Its Dec 6 2007 I am just returning to the yacht in Auckland New Zealand after a month long flight around the world. My travels originated in Auckland New Zealand and would take me to Thailand, Malaysia, Italy, Amsterdam, Michigan, Florida and California.
In Thailand I began my humbling learning curve with kite boarding. Based in Phuket, I ventured into the water daily to forcefully get drug around through the murky water by an enormous untamed kite. I have a saying on the boat regarding being in control while driving "is the dog wagging the tail, or the tail wagging the dog...? Well this saying went through my mind like a broken mantra record for the first several days. By the fourth day I was getting up on the board and able to stay sailing for 10 minutes at a time. I have a long way to go with this sport.... but what an amazing adrenaline thrill when you get it dialed in and are flying across the water and have moments of literally flying through the air.
On to Milan Italy, actually my first time in Europe. I was here to meet with a yacht designer for a future project. Being my first time to Italy, I was really captivated by the architecture, culture, fashion, food and preserved history of the area not to mention meeting and working with a legend in yacht design.
From Milan to Amsterdam to attend the 2007 MET'S show. This is the annual international Marine Equipment Trade Show. Acres of booths manned by all of the top marine equipment manufactures. Everything was represented, from generators, to carbon fiber masts to communications and navigations equipment to...if it goes on a yacht it was there. In the three days visiting the show I must have walked 15 miles, learned about many new products and emerging technologies and made numerous valuable contacts for the future.
While in Amsterdam, I drove south about one hour to Medemblik to tour the Jongert yacht building facility. www.jongert.com It was apparent here, why the Jongert name has such a strong pedigree in the sailing yacht builder world.
From Amsterdam I flew through Michigan. I met my good friend Sam (who recently sailed with me 3500 nm from Galapagos to Marquesas) at the Detroit Airport and was the comfortable guest at his home in Toledo Ohio for the next two days. That evening was a highlight of my travels, Sam and his wife Maggie organized a get together of about 50 friends. It was very good to see all of these people and re-connect even if only for a brief evening. Toledo and this group of people are very important to me, these are the people that I learned to sail with, race with and who my passion for this lifestyle originated. Many, many, many very good memories...many warmly relived this night.
The next morning was Thanksgiving, I joined my friends Dick and Steven, Jim and Norm and Scott for the "Turkey Day Sail" at North Cape Yacht Club in Lasalle Michigan. This is where I did a great deal of sailing and lived right down the break wall from the yacht club. This was a special sail and day for me as my Dad (who passed away 13 years ago) founded the event about 22 years ago. The tradition lives on, a few hearty-die hard sailors keep their boats in the water after all others have pulled out for the season, anticipating the winter freeze. Come Thanksgiving morning they all rendezvous, suit up in warm weather gear, sip warming beverages and venture out on to Lake Erie. This Turkey Sail, I sail on Norms boat - Norm and Jim where locally know back in my racing days at NCYC for their "post race debriefs" that ceremonially began with the ringing of the ships bell inside their boat. True to Turkey Day Sail form we sailed in snow flurries and about 25 knots of breeze - I was about as far from the warm South Pacific breezes that I had just spent the last 6 months sailing in as I could be - but I was very warm inside being around my friends and sailing where I grew up.
From Michigan to Ft Lauderdale Florida for one more class for my MCA Class IV Captains License. The highlight of my Florida trip was reuniting with my good friends Dan and Pat who traveled to Ft Lauderdale to meet up.
From Florida to California for time with my Son Alex and my Family. Short but very nice....
Back to Auckland and completion of flying around the workd - now time to get back to the business of sailing around the world.
Through out all of my travel over this month the tough trade off with my lifestyle realy hit home...Its hard to be away from family and friends for long extended times.
