leg of the voyage would be. We knew about how long it would take. We expected the weather we have sailed through, and we had a good idea as to what the days would be like. We knew with the cooks aboard we would eat well, but it wasn't until we were out here did we really understand how the isolation, the alone-ness would make us feel, and what would rise up out of that quiet alone-ness.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">We talked about the "take away" of this long transit yesterday, and all of us, being of faith, agreed that we are closer to God out here. There is room for Him in our heads and our hearts because the clutter, the random business of life in society is markedly absent. I know the magic number for being alone with God in the bible is 40 days, but three weeks seems to work pretty good too. I personally have learned the great value of prayerful listening. I can speak up a storm real fast when I prayerfully talk, but to listen it takes time, and I frequently didn't make enough room for it in my normal life. In my listening I had a vision of a passageway inside my heart that lead to everyone who is, and has been, but I couldn't see all the way to the end. I think maybe there was eternity, with no end. Maybe I have been at sea too long, but the message I'm finding is a connection of love within the heart that has us all intertwined, that leads and connects us to He who is Love. I also reflected at great length on a sermon Pastor Mike did at Port City Church several years ago. At least I think I remembered it. I will have to look it up in the archives when I get back to the internet. The gist of it was, make a list of all that is of ultimate importance to you in your life. Then ask yourself, do you trust God enough to hand each and every one of them over to Him. It was in my prayerful listening that God reminded me of that sermon. Hmmm. I have turned my entire life over to Him, but there is a love that I want desperately, it seems like there is a mountain in the way, and I want to climb over it. I gave it to God. If it is to be, He will provide it and it will be by His will, not mine. I don't know if I am in shape to climb a mountain now anyhow.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">That's it I guess. There is nothing really to write about. Or was there?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Sorry we have no way to post pictures or videos out here at sea, but when we make landfall within a few days we will undoubtedly seek internet to get some posted. Thanks for following along with us!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">-DL</span><br />
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<br />Sea Angel is sailing for a cause. <br /><br />Sea Mercy is a benevolent program developed for disaster and critical care needs for remote islanders. Sea Mercy is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) charity with a simple vision and mission to "stand in the gap" with a service delivery vessel, trained health care volunteers, support equipment, and critical care services as island nations develop their "outer island" health care infrastructure, when critical health care need opportunities are present, or when disasters occur. We welcome you to consider donating on our behalf to Sea Mercy - they have several <a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/51">ways to get involved </a>and are so grateful for your support. <br /><br /> Sea Mercy's Corporate "We Care" Program is designed to help organizations attract and engage clients, vendors, and employees in the spirit of social responsibility and provide a wonderfully enriching partnership. There are several ways to participate with "We Care". Visit Sea Mercy's <a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/154">website</a> for additional information. If you know of an organization or would like to involve yours, please share this information forward. <br /><br />Sea Mercy is now working to raise funds to assist with the sheer devastation from Cyclone Pam in Vanuatu. <a href="http://www.seamercy.org/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&id=20">You can learn more here,</a> and please consider a donation or even a medical rotation if you're able. The people of Vanuatu can use help and prayers at this time. </span></i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682456633580394021.post-53473977357719789192015-04-21T10:00:00.004-04:002015-04-21T13:00:30.411-04:00Alone,Together, and Between Worlds<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Captains Blog- 4/19/2015</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Today, Sunday</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">, we will be reaching the 1/2 way point on the longest single leg of the voyage, from the Galapagos to the Marquesas. It is time for reflection, and asking ourselves where the heck are we! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Here is a picture of where we have found ourselves.... The Galapagos are 1,500 miles behind, the Marquesas are 1,500 miles ahead, Due East, directly off our stern, where the sun rises each morning is Peru, 2,000 miles back. Hawaii is 2,900 miles to the NW. Los Angeles is 2,100 miles almost due north. Directly to our south, albeit beyond my charts limits is Antarctica. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jGGOtQc3lyM/VTZXLXM0CpI/AAAAAAAAAk8/q7xDHeqfyS4/s1600/Noname.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jGGOtQc3lyM/VTZXLXM0CpI/AAAAAAAAAk8/q7xDHeqfyS4/s1600/Noname.jpg" height="155" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black;">Between Worlds: Halfway between the Galapagos and the Marquesas</span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">So why have we found ourselves here? Beginning with, and reaching far beyond the Marquesas, stretching westward across 4,200 miles of the Pacific Ocean, are the thousands of islands of the Southern Pacific. That is our final destination. That is where <a href="http://www.seamercy.org/" target="_blank">Sea Mercy</a> is operating to bring health care to the remote islands. That is where we are heading.</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Every day at 1800 Universal time, the time we left the Galapagos, I put a little x on the chart, circle the center, draw a line from yesterdays x, and add up the miles. We all guess at the days miles, and then share the joy of the feeling of putting the ocean miles behind us. We have done that for 10 days now. Our daily average is around 155 a day, the lowest around 120, and the highest to date 180. All are very good and we are pleased at the voyage so far. About this time, from past experience, and confirmed by current feelings, I start to crave a big juicy medium cooked, cheddar Cheeseburger with bacon, jalapenos, a dash of Tabasco, lettuce and tomato, washed down with a large ice cold beer.</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">It is interesting to watch the social environment develop over the days at sea. We enjoy the companionship, sharing tasks, odd projects, and rotations at the helm. But we all seem to enjoy finding time alone with ourselves, perhaps a book, in prayer, with guitar, or just looking out at the sea. Fortunately, the boat, being a catamaran, it has four corners. We all seem to find that spot to fully gain the total solitude in the place we are at.</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">We are blessed, safe, well, grateful, and doing fine. We are happy. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">-DL</span></span><br />
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<i style="line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sea Angel is sailing for a cause. </span></span></i></div>
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<i style="line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: #888888; color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.1999998092651px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i style="line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sea Mercy is a benevolent program developed for disaster and critical care needs for remote islanders. Sea Mercy is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) charity with a simple vision and mission to "stand in the gap" with a service delivery vessel, trained health care volunteers, support equipment, and critical care services as island nations develop their "outer island" health care infrastructure, when critical health care need opportunities are present, or when disasters occur. </span></i><i style="line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We welcome you to consider donating on our behalf to Sea Mercy - they have several <a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/51" style="color: #cc6600; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">ways to get involved </span></a>and are so grateful for your support. </span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: #888888; color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.1999998092651px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<div style="line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></i></div>
<h4 style="line-height: 18.4799995422363px; margin: 0px; position: relative;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sea Mercy's Corporate "We Care" Program is designed to help organizations attract and engage clients, vendors, and employees in the spirit of social responsibility and provide a wonderfully enriching partnership. There are several ways to participate with "We Care". Visit Sea Mercy's <a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/154" style="color: #cc6600; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">website</span></a><span style="color: blue;"> </span>for additional information. If you know of an organization or would like to involve yours, please share this information forward. </span></span></i></span></h4>
<div>
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></i></div>
<div>
<i style="font-size: 13.1999998092651px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sea Mercy is now working to raise funds to assist with the sheer devastation from Cyclone Pam in Vanuatu. <a href="http://www.seamercy.org/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&id=20" style="color: #cc6600; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">You can learn more here,</span></a> and please consider a donation or even a medical rotation if you're able. The people of Vanuatu can use help and prayers at this time. </span></span></i></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682456633580394021.post-50758883874553915542015-04-15T10:15:00.000-04:002015-04-15T10:15:03.079-04:00Finding the Trade Winds..<b><span style="font-size: large;">Captains Blog- 4/14/2015</span></b><br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nm9bYY1aws8/VS5tAiqyAKI/AAAAAAAAAj4/L91HdwJtk24/s1600/11143395_828798683824432_8025372727778983106_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nm9bYY1aws8/VS5tAiqyAKI/AAAAAAAAAj4/L91HdwJtk24/s1600/11143395_828798683824432_8025372727778983106_n.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rick & Terri Rogge join Captain David Lawn and First Mate <br />Weston Williams for the next leg of the journey to the Marquesas</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Sea Angel and her crew are doing well. We departed Santa Cruz in the
Galapagos on Thursday the 9th of April. Aboard are Weston Williams,
Rick and Terri Rogge, and myself. We are eating well, fishing all day
long, and just tuning the boat to sail as quickly as we know how. We
all have finally settled into the routine.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">It is very interesting indeed, and I have found myself during the
process of navigating, learning first hand a little bit how our
beautiful earth functions. The Galapagos is just slightly below the
equator in the southern hemisphere. It resides in or very close to the
doldrums, a band of the lower earth's atmosphere that rises with the
equatorial heat, but has little movement across the surface of the
planet which isn't particularly good for sailing. About 300 miles south
(and north) of the equator the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coriolis_effect" target="_blank">Coriolis effect </a>starts the wind moving,
in a westerly direction. That is the area we sailors seek to find, the<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trade_wind" target="_blank"> trade winds,</a> the path west often called the "coconut milk run" taking
us to the far reaches of the west Pacific. So in leaving the Galapagos
we started moving quickly toward the South West trying to get down to
that band called the trade winds. We have arrived there after 5 days
and are now turning westward more directly toward the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marquesas_Islands" target="_blank">Marquesas</a>.
Currently we have traveled about 680 miles from the Galapagos and have
about 2,280 miles to go to the Marquesas. It is pretty awesome indeed.
We basically remain on the same course day after day now, only
adjusting the sails or course based on local weather patterns. Last
night we reefed the main as the wind was consistently over 20 knots and
the seas were a bit rough. Today with the wind easing some we set the
spinnaker and are flying along at 8+ (and up to 11+ occasionally). We
traveled 172 miles in the last 24 hours which is pretty darned good.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The day to day routine is broken by a variety of highlights, some not so fun, but those are the ones we remember. <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1046406862" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">On Saturday</span></span>
the sea water wash-down hose came loose just behind the wall panel in
my stateroom. Within seconds I had the pump shut off but by then sea
water was dripping rapidly into my bunk and bedding. That afternoon was
spent hosing down the mattress with fresh water, washing the
bedclothes, and starting the two day drying process. It is all back in
order and good as new. In repairing the sea water valve I was operating
a power drill on the outside of the stern and Rick was holding the
fitting on the inside. An agonizing yelp and funny dance maneuver was
my clue that I had drilled a whole in his thumb. Two days later it is
healing nicely. We caught a very small Yellow fin tuna <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1046406863" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">on Sunday</span></span>.
Rick demonstrated his fishing acumen by putting a teaser bait on the
hand line and setting it off the stern. That evening when I brought it
in it was tangled and twisted up worse than Janis Joplin's hair after a
hard party night. We decided a swivel in the line would help next
time. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">On a more emotionally draining note, a multi-day radio
communication began regarding a boat, "Nirvana Now", that was having
multiple difficulties aboard. She was ahead of us on the same crossing,
about in the middle, perhaps 2,400 miles from any sponsored rescue
help. I was involved in a radio relay for her early on, but on the
second day she called out a "Mayday" and the government began
coordinating the rescue. Several vessels on the radio net which we
attend daily were within 48 hours of her and altered course to assist. A
vessel by the name of "Continuum" arrived first and picked up the two
persons on board who are now safe, but sadly, Nirvana Now was abandoned
and scuttled (sunk). I can only imagine how frightening and emotionally
taxing this was for the crew, and they were, and are still in my
prayers.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Between the learning, the highlights, the camaraderie among the boats
crossing, there is the alone time; time to just stare out into the
ocean, watch the stars, feel the seas, enjoy the birds and the flying
fish, and just soak up the expanse of this big ball we call Earth…</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">DL</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VWrXxGSwPPw/VS5wvNTN6oI/AAAAAAAAAkE/CjZbGKVbtlY/s1600/11093754_10155388702185313_1555062438_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VWrXxGSwPPw/VS5wvNTN6oI/AAAAAAAAAkE/CjZbGKVbtlY/s1600/11093754_10155388702185313_1555062438_n.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Weston - Hanging with an old tortoise in the Galapagos </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4BLCYad6nmo/VS5wvC6FitI/AAAAAAAAAkI/bIZjwrPOhHQ/s1600/11134266_10155388703895313_2026506035_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4BLCYad6nmo/VS5wvC6FitI/AAAAAAAAAkI/bIZjwrPOhHQ/s1600/11134266_10155388703895313_2026506035_n.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Captain Dave- Exploring the Galapagos</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
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<i style="line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Sea Angel is sailing for a cause. </span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: #888888; color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.1999998092651px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i style="line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: #888888; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.1999998092651px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><i style="color: #eeeeee; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sea Mercy is a benevolent program developed for disaster and critical care needs for remote islanders. Sea Mercy is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) charity with a simple vision and mission to "stand in the gap" with a service delivery vessel, trained health care volunteers, support equipment, and critical care services as island nations develop their "outer island" health care infrastructure, when critical health care need opportunities are present, or when disasters occur. </span></i><i style="line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">We welcome you to consider donating on our behalf to Sea Mercy - they have several </span><a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/51" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">ways to get involved </span></a><span style="color: #eeeeee;">and are so grateful for your support. </span></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: #888888; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.1999998092651px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<div style="color: #eeeeee; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></i></div>
<h4 style="line-height: 18.4799995422363px; margin: 0px; position: relative;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">Sea Mercy's Corporate "We Care" Program is designed to help organizations attract and engage clients, vendors, and employees in the spirit of social responsibility and provide a wonderfully enriching partnership. There are several ways to participate with "We Care". Visit Sea Mercy's </span><a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/154" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">website</span></a><span style="color: blue;"> </span><span style="color: #eeeeee;">for additional information. If you know of an organization or would like to involve yours, please share this information forward. </span></span></span></i></span></h4>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span></span></span></i></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i style="font-size: 13.1999998092651px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">Sea Mercy is now working to raise funds to assist with the sheer devastation from Cyclone Pam in Vanuatu. </span><a href="http://www.seamercy.org/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&id=20" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">You can learn more here,</span></a><span style="color: #eeeeee;"> and please consider a donation or even a medical rotation if you're able. The people of Vanuatu can use help and prayers at this time. </span></span></span></i></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span></span></span></i></span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682456633580394021.post-12028618095820504672015-04-01T10:19:00.000-04:002015-04-01T10:19:01.263-04:00Southern Hemisphere and Galapagos Arrival <div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 18.6666660308838px;">Captain's Blog 4/1/2015</span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZcOCM-XL1-A/VRv1iH_yydI/AAAAAAAAAiQ/75HWVlWUNGY/s1600/Sight%2Bof%2BGalapagos%2Bafter%2B7%2Bdays%2Bat%2Bsea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZcOCM-XL1-A/VRv1iH_yydI/AAAAAAAAAiQ/75HWVlWUNGY/s1600/Sight%2Bof%2BGalapagos%2Bafter%2B7%2Bdays%2Bat%2Bsea.jpg" height="215" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First Sight of Galapagos after Seven Days at Sea </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">We arrived in the Galapagos on Sunday March
29th, 2015. We crossed the equator the
evening before. We were just short of seven full days at sea. The winds were very light most of the trip
but for the first four days we flew the spinnaker. The last three days, the wind started veering
around, first to the beam then from over the bow. We reached as long as we could
then motored the final couple hundred miles in. That kind of weather is not uncommon as this part of the ocean is
justifiably referred to as the doldrums. </span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-crUVJvZerQA/VRv1gqxj6QI/AAAAAAAAAh4/7miWKIkNjbg/s1600/Sea%2BLion%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-crUVJvZerQA/VRv1gqxj6QI/AAAAAAAAAh4/7miWKIkNjbg/s1600/Sea%2BLion%2B1.jpg" height="90" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sea Lions Greeted the Boat in Galapagos!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Arriving at the Galapagos was pretty spectacular. We were greeted by a school of perhaps 100
sea lions crossing our path. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Then sea
turtles swimming by, a skate or two, and these crazy little birds that walk on
the water. We have yet to be inspected
and get our clearance from immigration, so once we get our feet on the ground we
will add more photos and stories of the islands. In the meantime, we've included a few photos and a video below!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BEX0Cr36FHk/VRv1cZ1B5KI/AAAAAAAAAgk/RNJpkN78FRo/s1600/Birds%2Bthat%2Bwalk%2Bon%2Bthe%2Bwater.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BEX0Cr36FHk/VRv1cZ1B5KI/AAAAAAAAAgk/RNJpkN78FRo/s1600/Birds%2Bthat%2Bwalk%2Bon%2Bthe%2Bwater.jpg" height="300" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Birds That Walk On Water</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Personally I enjoyed the time at sea. Everything slowed down. There was no particular urgency, and little
projects were fit it to help fill the days. It was a wonderful opportunity to be introspective and let the soul’s
energy fill the void left by the absence of normal day-to-day activity. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Rick Rogge and Terry Jo will be arriving on
the 3rd, and we will discuss departure timing for the Marquesas. We will have to psych ourselves up a bit for
that leg as it will be about 3,200 miles, perhaps 3+ weeks at sea.</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">-DL</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IZ0Ce5wpVkU/VRv1d1AeliI/AAAAAAAAAhI/OEB9t_D-HLg/s1600/Beach%2Bon%2Bthe%2BLas%2BPearles%2BIslands.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IZ0Ce5wpVkU/VRv1d1AeliI/AAAAAAAAAhI/OEB9t_D-HLg/s1600/Beach%2Bon%2Bthe%2BLas%2BPearles%2BIslands.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Las Perles Beach<br /></td></tr>
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<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5lkgX2aiC_U/VRv1cR08kSI/AAAAAAAAAgg/KSz41TvGTac/s1600/A%2Blittle%2Bdrag%2Bin%2Bthe%2Bwater.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5lkgX2aiC_U/VRv1cR08kSI/AAAAAAAAAgg/KSz41TvGTac/s1600/A%2Blittle%2Bdrag%2Bin%2Bthe%2Bwater.jpg" height="320" width="172" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little drag in the water, refreshing! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i2KeLgyKVuM/VRv1hLAMs4I/AAAAAAAAAiA/UiPhucTd_D8/s1600/Sea%2BLion%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i2KeLgyKVuM/VRv1hLAMs4I/AAAAAAAAAiA/UiPhucTd_D8/s1600/Sea%2BLion%2B2.jpg" height="123" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another Fun-Loving Sea Lion<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PLHionoIjwI/VRv1eigGt3I/AAAAAAAAAhY/uVfejivNLlE/s1600/Offshore%2Bsafety%2Bgear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PLHionoIjwI/VRv1eigGt3I/AAAAAAAAAhY/uVfejivNLlE/s1600/Offshore%2Bsafety%2Bgear.jpg" height="215" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Offshore Safety Gear<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nZyxIpZUn9M/VRv1c-_YTsI/AAAAAAAAAgs/i2GDXhnF1iU/s1600/Man%2Boverboard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nZyxIpZUn9M/VRv1c-_YTsI/AAAAAAAAAgs/i2GDXhnF1iU/s1600/Man%2Boverboard.jpg" height="320" width="215" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First Mate Overboard!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_ZgF_pIZNdM/VRv1dKLTPsI/AAAAAAAAAg8/L8vH5Q7hRmw/s1600/Me%2Bat%2Bthe%2Bnavigation%2Btable.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_ZgF_pIZNdM/VRv1dKLTPsI/AAAAAAAAAg8/L8vH5Q7hRmw/s1600/Me%2Bat%2Bthe%2Bnavigation%2Btable.jpg" height="320" width="215" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cap't Dave at the Navigation Table</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dHcV8dzSD1c/VRv1fzSXyVI/AAAAAAAAAhw/HfUIjCWwV6k/s1600/Putting%2Bup%2Ba%2Bnew%2BAmerican%2Bflag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dHcV8dzSD1c/VRv1fzSXyVI/AAAAAAAAAhw/HfUIjCWwV6k/s1600/Putting%2Bup%2Ba%2Bnew%2BAmerican%2Bflag.jpg" height="320" width="215" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Putting Up A Fresh American Flag </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LVoPoQeOBgU/VRv1eUTDn1I/AAAAAAAAAhU/db8nKe0Gu1g/s1600/Ocean%2Bsunset.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LVoPoQeOBgU/VRv1eUTDn1I/AAAAAAAAAhU/db8nKe0Gu1g/s1600/Ocean%2Bsunset.jpg" height="215" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An Incredible Galapagos Sunset</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3k6S7cY5EAs/VRv1ecmLB-I/AAAAAAAAAho/tluNoofcSws/s1600/Ocean%2Bsunset%2B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3k6S7cY5EAs/VRv1ecmLB-I/AAAAAAAAAho/tluNoofcSws/s1600/Ocean%2Bsunset%2B3.jpg" height="215" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Galapagos Sunset</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pzI8okKn0Uw/VRv1dmzMFAI/AAAAAAAAAg4/xH7Ii1TRemg/s1600/Ocean%2Band%2Bsky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pzI8okKn0Uw/VRv1dmzMFAI/AAAAAAAAAg4/xH7Ii1TRemg/s1600/Ocean%2Band%2Bsky.jpg" height="215" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spectacular Ocean and Sky</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UEsIpZQTQAY/VRv1hzOWj6I/AAAAAAAAAiM/qY2k-G0w5eI/s1600/Second%2Bbest%2Buse%2Bfor%2Ba%2Bspinnaker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UEsIpZQTQAY/VRv1hzOWj6I/AAAAAAAAAiM/qY2k-G0w5eI/s1600/Second%2Bbest%2Buse%2Bfor%2Ba%2Bspinnaker.jpg" height="320" width="189" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Second Best Use for a Spinnaker</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-opjOHFW8LLE/VRv3CF7mStI/AAAAAAAAAi0/n8BcSKExVt8/s1600/Spinnaker%2Bup%2Bvideo.MOV" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-opjOHFW8LLE/VRv3CF7mStI/AAAAAAAAAi0/n8BcSKExVt8/s1600/Spinnaker%2Bup%2Bvideo.MOV" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spinnaker Up! Watch the Video!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--HK7Kl1LOCM/VRv2aVn1YyI/AAAAAAAAAis/WTuIUGnRwhE/s1600/Equator%2Bcrossing%2Bcelebration.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--HK7Kl1LOCM/VRv2aVn1YyI/AAAAAAAAAis/WTuIUGnRwhE/s1600/Equator%2Bcrossing%2Bcelebration.jpg" height="230" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Celebrating our Equator Crossing! Weston & Cap't Dave</td></tr>
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<i style="line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Sea Angel is sailing for a cause. </span></span></i></div>
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<i style="line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">* As previously reported, Sea Mercy is now working to raise funds to assist with the sheer devastation from Cyclone Pam in Vanuatu. </span><a href="http://www.seamercy.org/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&id=20" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">You can learn more here,</span></a><span style="color: #eeeeee;"> and please consider a donation or even a medical rotation if you're able. The people of Vanuatu can use help and prayers at this time. *</span></span></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><i style="color: #eeeeee; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sea Mercy is a benevolent program developed for disaster and critical care needs for remote islanders. Sea Mercy is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) charity with a simple vision and mission to "stand in the gap" with a service delivery vessel, trained health care volunteers, support equipment, and critical care services as island nations develop their "outer island" health care infrastructure, when critical health care need opportunities are present, or when disasters occur. </span></i><i style="line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">We welcome you to consider donating on our behalf to Sea Mercy - they have several </span><a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/51" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">ways to get involved </span></a><span style="color: #eeeeee;">and are so grateful for your support. </span></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">Sea Mercy's Corporate "We Care" Program is designed to help organizations attract and engage clients, vendors, and employees in the spirit of social responsibility and provide a wonderfully enriching partnership. There are several ways to participate with "We Care". Visit Sea Mercy's </span><a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/154" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">website</span></a><span style="color: blue;"> </span><span style="color: #eeeeee;">for additional information. If you know of an organization or would like to involve yours, please share this information forward. </span></span></span></i></span></h4>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682456633580394021.post-44431473371459740332015-03-19T13:18:00.001-04:002015-12-28T11:15:55.501-05:00Bird Poop and Shipwrecks<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b>"Faith" is a fine invention </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b>When Gentlemen can see - </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b>But Microscopes are prudent </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b>In an Emergency.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b>-Emily Dickinson</b></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-75CffKwuuj0/VQr5MZpPubI/AAAAAAAAAes/TkEQcG0jlGk/s1600/A%2Bonce%2Bgraceful%2Bbow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-75CffKwuuj0/VQr5MZpPubI/AAAAAAAAAes/TkEQcG0jlGk/s1600/A%2Bonce%2Bgraceful%2Bbow.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A once graceful bow..</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Shipwrecks….<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">I was going to write a blog a bit ago about the hazards of
life at sea. It was going to be about
bird poop, barracudas, and shipwrecks.
Then I thought that it wouldn't go over too well so I shelved it. Well, it’s back again, mainly because Saturday
evening we witnessed a shipwreck with an amazing amount of seafaring
pandemonium. It brought back the thought
of this topic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;">But first, in the Bahamas at <a href="http://www.exumapark.org/CaysinExumaPark/WarderwickWells/tabid/59/Default.aspx" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Warderick Wells</span></a> there is a
national historical site where legend has it survivors of ships that terminated
their travels on the rocks. They
engraved the ship name and the date in tribute to life continued, a
gratefulness to surviving tragedy at sea.
They dated back into the 1700’s but were hard to read. Shipwrecks have been here since ships. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-66_KIDO65Jw/VQr5NGqP8uI/AAAAAAAAAfY/TT_xW-bpQUI/s1600/Lost%2B1874.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-66_KIDO65Jw/VQr5NGqP8uI/AAAAAAAAAfY/TT_xW-bpQUI/s1600/Lost%2B1874.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lost 1874</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jWDuXWs70xg/VQr5MioooRI/AAAAAAAAAew/hrxu3qgmX9w/s1600/Lost%2B1707.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jWDuXWs70xg/VQr5MioooRI/AAAAAAAAAew/hrxu3qgmX9w/s1600/Lost%2B1707.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lost 1707</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Bi00K10xIBw/VQr5NFveQAI/AAAAAAAAAe8/yF09-fYxdxQ/s1600/Lost%2B1821%2Band%2B1810.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Bi00K10xIBw/VQr5NFveQAI/AAAAAAAAAe8/yF09-fYxdxQ/s1600/Lost%2B1821%2Band%2B1810.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lost 1810 and 1821</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T5LLHd9U9T8/VQr5PLVkSlI/AAAAAAAAAf0/xIGpd0V5bTw/s1600/Wrong%2Bside%2Bup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T5LLHd9U9T8/VQr5PLVkSlI/AAAAAAAAAf0/xIGpd0V5bTw/s1600/Wrong%2Bside%2Bup.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wrong Side Up!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">In the San Blas Islands there were a plethora of modern
boats that littered the reefs. Some were
as recent as the week before. The
Captains turned a little too early or a little too late. So I determined that shipwrecks will continue
as long as there are ships.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eNBzBFiGLr0/VQr5Nbe3VII/AAAAAAAAAfE/Nt4nbsqZ3rk/s1600/Lost%2Ba%2Blittle%2Bbit%2Bago.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eNBzBFiGLr0/VQr5Nbe3VII/AAAAAAAAAfE/Nt4nbsqZ3rk/s1600/Lost%2Ba%2Blittle%2Bbit%2Bago.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A new shipwreck in Panama</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lost a week before Sea Angel's arrival</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">And yep, if you are out here long enough, you can experience
them. Saturday evening, after dark we
witnessed a shipwreck. We remain here in
Balboa a neighborhood of Panama City, on a mooring ball, in what I had deemed
was the most comfortable and safest place on this side of Panama. To set the stage, Panama City is about 1.3
million people I think, huge skyscrapers, very modern looking from afar. What I have found though is the cover of the
book is not always a good indication of what’s inside. I have found myself wondering how it could be
that Panama City could look like a 1<sup>st</sup> world country, consider itself a 2<sup>nd</sup> world, but really seems to be eeking its way
out of the 3<sup>rd</sup> world. There
doesn't seem to be concise organization or planning, which leads to some interesting situations. IE, during the rainy season the bases of the
skyscrapers are under water, with a front page article picture of a guy sitting
on the roof of his flooded Maserati. The
whole bunch of the<span style="color: blue;"> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/29/panama-corruption-inquiry--ex-president-ricardo-martinelli" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">ex-president Martinelli cadre</span></a></span> is being arrested and put in
jail by the new administration. There is
not a Home Depot in town that has a plumbing fitting. It is a bit disjointed I discovered. And so is life on the water here……</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lwFXefDAPGU/VQr5OYicJ2I/AAAAAAAAAfk/u3Pf2dynQqg/s1600/Suncat%2Bthe%2Bmorning%2Bafter%2C%2Bmast%2Balongside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lwFXefDAPGU/VQr5OYicJ2I/AAAAAAAAAfk/u3Pf2dynQqg/s1600/Suncat%2Bthe%2Bmorning%2Bafter%2C%2Bmast%2Balongside.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Suncat, morning after with mast alongside</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Suncat, the morning after the wreck, trampoline & crossbar</td></tr>
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<i>On Saturday night, a large charter catamaran was returning
to the dock here after dark. It was
loaded down with about 25 fun seeking passengers on board. At the same time, on the way out from the
dock was a crew boat, a large powerful tug like boat that runs out with crew
and supplies to the ships at anchor in the bay of Panama. One coming in and one going out. We heard the crash but didn’t directly
witness the impact, but when we stuck our heads out, the two boats were firmly impaled,
the tug well into the space between the catamaran hulls. It was bad.
The radio ignited with activity.
There was a problem with the communication however in that there was no
common radio channel, nor a common language.
There was also no common
logic. It was the pitch black kind of
dark out, and as we all tried to get our senses focused we realized the crew boat
was throttling up and pushing the catamaran backwards at high speed. The passengers were screaming. At
first, I thought he was trying to drive the catamaran up on the beach before it
sank, but then the captain threw the crew boat's big engines in reverse to
apparently try to yank himself out from the catamaran. Not a particularly good plan. As he continued to perform this maneuver the
mess drifted into a ferry boat. </i></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: right;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-95PRgi87Jsg/VQr5OMnvzlI/AAAAAAAAAfg/cdappX8jujc/s1600/Shipwreck%2C%2Bthe%2Bpolice%2Bhave%2Barrived%2C%2Bdoing%2Breport.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><i><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-95PRgi87Jsg/VQr5OMnvzlI/AAAAAAAAAfg/cdappX8jujc/s1600/Shipwreck%2C%2Bthe%2Bpolice%2Bhave%2Barrived%2C%2Bdoing%2Breport.jpg" width="320" /></i></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;"><i>Police arrive at the scene</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PQdLkn9RAjk/VQr5N0HXICI/AAAAAAAAAfQ/jSudsZuObVM/s1600/Shipwreck%2Bactivities.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><i><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PQdLkn9RAjk/VQr5N0HXICI/AAAAAAAAAfQ/jSudsZuObVM/s1600/Shipwreck%2Bactivities.jpg" width="320" /></i></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Calamity in the night</i></td></tr>
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<i>By now
the passengers were screaming with a deeper level of emotion. An English speaking canal pilot was nearby
and managed to get himself by ponga onto the catamaran where he found its
captain frozen in panic. We all were trying
to get a handle on how to best assist but found no reliable way to
communicate. The canal authority doesn't
use radios so we were relaying needs and messages inter-boat and inter-language
by radio and telephone. The police
authority doesn't use VHF radios like all mariners do; they use some other
system so nobody can talk to them. Other
crew boats arrived and started pushing the mess this way and that, and without
interruption in the engines revving, and the thrashing, two little ponga’s (launches)
were trying to unload passengers and get them to the safety of the dock. As a ponga loaded with people was alongside
the catamaran, the initial crew boat finally managed to yank himself out from its
impaled position in the catamaran, but not without taking down the mast on the
catamaran. I watched the snap of the
spar and heard the stainless steel rigging holding it up twang, like all the
strings of a guitar breaking at the same time.
The mast fell across the top of the loaded ponga. The pilot now on board simply said “we have a
problem” as pandemonium escalated. Nobody
could find a way to call and have an ambulance standing by. We all feared certain injury. Fortunately, the ponga was close enough alongside
that the base of the mast cleared the people with only a few cable
impacts. The police boat arrived but
would not assist as they were completing a report as to activity thus far. By miracle alone, and despite the
participants attempts otherwise, nobody was hurt.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">I decided to revise my initial blog as bird poop and
barracudas simply don’t compare to shipwrecks.
Also, I learned if one must shipwreck, it might be wise to do it
somewhere else where you at least have a chance of reasonable survival. Actually I like Panama, I think maybe it just
outgrew itself so quickly it missed a few key parts. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">I am getting impatient to continue our journey. We are now in the throes of the final
provisioning and preparations to depart Panama for the Pacific. We are hoping to leave here on Wednesday,
spend a few days in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearl_Islands" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Las Perlas Islands,</span></a> and then do the week crossing to
the Galapagos where we pick up more crew. Please keep us in your prayers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">DL<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-05kQy39wUb4/VQr5MdSu5II/AAAAAAAAAe0/ao92N-e0Klg/s1600/Firefly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="153" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-05kQy39wUb4/VQr5MdSu5II/AAAAAAAAAe0/ao92N-e0Klg/s1600/Firefly.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Firefly, a shipwreck.</td></tr>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br />Sea Angel is sailing for a cause. <br /><br />* As previously reported, Sea Mercy is working to raise funds to assist with the sheer devastation from Cyclone Pam this past week in Vanuatu. From this past week we have come to understand the importance of infrastructure and communication, most notably in emergency situations, and this is part of the journey and call for Sea Mercy during this time of learning and assisting alongside major aid relief organizations worldwide. <a href="http://www.seamercy.org/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&id=20">You can learn more here,</a> and please consider a donation or even a medical rotation if you're able. The people of Vanuatu can use help and prayers at this time. </span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br />Sea Mercy is a benevolent program developed for disaster and critical care needs for remote islanders. Sea Mercy is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) charity with a simple vision and mission to "stand in the gap" with a service delivery vessel, trained health care volunteers, support equipment, and critical care services as island nations develop their "outer island" health care infrastructure, when critical health care need opportunities are present, or when disasters occur. We welcome you to consider donating on our behalf to Sea Mercy - they have several <a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/51">ways to get involved </a>and are so grateful for your support. <br /><br /> Sea Mercy's Corporate "We Care" Program is designed to help organizations attract and engage clients, vendors, and employees in the spirit of social responsibility and provide a wonderfully enriching partnership. There are several ways to participate with "We Care". Visit Sea Mercy's <a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/154">website</a> for additional information. If you know of an organization or would like to involve yours, please share this information forward. </span></i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682456633580394021.post-50286819236716037242015-03-13T19:29:00.003-04:002015-03-14T20:40:17.768-04:00Panama, Crossroads of the World<b><br /></b>
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<b>SPECIAL NOTE - <i style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Right now there is a category five cyclone directly hitting the South Pacific Island Nation of Vanuata and many fear the worst. Although Sea Mercy has not officially partnered with Vanuata yet in 2015, they are on stand-by to help when the storm has passed. The need for aid is speculated to be great. Please help us by helping Sea Mercy and keeping up with <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/13/cyclone-pam-monster-storm-bears-down-on-vanuatu-with-260000-people-in-its-path" target="_blank">what is happening in Vanuata</a>. Read how to get involved at the bottom of this blog, and God Bless! </span></i></b></div>
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Captain's Blog, Balboa Panama 3/13/2015</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3GZ11xSE6OA/VQNrEh3k8cI/AAAAAAAAAdU/cZKreBd_-9I/s1600/Our%2Banchorage%2Bat%2Bsunset%2C%2BBalboa%2BPanama.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3GZ11xSE6OA/VQNrEh3k8cI/AAAAAAAAAdU/cZKreBd_-9I/s1600/Our%2Banchorage%2Bat%2Bsunset%2C%2BBalboa%2BPanama.jpg" height="247" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our anchorage at sunset in Balboa, Panama</td></tr>
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First- I apologize for being absent for a while! Somehow, just after clearing through the
locks and just prior to a planned family visit to Seattle, I caught a pretty
bad virus. It was a bit rough and put me back in schedule some. I recovered
fully in Seattle and with a reschedule of my return flight I am now back on Sea
Angel and getting us ready for crossing the Pacific. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eA5kSSI5IbI/VQNrEbwPj0I/AAAAAAAAAdE/8z14Iv_mcnc/s1600/Centennial%2Bbridge%2Bacross%2BPanama%2BCanal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eA5kSSI5IbI/VQNrEbwPj0I/AAAAAAAAAdE/8z14Iv_mcnc/s1600/Centennial%2Bbridge%2Bacross%2BPanama%2BCanal.jpg" height="205" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Centennial Bridge across the Panama Canal</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dqCJTNysnVA/VQNrD6UU5uI/AAAAAAAAAc8/g-1AG6j74MI/s1600/Birds%2C%2Bour%2Banchorage%2Bin%2BBalboa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dqCJTNysnVA/VQNrD6UU5uI/AAAAAAAAAc8/g-1AG6j74MI/s1600/Birds%2C%2Bour%2Banchorage%2Bin%2BBalboa.jpg" height="200" width="134" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Birds at our anchorage in Panama</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3u6qHwJz2WU/VQNrD-BF-eI/AAAAAAAAAc4/835EQVuE9G4/s1600/Birds..%2C%2Bour%2Banchorage%2Bin%2BBalboa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3u6qHwJz2WU/VQNrD-BF-eI/AAAAAAAAAc4/835EQVuE9G4/s1600/Birds..%2C%2Bour%2Banchorage%2Bin%2BBalboa.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Resting after a big meal, Balboa, Panama</td></tr>
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Panama is an amazing place. </div>
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For us boating types it is a world crossroads. The seas on either side are dramatically
different. The Caribbean side was lush,
the sea there clear and with limited tidal variation, for the most part
peaceful and calm. On the Pacific side
there is more contamination due to prevailing winds coming offshore bringing
commercial, mostly ship pollution and soot as well as ashes from fires in the
interior. The water is not as clean here
in the harbor so we choose not to swim or run our water maker, but the sea life
is absolutely astounding. Watching the
birds feed at the tidal change (about 12’ from low to high), is watching a
veritable feast. It is absolutely crazy
to watch them feed. Included are a
couple pictures of them resting, probably digesting?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GXsglteA17M/VQNrEvUUkcI/AAAAAAAAAdM/hu36BrecTMQ/s1600/GPS%2Bimage%2C%2Bblue%2Btrianges%2Bare%2Bships%2C%2Bblack%2Bboat%2Bin%2Bcenter%2Bis%2BSea%2BAngel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GXsglteA17M/VQNrEvUUkcI/AAAAAAAAAdM/hu36BrecTMQ/s1600/GPS%2Bimage%2C%2Bblue%2Btrianges%2Bare%2Bships%2C%2Bblack%2Bboat%2Bin%2Bcenter%2Bis%2BSea%2BAngel.jpg" height="227" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">GPS Image - Blue Triangles are ships- black boat <br />
in the center in Sea Angel!</td></tr>
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The Panama Canal transit was a real highlight. For me there was a lot of anticipation and
maybe a bit of anxiety as I had never transited through locks this large, and
with such big companions. There are
three locks back to back going upward to Gatun Lake, a long inland transit, and
then three locks back down on the Pacific Side.
It took us two days. We all
learned quickly that the transit is about speed and efficiency as it is very
busy and time is a lot of money when they are dealing with getting huge
commercial ships through. It took us one
raft up and one lock to get the hang of it, but from then on it was really
smooth. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Ship Tai Hawk in the Canal</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JmHYXzesWiQ/VQNrEWdjO3I/AAAAAAAAAdI/YKp7cu6zk94/s1600/Fredom%2Bclass%2BUS%2Bstealth%2Bcombat%2Bship%2Bin%2Bcanal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JmHYXzesWiQ/VQNrEWdjO3I/AAAAAAAAAdI/YKp7cu6zk94/s1600/Fredom%2Bclass%2BUS%2Bstealth%2Bcombat%2Bship%2Bin%2Bcanal.jpg" height="209" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Freedom class US stealth combat ship in Panama Canal</td></tr>
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Sea Angel was scheduled through the Canal with two other sailboats, both smaller, so we were the center boat and drove
our “raft” through the locks. There was
substantial turmoil in the water and a lot of stress on our small boats and
lines as the locks filled, and then again when we got some prop wash from the
big ship just in front of us. There was
a bit of yelling between the advisors (one on each boat) and shore side line
handlers. We made it through three locks
up on Saturday afternoon/evening then spent the night tied to a mooring in
Gatun Lake. That evening we heard the
nearby howl of the black monkeys in the jungle.
The next morning we arose early and transited Gatun Lake and the narrow
cut on the way to Milflores locks where we dropped back down to sea level on
the Pacific side. </div>
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It was a great opportunity to experience and receive the
benefit of such a large work of human engineering. We also got to see all the work being done on
the new larger locks under construction.
We are now on a mooring in a district of Panama City called Balboa. We are just a few hundred feet from the
shipping lanes and get to watch the endless stream of large vessels in the
crossroads. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2drqU6bZ8ho/VQNrFkIMIsI/AAAAAAAAAdk/LDQELRKY3pk/s1600/Stephanie%2Band%2BOliver.%2B%2BWonderful%2Bhelp%2Bfor%2BSea%2BMercy%2Bin%2BPanama!.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2drqU6bZ8ho/VQNrFkIMIsI/AAAAAAAAAdk/LDQELRKY3pk/s1600/Stephanie%2Band%2BOliver.%2B%2BWonderful%2Bhelp%2Bfor%2BSea%2BMercy%2Bin%2BPanama!.jpg" height="200" width="156" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stephanie and Oliver, wonderful help for <br />
Sea Mercy in Panama</td></tr>
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We have attended a Latitude
38 “Pacific Puddle Jump” kickoff party and have a wonderful new friend that has
helped us connect with the needed resources to put all in order aboard Sea
Angel. All is well.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fgMeEe2N_AM/VQNrDxbzlwI/AAAAAAAAAdA/eeZZQTF-FyE/s1600/Balboa%2Byacht%2Bclub%2Bpuddle%2Bjump%2Bkick%2Boff%2Bparty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fgMeEe2N_AM/VQNrDxbzlwI/AAAAAAAAAdA/eeZZQTF-FyE/s1600/Balboa%2Byacht%2Bclub%2Bpuddle%2Bjump%2Bkick%2Boff%2Bparty.jpg" height="120" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Balboa Yacht Club puddle jump kick-off party</td></tr>
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Panama is and has been for us a place of transition. There has been much that is changing in our
environment, the scope of the journey to come has changed, there is a
difference in our emotions, and in the detail of our preparations. Panama has deservedly earned the title of
“crossroads of the world” in my mind. Please keep us in your prayers as we continue
to prepare and then depart for the Galapagos and on to the Southern Pacific.<o:p></o:p></div>
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DL</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-USdYTrY-32c/VQNrFAYBpUI/AAAAAAAAAdY/NP9ipmQC8tc/s1600/Panama%2BCity%2Bskyline.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-USdYTrY-32c/VQNrFAYBpUI/AAAAAAAAAdY/NP9ipmQC8tc/s1600/Panama%2BCity%2Bskyline.jpg" height="175" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Panama City Skyline from Balboa, Panama</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
PS - Watch below for a time lapse of our trip through the Panama Canal!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OTuVQzhLnic/VQNr-rrBTTI/AAAAAAAAAeI/pQQP-3eW31o/s1600/Panama%2BCanal%2Btime%2Blapse.mp4" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OTuVQzhLnic/VQNr-rrBTTI/AAAAAAAAAeI/pQQP-3eW31o/s1600/Panama%2BCanal%2Btime%2Blapse.mp4" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i style="font-size: 13.1999998092651px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The Sea Angel is sailing for a cause. Sea Mercy is a benevolent program developed for disaster and critical care needs for remote islanders. Sea Mercy is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) charity with a simple vision and mission to "stand in the gap" with a service delivery vessel, trained health care volunteers, support equipment, and critical care services as island nations develop their "outer island" health care infrastructure, when critical health care need opportunities are present, or when disasters occur. </span></i></div>
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<i style="font-size: 13.1999998092651px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<i style="line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Right now there is a category five cyclone directly hitting the South Pacific Island Nation of Vanuata and many fear the worst. Although Sea Mercy has not officially partnered with Vanuata yet in 2015, they are on stand-by to help when the storm has passed. The need is speculated to be great. Please help us by helping Sea Mercy and keeping up with what is happening in Vanuata.</span></span></i></div>
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<i style="font-size: 13.1999998092651px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">We welcome you to consider donating on our behalf to Sea Mercy - they have several <a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/51" style="color: #cc6600; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">ways to get involved </span></a>and are so grateful for your support. </span></i></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Sea Mercy's Corporate "We Care" Program is designed to help organizations attract and engage clients, vendors, and employees in the spirit of social responsibility and provide a wonderfully enriching partnership. There are several ways to participate with "We Care". Visit Sea Mercy's <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/154" style="color: #cc6600; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">website</a> </span>for additional information. If you know of an organization or would like to involve yours, please share this information forward. </span></i></span></h4>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682456633580394021.post-67945881774242562762015-02-22T20:05:00.002-05:002015-02-22T20:32:01.587-05:00Pacific Planning<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: blue;"><span class="sqq"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">“I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do.” - Leonardo Da Vinci</span></span></span></span></h2>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mD4o5sCBzRA/VOp76L650LI/AAAAAAAAAb4/mPmd56P1FTE/s1600/Untitled%2Bdesign(1).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mD4o5sCBzRA/VOp76L650LI/AAAAAAAAAb4/mPmd56P1FTE/s1600/Untitled%2Bdesign(1).png" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A big thank you to everyone who has followed our story from Carolina Beach all the way to Panama! We've crossed the Canal and are making plans to depart on our longest sail yet. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Before we go, we need your help! As we've sailed, we've talked about our mission. We've donated our time, our vessel, and our hearts to the cause, but we still have needs on the boat. Please consider a donation to Sea Angel's provisions fund. Everything helps in getting us where we need to be! A portion of donations to the boat will go directly go to the non-profit, and the remainder will help us deliver the Sea Angel to Tonga and Sea Mercy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">To donate to our cause, visit <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.seamercy.org/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&id=15">http://www.seamercy.org/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&id=15</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR MISSION TO REACH TONGA! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Stay tuned for Pacific adventures!!! </span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P8QnO_A-MPY/VOp2edy7KpI/AAAAAAAAAbo/x3WxTBbZcO8/s1600/sea%2Bangel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P8QnO_A-MPY/VOp2edy7KpI/AAAAAAAAAbo/x3WxTBbZcO8/s1600/sea%2Bangel.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F1.bp.blogspot.com%2F-P8QnO_A-MPY%2FVOp2edy7KpI%2FAAAAAAAAAbo%2Fx3WxTBbZcO8%2Fs1600%2Fsea%252Bangel.jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P8QnO_A-MPY/VOp2edy7KpI/AAAAAAAAAbo/x3WxTBbZcO8/s1600/sea%2Bangel.jpg" -->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682456633580394021.post-4894861735653261972015-02-04T14:42:00.004-05:002015-02-04T14:43:00.720-05:00Faces of the Caribbean (and South America) <div>
Captain's Log, 2-3-2015</div>
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<o:p>"Faces"</o:p></div>
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I have recently been
lonely. It is a melancholy feeling of loneliness, even though I have a great crew on board and I am not
really alone. We have completed some of our
longest passages so far; Dominican Republic to Jamaica, then Jamaica to
Panama. Each trip was day and
night, back to back, multiple days feeling like the day before it. When we stop in port we just get to know some
of the people and culture before we have to depart again. We barely connect before we have to say goodbye. That creates a loneliness
in me. It is compounded by the growing distance between my
family and friends, nations away. Communication out here is spotty
at best, so staying in touch can often be disappointing if I can’t get
through. I have had a chance to reflect
on this and here is what I have come up with:<o:p></o:p></div>
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Sailing is more than a vehicle. It is a way to travel; it is a way to take your home and
move it cost effectively. I always kid
about the convenience that if you don’t get along with your neighbor, you can just move
your home up the way a bit. Boat life is a
transient way of life <i>if that is what you desire</i>. I have found that I enjoy the
challenges and adventure of this type travel, but what I have also found is that I mostly enjoy the people along the way; the staying, connecting, learning, loving,
engaging. The sailing is fun (don’t get me wrong, I am a Captain), but
you may laugh... it is not why I sail. I
sail for the people I get to meet, for the destinations and landing spaces to set my anchor. So in this blog I wanted to share some new “faces”,
the faces of people I have had the pleasure of meeting, of connecting with even
if briefly on this stage of the journey. They are the faces that break the loneliness, they are the highlights for
me of this lifestyle. There are many
smiling children, upside down ones, rooftop ones, basketball ones. There was Terry the Muslim, on Little Farmers island, that seeks the
same good in the world that I do. The man mourning at his wife’s
grave in Nassau was a touching connection. And then there was Caroline, who I got to give a beautiful “dress of Becky” to in
Nagana; Nester the kind man of the Guna Yala tribe who sails the Ulu; a Congo
man named “Spider” in Portobello; the boys at the store; and the list goes
on.<br />
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That is why I sail. I am discovering that it takes putting yourself somewhere
alone, somewhere only you can go, to understand what is paramount in
life. <br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
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My dear friend Mike
Bartz thought of me and shared this quote when he read it a few days ago;<br />
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<i>“I
went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the
essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and
not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live
what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practice resignation,
unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the
marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that
was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a
corner, and reduce it to its lowest term.” Henry David Thoreau. </i></blockquote>
The timing of the quote was
perfect, as it very eloquently begs for introspection and conjures questions each of us
should try to answer. How do we live
deliberately? What is essential? What can we learn through being alone? Are we
resigning ourselves or are we sucking the marrow out of life? What is life’s
lowest denominator, what is really important?
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I now know that I
sail to reach the anchorage and people. I am looking very much forward to staying someplace for a while, to connect and share with new faces what I have learned by simply being "alone". We leave the Caribbean Sea on Saturday,
and on Sunday we will push the bows of Sea Angel into the Pacific. A new Ocean and new peoples. I will be happy to stop and stay a while when
we reach Tonga. <o:p></o:p><br />
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-DL<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-giQ3Eodcmtc/VNIFyzVXXhI/AAAAAAAAAXY/kT9ZW69QBBs/s1600/A%2Bboy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-giQ3Eodcmtc/VNIFyzVXXhI/AAAAAAAAAXY/kT9ZW69QBBs/s1600/A%2Bboy.jpg" height="320" width="214" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A boy in Luperon, Dominican Republic</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0EBc_w4lbOo/VNIFy6YNtII/AAAAAAAAAXc/siBdKL0fhpI/s1600/Basketball%2Bboy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0EBc_w4lbOo/VNIFy6YNtII/AAAAAAAAAXc/siBdKL0fhpI/s1600/Basketball%2Bboy.jpg" height="400" width="282" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Playing basketball, Island Nalunega, San Blas Panama</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MyJD8w5nQxw/VNIFy7hDs3I/AAAAAAAAAXg/Iq0oxZ_meWg/s1600/Beautiful.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MyJD8w5nQxw/VNIFy7hDs3I/AAAAAAAAAXg/Iq0oxZ_meWg/s1600/Beautiful.jpg" height="215" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful! Sea Angel, Bahamas</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rcDoHM_9eZs/VNIFzb47LYI/AAAAAAAAAXo/1A2ZDXnpEWg/s1600/Children.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rcDoHM_9eZs/VNIFzb47LYI/AAAAAAAAAXo/1A2ZDXnpEWg/s1600/Children.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The children of Nevel's home, Island Nalunega, San Blas</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OBoaVBEGjbM/VNIFzvE2bLI/AAAAAAAAAXs/5UqB-OO-s30/s1600/Christ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OBoaVBEGjbM/VNIFzvE2bLI/AAAAAAAAAXs/5UqB-OO-s30/s1600/Christ.jpg" height="320" width="244" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Church of San Felipe de Portobello, Panama</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Pp76UXBu8j4/VNIFznLCvEI/AAAAAAAAAXw/UB18lO15S84/s1600/Girl%2Bwith%2Ba%2Bgap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Pp76UXBu8j4/VNIFznLCvEI/AAAAAAAAAXw/UB18lO15S84/s1600/Girl%2Bwith%2Ba%2Bgap.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Girl with a Gap, Luperon, Dominican Republic</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1qjxQeOpero/VNIFz-9EwpI/AAAAAAAAAYk/sP9ctCDzf3Y/s1600/Green%2Band%2Bred%2Bgirls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1qjxQeOpero/VNIFz-9EwpI/AAAAAAAAAYk/sP9ctCDzf3Y/s1600/Green%2Band%2Bred%2Bgirls.jpg" height="320" width="224" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Green and Red Girls, San Blas Panama</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wqoeqC2wro0/VNIF0OsCL8I/AAAAAAAAAX0/1xMJFSuVRkM/s1600/Guna%2BYala%2Bman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wqoeqC2wro0/VNIF0OsCL8I/AAAAAAAAAX0/1xMJFSuVRkM/s1600/Guna%2BYala%2Bman.jpg" height="320" width="260" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Guna Yala Man, Coco Bandero, San Blas </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u5d3WUf4eBg/VNIF0THsOII/AAAAAAAAAX8/M_F4LrQ1KYE/s1600/Mourning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u5d3WUf4eBg/VNIF0THsOII/AAAAAAAAAX8/M_F4LrQ1KYE/s1600/Mourning.jpg" height="320" width="283" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gerald, a man mourning for his wife in Nassau</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HbMuSHpd5KA/VNIF0tofNYI/AAAAAAAAAYE/vIRqv9lpcLE/s1600/Nevels%2Bson%2B(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HbMuSHpd5KA/VNIF0tofNYI/AAAAAAAAAYE/vIRqv9lpcLE/s1600/Nevels%2Bson%2B(2).jpg" height="234" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nevel's son, Nalunega, San Blas</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ItipLvxMzI8/VNIF02R8mEI/AAAAAAAAAYM/44ixozHsbRU/s1600/Nevels%2Bson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ItipLvxMzI8/VNIF02R8mEI/AAAAAAAAAYM/44ixozHsbRU/s1600/Nevels%2Bson.jpg" height="320" width="214" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Nevel's younger son, Nalunega, San Blas</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ou9ofjpdICQ/VNIF1Ny0HiI/AAAAAAAAAYY/H9z_DYeqA4o/s1600/Pig%2Bfriend.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ou9ofjpdICQ/VNIF1Ny0HiI/AAAAAAAAAYY/H9z_DYeqA4o/s1600/Pig%2Bfriend.jpg" height="320" width="214" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pig Friend, Staniel Cay, Bahamas</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7FhvNE650s8/VNIF3wnrzbI/AAAAAAAAAZg/LY-7iuHZ1Ak/s1600/rooftop%2Bboy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7FhvNE650s8/VNIF3wnrzbI/AAAAAAAAAZg/LY-7iuHZ1Ak/s1600/rooftop%2Bboy.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rooftop Boy, Island Wichubhaula, San Blas</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zj7NmwmDbLw/VNIF1fFWsiI/AAAAAAAAAYc/LavWgpZeDR0/s1600/Sailor%2Bboy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zj7NmwmDbLw/VNIF1fFWsiI/AAAAAAAAAYc/LavWgpZeDR0/s1600/Sailor%2Bboy.jpg" height="320" width="214" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sailing Boy, Island Nalunega, San Blas</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zUT7Hr2x64I/VNIF12wZVXI/AAAAAAAAAZQ/olQcM5jYjIE/s1600/School%2Bgirls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zUT7Hr2x64I/VNIF12wZVXI/AAAAAAAAAZQ/olQcM5jYjIE/s1600/School%2Bgirls.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">School Girls, Luperon, Dominican Republic</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QMNHf4OoRpA/VNIF1yt9-VI/AAAAAAAAAYo/BSLgrD5CclA/s1600/Sidewalk%2Bboy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QMNHf4OoRpA/VNIF1yt9-VI/AAAAAAAAAYo/BSLgrD5CclA/s1600/Sidewalk%2Bboy.jpg" height="320" width="214" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sidewalk Boy, Island Nalunega, San Blas</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-70DuFTam77A/VNIF2UCN5ZI/AAAAAAAAAY0/_uDInr1uXyU/s1600/Spider.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-70DuFTam77A/VNIF2UCN5ZI/AAAAAAAAAY0/_uDInr1uXyU/s1600/Spider.jpg" height="320" width="210" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Spider", Portobello, Panama</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-URnBm8WDimE/VNIF2pr37CI/AAAAAAAAAY4/AbkEPWj0rSA/s1600/Street%2Bboys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-URnBm8WDimE/VNIF2pr37CI/AAAAAAAAAY4/AbkEPWj0rSA/s1600/Street%2Bboys.jpg" height="400" width="227" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Street Boys, Luperon, Dominican Republic</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iPQLRE6G0jo/VNIF22wwslI/AAAAAAAAAZE/ogfW6FO8ByM/s1600/Sunshine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iPQLRE6G0jo/VNIF22wwslI/AAAAAAAAAZE/ogfW6FO8ByM/s1600/Sunshine.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunshine! Hill atop Wardrick Wells, Bahamas</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2w1Xd80Y59k/VNIF3P8ooEI/AAAAAAAAAZI/dvHPnga6uN4/s1600/Terry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2w1Xd80Y59k/VNIF3P8ooEI/AAAAAAAAAZI/dvHPnga6uN4/s1600/Terry.jpg" height="320" width="254" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Terry, Little Farmer's Island, Bahamas</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9oY3ivLomoY/VNIF3kI6rOI/AAAAAAAAAZc/H04EzMRMob0/s1600/Thanksgiving%2Bfriends.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9oY3ivLomoY/VNIF3kI6rOI/AAAAAAAAAZc/H04EzMRMob0/s1600/Thanksgiving%2Bfriends.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanksgiving Friends, Sea Angel, Great Harbor Cay, Bahamas</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4JcT9a5xa9I/VNIF3mwHdRI/AAAAAAAAAZU/Uoc3Wf8Bqyk/s1600/Traveling%2Bfriends.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4JcT9a5xa9I/VNIF3mwHdRI/AAAAAAAAAZU/Uoc3Wf8Bqyk/s1600/Traveling%2Bfriends.jpg" height="222" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Traveling friends Miriam & Dave, Luperon, Dominican Republic</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WjWjkMBMFeI/VNIF3-ITybI/AAAAAAAAAZo/1DqudiCrbeY/s1600/Upside%2Bdown%2Bboy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WjWjkMBMFeI/VNIF3-ITybI/AAAAAAAAAZo/1DqudiCrbeY/s1600/Upside%2Bdown%2Bboy.jpg" height="320" width="219" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Upside Down, Island Nalunega, San Blas, Panama</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Don't forget to read about our cause below! Sea Mercy will be at the <a href="http://www.miamiboatshow.com/" target="_blank">Miami International Boat Show </a>next week with more information as well. Thanks for following.</div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">The Sea Angel is sailing for a cause. Sea Mercy is a benevolent program developed for disaster and critical care needs for remote islanders. Sea Mercy is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) charity with a simple vision and mission to "stand in the gap" with a service delivery vessel, trained health care volunteers, support equipment, and critical care services as island nations develop their "outer island" health care infrastructure, when critical health care need opportunities are present, or when disasters occur. </span></i></span></h4>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
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<i style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">If Sea Angel's journey is valuable to you, we welcome you to consider donating on our behalf to Sea Mercy - they have several </span><a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/51" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">ways to get involved </span></a><span style="color: #eeeeee;">and are so grateful for your support. </span></span></i></h4>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></div>
<h4 style="background-color: #888888; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.1999998092651px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px; margin: 0px; position: relative;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">Sea Mercy's Corporate "We Care" Program is designed to help organizations attract and engage clients, vendors, and employees in the spirit of social responsibility and provide a wonderfully enriching partnership. There are several ways to participate with "We Care". Visit Sea Mercy's </span><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/154" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">website</a> </span><span style="color: #eeeeee;">for additional information. If you know of an organization or would like to involve yours, please share this information forward. </span></span></i></span></h4>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682456633580394021.post-43941477335663337552015-01-23T16:18:00.000-05:002015-01-23T16:18:40.199-05:00The Plan!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">"The best-laid plans of catamarans and men often go awry." </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">- Someone may have said this!</span></div>
<br />
<br />
The plan........<br />
<br />
I don’t yet know it, and I am the Captain! Let me explain. A very special person in my life has accused
me of “not having a plan”, to which we laugh. But tonight it got me thinking.<br />
<br />
We (Sea Angel and her crew) departed the Dominican Republic on Thursday the 15th of January. Our
clearing out papers were for a destination of Panama, a 7 or 8 day sail. That was part of a broad, general
plan to arrive in the South Pacific on schedule- the grand plan so to speak. When we discussed this leg
of our trip there was trepidation by the crew on where we might find harbor to stop and rest, as it
would be the longest single offshore transit of the trip. I threw out the reasonable options for
stopping, and concluded the conversation with “we are just going to start. We will figure out the plan
later.”<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nS60FpPRxlY/VMK29PCjamI/AAAAAAAAAWg/v3y1NXZP-P8/s1600/Jamaican%2Bmangroves.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nS60FpPRxlY/VMK29PCjamI/AAAAAAAAAWg/v3y1NXZP-P8/s1600/Jamaican%2Bmangroves.jpeg" height="320" width="187" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jamaican Mangroves</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><div style="text-align: right;">
So, I am writing this as we motor along in the lee of Jamaica, on a glass calm sea. How did we end up
here!? Well, we started the leg to Panama but listened and responded to the forces greater than us.
Nature influenced our plan, or the lack thereof. The winds were abnormally light and we motored a lot
to keep up the pace. We used a lot of fuel. Our plan didn’t change... because we didn’t really have one. It
reminded me of a scene in the movie “Captain Ron” where in the midst of a terrible storm with
everything going wrong at once, Captain Ron says, “well at least we are almost at our safe destination.” To which the crew responds, "how do you know?" He says, "because when they left the last port we had
just enough fuel to make it there….. and now we are out of fuel!" He got beat up by the crew.</div>
<br />
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xZOuwKBY-Q4/VMK29uuMnII/AAAAAAAAAWk/sw3Mui4bWJg/s1600/Jamaican%2Bpolice%2Bescort.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xZOuwKBY-Q4/VMK29uuMnII/AAAAAAAAAWk/sw3Mui4bWJg/s1600/Jamaican%2Bpolice%2Bescort.jpeg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jamaican Police escorts Sea Angel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Again, sailing teaches lessons about life. Plans are okay, but they should not be held to fast or dearly. So
much of life is out of our control. To have a general plan, a destination, goals, is good. Those set the
direction to travel. But to have a plan for each step along the way is not up to us. At this point of our journey, I have learned to give
that up, to embrace something bigger than myself. We sail to fulfill a purpose, and it turns out the purpose is fulfilling us.<br />
<br />
<br />
A quote comes to mind:<br />
<br />
“The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.”
Proverbs 16:9, English Standard Version (ESV):<br />
<br />
AMEN! David.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-otGlQnA2K1s/VMK29zu15LI/AAAAAAAAAWs/uaWwPf4PfeI/s1600/Sunrise%2Bover%2BJamaica.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-otGlQnA2K1s/VMK29zu15LI/AAAAAAAAAWs/uaWwPf4PfeI/s1600/Sunrise%2Bover%2BJamaica.jpeg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunrise over Jamaica</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<h4 style="background-color: #888888; color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px; margin: 0px; position: relative;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">The Sea Angel is sailing to the South Pacific for a cause- Sea Mercy is a benevolent program developed for disaster and critical care needs for remote islanders. Sea Mercy is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) charity with a simple vision and mission to "stand in the gap" with a service delivery vessel, trained health care volunteers, support equipment, and critical care services as island nations develop their "outer island" health care infrastructure, when critical health care need opportunities are present, or when disasters occur. Read more about</span><span style="color: #cccccc;"> </span><a href="http://seamercy.org/node/155" style="color: #cc6600; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Sea Mercy's 2014 Impact.</span></a></span></span></i></span></h4>
<h4 style="background-color: #888888; color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.48px; margin: 0px; position: relative;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: small;"> </span></span></i></span></h4>
<h4 style="background-color: #888888; color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.48px; margin: 0px; position: relative;">
<i style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">If Sea Angel's journey resonates with you, we welcome you to consider donating on our behalf to Sea Mercy - there are several </span><a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/51" style="color: #cc6600; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">ways to get involved.</span></a><a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/51" style="color: #cc6600; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"> </a><span style="color: #134f5c;">They especially always need enthusiastic volunteers. If you are in the medical profession, consider committing to a rotation in the South Pacific!</span></span></span></i></h4>
<h4 style="background-color: #888888; color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.48px; margin: 0px; position: relative;">
<i style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/51" style="color: #cc6600; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: small;"> </span></a></span></i></h4>
<div class="separator" style="background-color: #888888; clear: both; color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.1999998092651px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">
<i style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.48px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">Sea Mercy's Corporate "We Care" Program is designed to help organizations attract and engage clients, vendors, and employees in the spirit of social responsibility and provide a wonderfully enriching partnership. There are several ways to participate with "We Care". Visit Sea Mercy's </span><a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/154" style="color: #cc6600; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">website</span></a><span style="color: #cccccc;"> </span><span style="color: #134f5c;">for additional information. If you know of an organization or would like to involve yours, please share this information forward. The more we sail, the more we understand how important it is to foster these types of relationships in everything we do. </span><a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/80" style="color: #cc6600; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Our journey</span></a><span style="color: #cccccc;"> </span><span style="color: #134f5c;">still has a long way to go, and we thank you for being here with us. </span></span></span></i></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682456633580394021.post-78902364314756357012015-01-15T17:18:00.004-05:002015-01-15T17:19:59.126-05:00Tale of Three Countries<div style="text-align: right;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZN-w-oD_8ZQ/VLgyupIxFVI/AAAAAAAAAV8/F1--ImsVDS0/s1600/Luperon_Dock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZN-w-oD_8ZQ/VLgyupIxFVI/AAAAAAAAAV8/F1--ImsVDS0/s1600/Luperon_Dock.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Since leaving North Carolina in early November we have
traveled to and through, three separate countries, the Bahamas, the Turks and
Caicos, and now the Dominican Republic from where I write this blog. Each country has been beautiful and unique in
its own right. We have enjoyed them
all. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WjJLFsOilTA/VLgym3aT46I/AAAAAAAAAVI/G0lgrT23ueo/s1600/Left%2Bor%2BRight...jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WjJLFsOilTA/VLgym3aT46I/AAAAAAAAAVI/G0lgrT23ueo/s1600/Left%2Bor%2BRight...jpg" height="320" width="214" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Left or Right?</td></tr>
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The Bahamas consist of many, many islands and small
Cays, some inhabited, some not. The communities on each were different
depending on their exposure to the “western” influence and visitation. What I felt there was different than I had
expected. The Bahamas lie very close to
the SE United States and are within easy access by multitudes of “cruising”
boats. There was a distinct feeling that
we were part of a western expansion of the adventuresome retirement culture,
kind of like traveling in RV’s on the water.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-E3hlj-cRkoI/VLg1DvBdmqI/AAAAAAAAAWQ/22pCg0blnIg/s1600/georgetown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-E3hlj-cRkoI/VLg1DvBdmqI/AAAAAAAAAWQ/22pCg0blnIg/s1600/georgetown.jpg" height="215" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from Georgetown</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Georgetown culture in the Bahamas was built around activities and
social events for this slice of America.
There was basket-weaving, special church for cruisers, women’s groups,
volleyball tournaments, potlucks on the beach, etc. Georgetown is the unofficial “end” of this
culture as it is more challenging to reach farther south. I enjoyed it, especially the remote islands,
but I felt the desire to move on.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Turks and Caicos were a little farther East and South
and more challenging to reach by boat.
The numbers of cruisers reaching these islands is just a fraction of the
Bahamas. Here we met only a handful of
other cruisers, mostly stopping by as they head farther south. The Islands however are popular with the
jet-set vacationers and has an abundance of lavish hotels, condominiums, and
villas. Again, very beautiful and
interesting but the local population was highly influenced by tourism and all
that goes along with it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Foky8usvQjA/VLgymcVuvJI/AAAAAAAAAVw/6co8JiuF2vg/s1600/Hillsides%2Bof%2BDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Foky8usvQjA/VLgymcVuvJI/AAAAAAAAAVw/6co8JiuF2vg/s1600/Hillsides%2Bof%2BDR.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hillsides of Dominican Republic from the ground.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1F1PLSIB2j8/VLgynqa-5yI/AAAAAAAAAVc/SoVX45oIZKE/s1600/Setting%2Bnets%2Bin%2BLuperon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1F1PLSIB2j8/VLgynqa-5yI/AAAAAAAAAVc/SoVX45oIZKE/s1600/Setting%2Bnets%2Bin%2BLuperon.jpg" height="211" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Setting nets in Luperon</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ayJwe8YTw54/VLgymAQmITI/AAAAAAAAAU4/1iALPPiaciQ/s1600/A%2Bkitchen%2Bsink.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ayJwe8YTw54/VLgymAQmITI/AAAAAAAAAU4/1iALPPiaciQ/s1600/A%2Bkitchen%2Bsink.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kitchen Sink</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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As I sit now in Luperon, Dominican Republic, I realize I
don’t yet want to leave yet. What a
splendidly beautiful country and peoples! Luperon is kind of a back water town, it is a small and simple harbor
that was cut out of the mangroves and is home to maybe 40 boats. Most arrived years ago, and the captains and
crew just decided to stay. The town is
isolated to a great degree, not participating much in the national tax
structure or services. It creates a flavor
of unofficial-officialness, with clearing-in fees unique to the staff working
that day. The town only gets electricity
service 6 or 7 hours a day I think because they are only an unofficial-official
town. Because it is on the fringe (and
not an easy or desired western destination) it has little in common with the
other Caribbean countries we have visited.
It is such a loving and friendly culture, much the same as it has been
for centuries. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hMjOoqbJRgM/VLgynDvJ3xI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/BmZYWon1Os4/s1600/My%2Bbest%2Bamigo%2Band%2Bplaymate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hMjOoqbJRgM/VLgynDvJ3xI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/BmZYWon1Os4/s1600/My%2Bbest%2Bamigo%2Band%2Bplaymate.jpg" height="320" width="209" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Best friend</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2AX2WWU6Py0/VLgyl3LyQlI/AAAAAAAAAU0/N5CLBwl6y0Q/s1600/Christ%2Bstatue%2Boverlooking%2BPuerto%2BPlata.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2AX2WWU6Py0/VLgyl3LyQlI/AAAAAAAAAU0/N5CLBwl6y0Q/s1600/Christ%2Bstatue%2Boverlooking%2BPuerto%2BPlata.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christ statue overlooking Puerto Plata</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
The doors of the small
homes on the streets are always open and at night the warm glow coming from
inside just feels so inviting and comfortable.
The families are close, with the children playing in the streets,
parents and grandparents in chairs on the steps. Everybody smiles, looks you in the eye,
touches you, laughs with you. The love
and kindness of these peoples was amazing. The children are so happy, even the dogs and
wild animals are healthy and well cared for.
No bars on the windows, no police.
Most of the local people were born here and have never left. Many of those that came by boat never left
either. I understand why. I will always remember and hold the Dominican
peoples in great regard. They have set
the cultural bar high for integrity, love, kindness, generosity. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
As I wrote those descriptive words I
reflected on Paul’s words in Colossians
3;12 “Therefore as Gods chosen people, holy and dearly loved, cloth yourselves
with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” They get it. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zyFAtNsoC6c/VLgyl_unIaI/AAAAAAAAAU8/kMmlFHoGVXg/s1600/Amigo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zyFAtNsoC6c/VLgyl_unIaI/AAAAAAAAAU8/kMmlFHoGVXg/s1600/Amigo.jpg" height="200" width="173" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amigo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
We must continue to press on, however. To stay on schedule we depart today or
tomorrow for the San Blas Islands off Panama. Hope to someday return and visit
the families and friends we have met here.</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Pb2OW6DZDZ8/VLgynQ8XxWI/AAAAAAAAAVY/62Qz-A4GqRA/s1600/New%2Bworld%2Btraveling%2Bfriends.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Pb2OW6DZDZ8/VLgynQ8XxWI/AAAAAAAAAVY/62Qz-A4GqRA/s1600/New%2Bworld%2Btraveling%2Bfriends.jpg" height="220" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New world traveling friends</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TlcQtxJZMC0/VLgymhmPaWI/AAAAAAAAAVA/WixTq7S816o/s1600/Jesucristo%2Bes%2Bmi%2Bamigo!.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TlcQtxJZMC0/VLgymhmPaWI/AAAAAAAAAVA/WixTq7S816o/s1600/Jesucristo%2Bes%2Bmi%2Bamigo!.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jesucristo es mi amigo! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<h4 style="background-color: #888888; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px; margin: 0px; position: relative; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">The Sea Angel is sailing to the South Pacific for a cause- Sea Mercy is a benevolent program developed for disaster and critical care needs for remote islanders. Sea Mercy is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) charity with a simple vision and mission to "stand in the gap" with a service delivery vessel, trained health care volunteers, support equipment, and critical care services as island nations develop their "outer island" health care infrastructure, when critical health care need opportunities are present, or when disasters occur. Read more about</span><span style="color: #cccccc;"> </span><a href="http://seamercy.org/node/155" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Sea Mercy's 2014 Impact.</span></a></span></span></i></span></h4>
<h4 style="background-color: #888888; color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.48px; margin: 0px; position: relative; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: medium;"> </span></span></i></span></h4>
<h4 style="background-color: #888888; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.48px; margin: 0px; position: relative; text-align: left;">
<i style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">If Sea Angel's journey resonates with you, we welcome you to consider donating on our behalf to Sea Mercy - there are several </span><a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/51" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">ways to get involved.</span></a><a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/51" style="color: #cc6600; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"> </a><span style="color: #134f5c;">They especially always need enthusiastic volunteers. If you are in the medical profession, consider committing to a rotation in the South Pacific!</span></span></span></i></h4>
<h4 style="background-color: #888888; color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.48px; margin: 0px; position: relative; text-align: left;">
<i style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/51" style="color: #cc6600; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: medium;"> </span></a></span></i></h4>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<i style="background-color: #888888; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.48px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">Sea Mercy's Corporate "We Care" Program is designed to help organizations attract and engage clients, vendors, and employees in the spirit of social responsibility and provide a wonderfully enriching partnership. There are several ways to participate with "We Care". Visit Sea Mercy's </span><a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/154" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">website</span></a><span style="color: #cccccc;"> </span><span style="color: #134f5c;">for additional information. If you know of an organization or would like to involve yours, please share this information forward. The more we sail, the more we understand how important it is to foster these types of relationships in everything we do. </span><a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/80" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Our journey</span></a><span style="color: #cccccc;"> </span><span style="color: #134f5c;">still has a long way to go, and we thank you for being here with us. </span></span></span></i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682456633580394021.post-26972275710263194372015-01-09T12:07:00.001-05:002015-01-09T12:07:32.644-05:00Progress<div style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">"Life is not a destination, it’s a journey. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">We all come upon unexpected curves and turning points, mountaintops and valleys. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Everything that happens to us shapes who we are becoming. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And in the adventure of each day, we discover the best in ourselves.”</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">-UNKNOWN</span></span></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EutVC4A5sz8/VLAGaGC5CYI/AAAAAAAAAUY/22ZXuE7wr40/s1600/3d-abstract_widewallpaper_message-in-a-bottle_37837.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EutVC4A5sz8/VLAGaGC5CYI/AAAAAAAAAUY/22ZXuE7wr40/s1600/3d-abstract_widewallpaper_message-in-a-bottle_37837.jpg" height="250" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We are just passing "South Rock", the southernmost bit of the Turks and Caicos. This is a milestone on the journey because we start heading more south than east. Since the trade winds blow pretty consistent from the east, we will now be able to sail more comfortably with the wind at our backs so to speak! Well, more realistically, the wind will be moving more behind us than in front of us, but that is an awesome step. Another milestone is the daily offshore email we do for position tracking, and staying in touch, is now easier relayed through the Panama station instead of the one I have been using in South Carolina.<br /><br />We are all pretty excited to be heading to the Dominican Republic. It looks like a very neat place to explore. The island of Hispaniola is comprised of two countries; to the east is the Dominican Republic, and to the west is Haiti. Hopefully we can explore both countries a little bit before we move on to Panama. Photos to come!<br /><br />I put a "note in a bottle" in the sea today. Wonder where it might be found someday? Thank you for following our travels and keeping us in your prayers!<br /><br />-DL</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #cccccc; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #cccccc; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span>
<h4 style="background-color: #888888; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18.4799995422363px; margin: 0px; position: relative;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: large;">The Sea Angel is sailing to the South Pacific for a cause- Sea Mercy is a benevolent program developed for disaster and critical care needs for remote islanders. Sea Mercy is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) charity with a simple vision and mission to "stand in the gap" with a service delivery vessel, trained health care volunteers, support equipment, and critical care services as island nations develop their "outer island" health care infrastructure, when critical health care need opportunities are present, or when disasters occur. Read more about <a href="http://seamercy.org/node/155" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Sea Mercy's 2014 Impact.</a></span></span></i></span></h4>
<h4 style="background-color: #888888; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18.48px; margin: 0px; position: relative;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: large;"> </span></span></i></span></h4>
<h4 style="background-color: #888888; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18.48px; margin: 0px; position: relative;">
<i style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: large;">If Sea Angel's journey resonates with you, we welcome you to consider donating on our behalf to Sea Mercy - there are several <a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/51" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">ways to get involved.</a><a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/51" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"> </a>They especially always need enthusiastic volunteers. If you are in the medical profession, consider committing to a rotation in the South Pacific!</span></span></i></h4>
<h4 style="background-color: #888888; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18.48px; margin: 0px; position: relative;">
<i style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/51" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: large;"> </span></a></span></i></h4>
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: #888888; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"></span><span style="background-color: #888888; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"></span><br style="background-color: #888888; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;" /></span>
<h4 style="background-color: #888888; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18.48px; margin: 0px; position: relative;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: large;">Sea Mercy's Corporate "We Care" Program is designed to help organizations attract and engage clients, vendors, and employees in the spirit of social responsibility and provide a wonderfully enriching partnership. There are several ways to participate with "We Care". Visit Sea Mercy's <a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/154" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">website</a> for additional information. If you know of an organization or would like to involve yours, please share this information forward. The more we sail, the more we understand how important it is to foster these types of relationships in everything we do. <a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/80" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Our journey</a> still has a long way to go, and we thank you for being here with us. </span></span></i></span></h4>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0Dominican Republic18.735693 -70.16265099999998314.887923500000001 -75.32622499999998 22.583462500000003 -64.999076999999986tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682456633580394021.post-41222639022218112552014-12-30T09:33:00.003-05:002014-12-30T09:34:48.254-05:00Life is Like Sailing<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">“Hark, now hear the sailors cry, </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">smell the sea, and feel the sky </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">let your soul & spirit fly, into the mystic...”</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">― Van Morrison</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-itIvb0fgSlc/VKKwAfM8_yI/AAAAAAAAAUA/z9DP_7ZhP3c/s1600/Who%2Bleft%2Bthe%2Bhatch%2Bopen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-itIvb0fgSlc/VKKwAfM8_yI/AAAAAAAAAUA/z9DP_7ZhP3c/s1600/Who%2Bleft%2Bthe%2Bhatch%2Bopen.jpg" height="267" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wild seas tear the hatch open while crossing from Bahamas to Turks and Caicos</td></tr>
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<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">Life is like sailing. </span></h3>
I am writing this blog as we make our way from the Bahamas to the <a href="http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/caribb/tc.htm" target="_blank">Turks and Caicos</a>. This leg of the journey, about 300 nautical miles, has been difficult. The trade winds out of the east have been robust and the sea swell has been relatively large, and we had to make our way into both. We took seas over the bow that rolled into the cockpit, none of us could stand up without being tossed, the wind howled, a couple hatches were opened and bucketful’s of green sea water drenched bedding and galley, and we sailed through two days and two nights, with nights being hardest because you could not see what was coming next. On board Sea Angel are seven; Weston my first mate, close friends from California with their son, my son Colton and his girlfriend. Early in the passage a few of us discussed how we like this sailing stuff and there was a consensus that some only desire “fair weather” sailing. It was posed as a question to me, as if I was an anomaly, if I liked the difficult conditions. It got me thinking. Most on board are fair weather sailors. <i>Myself, I am a sailor and I know there are days that are perfect but there are days that are not; there are certainly days that challenge me.</i> As a sailor on a long journey I have to accept it all. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5WEZsCwpH4M/VKKv_ksLZdI/AAAAAAAAATg/gVlPbtXZlv4/s1600/Sunrise%2Bon%2Blife.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5WEZsCwpH4M/VKKv_ksLZdI/AAAAAAAAATg/gVlPbtXZlv4/s1600/Sunrise%2Bon%2Blife.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Sea Angel fights through choppy waters</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YN_jL0FDwF8/VKKwAFLocDI/AAAAAAAAATo/VVnG1kdTI24/s1600/This%2Bsucks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YN_jL0FDwF8/VKKwAFLocDI/AAAAAAAAATo/VVnG1kdTI24/s1600/This%2Bsucks.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Water on the Deck!!! "Quit that!" </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>Sailing is like life. We start somewhere and we finish somewhere and along the way there are periods of beautiful calm but there are the storms too. </b>If we consciously choose to reach a destination, be it a position on the globe, or the place we challenge our hearts to be when we “finish”, then we have to accept and yes, even be thankful, for all the parts of the journey, even the uncomfortable. Each turn of the rudder, shift in wind, condition, event, or relationship along the way when put it together form our unique path from our beginning to our end. So do I like sailing in crazy uncomfortable conditions? No, not particularly. To me, sailing is a journey between cultures and people. It is ultimately about human relationships. Reaching new places and people. Sometimes it is beautiful, sometimes painful, and sometimes difficult. Sailing and life are a lot alike. I personally love all of it.<br />
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<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uiQz6e9GIww/VKKwAfcLPhI/AAAAAAAAATs/gwNTT78xlrE/s1600/quit%2Bit%2Bplease.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uiQz6e9GIww/VKKwAfcLPhI/AAAAAAAAATs/gwNTT78xlrE/s1600/quit%2Bit%2Bplease.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunrise brings an end to the uncertainty of wild seas.. for now.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9j3c5fGsm9o/VKKv_gIH7pI/AAAAAAAAATc/cUfbm46s9X8/s1600/Comfortable%2Blife.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9j3c5fGsm9o/VKKv_gIH7pI/AAAAAAAAATc/cUfbm46s9X8/s1600/Comfortable%2Blife.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The comfortable life of Turks and Caicos</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IswbN8dM1mU/VKKv_smeaNI/AAAAAAAAATk/pvjXMIN2xSo/s1600/Life%2Bblessings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IswbN8dM1mU/VKKv_smeaNI/AAAAAAAAATk/pvjXMIN2xSo/s1600/Life%2Bblessings.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Life's little blessings, smooth sailing and happy. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<h4 style="background-color: #888888; color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px; margin: 0px; position: relative;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Sea Angel is sailing to the South Pacific for a cause- Sea Mercy is a benevolent program developed for disaster and critical care needs for remote islanders. Sea Mercy is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) charity with a simple vision and mission to "stand in the gap" with a service delivery vessel, trained health care volunteers, support equipment, and critical care services as island nations develop their "outer island" health care infrastructure, when critical health care need opportunities are present, or when disasters occur. Read more about <a href="http://seamercy.org/node/155" target="_blank">Sea Mercy's 2014 Impact.</a></span></i></span></span></h4>
<h4 style="background-color: #888888; color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.48px; margin: 0px; position: relative;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></i></span></span></h4>
<h4 style="background-color: #888888; color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.48px; margin: 0px; position: relative;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><i style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If Sea Angel's journey resonates with you, we welcome you to consider donating on our behalf to Sea Mercy - there are several <a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/51" target="_blank">ways to get involved. </a></span></i></span></h4>
<h4 style="background-color: #888888; color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.48px; margin: 0px; position: relative;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><i style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/51" target="_blank"> </a></span></i></span></h4>
<span style="background-color: #888888; color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"></span><span style="background-color: #888888; color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<h4 style="background-color: #888888; color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.48px; margin: 0px; position: relative;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sea Mercy's Corporate "We Care" Program is designed to help organizations attract and engage clients, vendors, and employees in the spirit of social responsibility and provide a wonderfully enriching partnership. There are several ways to participate with "We Care". Visit Sea Mercy's <a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/154" target="_blank">website</a> for additional information. If you know of an organization or would like to involve yours, please share this information forward. The more we sail, the more we understand how important it is to foster these types of relationships in everything we do. <a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/80" target="_blank">Our journey</a> still has a long way to go, and we thank you for being here with us. </span></i></span></span></h4>
<br />
<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682456633580394021.post-15820855815264516182014-12-15T06:01:00.000-05:002014-12-15T06:01:01.986-05:00St. Matthew’s Anglican Church, Nassau<div style="text-align: center;">
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">“Believe. No pessimist ever discovered the secrets of the stars, or
sailed to an uncharted island, or opened a new heaven to the human
spirit.”
<br /> ―
Helen Keller</span></span></h3>
</div>
<br /><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_yqj5dJu4Ms/VI4vz8GYG1I/AAAAAAAAAS4/aw0BxkBjTrc/s1600/untitled-592.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_yqj5dJu4Ms/VI4vz8GYG1I/AAAAAAAAAS4/aw0BxkBjTrc/s1600/untitled-592.jpg" height="640" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Approaching St. Matthew’s Anglican Church, Nassau</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><br />
Sunday, December 14, 2014<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--P65zHH3mJ8/VI4vzd5xeWI/AAAAAAAAASw/oRuT9bAHtgc/s1600/untitled-590.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--P65zHH3mJ8/VI4vzd5xeWI/AAAAAAAAASw/oRuT9bAHtgc/s1600/untitled-590.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> St. Matthew’s Anglican Church, Nassau</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;">The
crew of Sea Angel attended St. Matthew’s Anglican Church in Nassau. It
is the country's (Bahamas) oldest church edifice, dating back to 1802.
It sits solemn in the middle of a very old and very unattended
cemetery. The old and weathered exterior is in distinct contrast to the
beautiful and alive inside. We enjoyed two special moments. The first
was a long pause mid-service to exchange blessings, and when the
congregation took special time to greet us as guests to their church. <br /><br />But the most powerful and moving was the “singing” of the Lord’s Prayer. The entire congregation held hands and we all sang from the depths of our hearts. To me, it emphasized a discussion I had the previous day about the power of prayer when two or more joined together. It was a very beautiful continuation and connection delivered by God. Later in the afternoon I returned to the church to photograph it in the evening sun for the blog, and was then blessed to meet Gerald. </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2xgqC8hxwwY/VI4vzc9_1qI/AAAAAAAAAS0/irGkKXS00_I/s1600/untitled-579.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2xgqC8hxwwY/VI4vzc9_1qI/AAAAAAAAAS0/irGkKXS00_I/s1600/untitled-579.jpg" height="320" width="283" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Gerald is a man who lost his wife last year. He stood alone over a grave with a tombstone that gives only the names of his wife’s mother, her grandmother, yet even though his wife rests there now too, the stone does not honor his beautiful wife Bren Hilda. He knew she was there and that may be all that really matters. He is 59 and he knew her since he was 6, was married to her for 22 years, was deeply in love with her, and returns each week to her grave for strength to go on. We spoke of the true value in life being relationships, being love. We spoke of his children and their not yet realizing it is love and relationships that make life a beautiful thing. We spoke of life as a journey and we each arrive to that realization at our own time, when we are ready. I respected Gerald’s love, his faith, and his wisdom.<br /><br />The real rhythm of this journey is beginning. It is about people, connection, and Love. Thank you Gerald for your reminding us of that. Tomorrow we start moving south again, down the Exumas and to Georgetown, God willing, by Monday the 22nd. <br /><br />dl</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<h4 style="background-color: #888888; color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px; margin: 0px; position: relative;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The
Sea Angel is sailing for a cause. Sea Mercy is a benevolent program
developed for disaster and critical care needs for remote islanders. Sea
Mercy is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) charity with a simple vision and
mission to "stand in the gap" with a service delivery vessel, trained
health care volunteers, support equipment, and critical care services as
island nations develop their "outer island" health care infrastructure,
when critical health care need opportunities are present, or when
disasters occur. </span></i></span></span></h4>
<h4 style="background-color: #888888; color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial,Tahoma,Helvetica,FreeSans,sans-serif; line-height: 18.48px; margin: 0px; position: relative;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></i></span></span></h4>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h4 style="background-color: #888888; color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial,Tahoma,Helvetica,FreeSans,sans-serif; line-height: 18.48px; margin: 0px; position: relative;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If Sea Angel's journey resonates with you, we welcome you to consider donating on our behalf to Sea Mercy - there are several <a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/51" style="color: #cc6600; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">ways to get involved. </a></span></i></span></h4>
<h4 style="background-color: #888888; color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial,Tahoma,Helvetica,FreeSans,sans-serif; line-height: 18.48px; margin: 0px; position: relative;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></i></span></h4>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><h4 style="background-color: #888888; color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial,Tahoma,Helvetica,FreeSans,sans-serif; line-height: 18.48px; margin: 0px; position: relative;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sea
Mercy's Corporate "We Care" Program is designed to help organizations
attract and engage clients, vendors, and employees in the spirit of
social responsibility and provide a wonderfully enriching partnership.
There are several ways to participate with "We Care". Visit Sea Mercy's <a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/154" style="color: #cc6600; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">website</a> for
additional information. If you know of an organization or would like to
involve yours, please share this information forward. The more we sail, the more we understand how important it is to foster these types of relationships in everything we do.</span></i></span></span></h4>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682456633580394021.post-25326902656825388302014-12-09T08:45:00.000-05:002014-12-09T08:45:00.714-05:00Hello from the Exumas! <div style="text-align: center;">
WEEKEND SEA ANGEL UPDATE FROM CAPTAIN DAVID LAWN </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pmbDyiFVpWk/VIZgVeb7G6I/AAAAAAAAASY/HS9rWyuYRd4/s1600/exumas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pmbDyiFVpWk/VIZgVeb7G6I/AAAAAAAAASY/HS9rWyuYRd4/s1600/exumas.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The dingy riding the weather out in Nassau, Bahamas</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Captain Dave was able to get a message out on Saturday to update us on the boat's travels:<br />
<br />
<h4>
Hello everyone! The wind has finally moderated and the forecast into the upcoming week is for modest winds out of the north and east. Yesterday we had a few squalls, rain, and winds gusting mid and upper 20s. We spent the night on the hook at Rose Island outside Nassau. </h4>
<h4>
Today, Saturday is the first day we have seen in a long time with moderate wind, beautiful and pleasant. The wind is 14k out of the NE and we are on a beam reach sailing 7 knots, plus on our way to Norman Cay in the Exumas. What a great day to be sailing! The boat and crew are all doing well. We expect to stay for a while in the North Exumas until we have to return to Nassau for flight connections with visiting friends and passengers. Updates again soon, thanks for your love and support on our journey! </h4>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qNoXfcQBP4g/VIZgVWVFgoI/AAAAAAAAASU/9rUF3gda2SQ/s1600/exumas2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qNoXfcQBP4g/VIZgVWVFgoI/AAAAAAAAASU/9rUF3gda2SQ/s1600/exumas2.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Perfect sailing weather as Sea Angel heads out to explore the Exumas! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<h4 style="background-color: #888888; color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px; margin: 0px; position: relative;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">The Sea Angel is sailing for a cause. Sea Mercy is a benevolent program developed for disaster and critical care needs for remote islanders. Sea Mercy is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) charity with a simple vision and mission to "stand in the gap" with a service delivery vessel, trained health care volunteers, support equipment, and critical care services as island nations develop their "outer island" health care infrastructure, when critical health care need opportunities are present, or when disasters occur. </span></i></span></h4>
<h4 style="background-color: #888888; color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px; margin: 0px; position: relative;">
<i style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">If Sea Angel's journey is valuable to you, we welcome you to consider donating on our behalf to Sea Mercy - they have several <a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/51" style="color: #cc6600; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">ways to get involved </a>and are so grateful for your support. </span></i></h4>
<div style="background-color: #888888; color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></div>
<h4 style="background-color: #888888; color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px; margin: 0px; position: relative;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Sea Mercy's Corporate "We Care" Program is designed to help organizations attract and engage clients, vendors, and employees in the spirit of social responsibility and provide a wonderfully enriching partnership. There are several ways to participate with "We Care". Visit Sea Mercy's <a href="http://www.seamercy.org/node/154" style="color: #cc6600; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">website</a> for additional information. If you know of an organization or would like to involve yours, please share this information forward. </span></i></span></h4>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0Norman's Cay, The Bahamas24.6118035 -76.81587179999996824.5540625 -76.896552799999967 24.6695445 -76.73519079999997