The deck is being sanded down and prepped for a new coat of non skid. Down below Nacho has his workers cutting out the delaminated fiberglass. Allen Blunt, the rigger, examined the rig and said that it looked to be in very good condition and that there isn't much that needs to be done to it.
Everyone working on Wild Eyes understands that we have a lot to do in order for me to get out this year, a
nd while things are slightly hectic, they are all working hard and are great to have around.
nd while things are slightly hectic, they are all working hard and are great to have around. Kristy Morrell has been great. She has been putting together a menu of what I will eat for my trip, I will be eating mostly dehydrated foods sponsored by Mountain House. Kristy has talked with Dawn Riley to get a few ideas of things other than dehydrated foods to eat.
My departure date hasn't been set yet. There is too much that needs to be done and I will be leaving as soon as we are both ready, not a moment sooner or later. I will announce the departure date as soon as I know when it is.
~♥A♥~
ps. I'll bring a camera with me tomorrow and make sure to get some good pictures of everything!
Hi Abby,
ReplyDeleteGREAT article in L.A. Times Sports section today (Monday, 12/14). Huge front page and huge interior page! Nice photos of you and Wild Eyes and we learned some new things about the trip. BUT.....what surprised me the most is that your mom is expecting!!! Wow---#8. That is SO exciting. Congratulations, Marianne and Laurence!! This baby will definitely have to go with the flow!
Abby, I'll be anxious to see your photos of the work being done on Wild Eyes. I can "hear" the excitement in your voice when you talk about her and the upcoming voyage. Can't wait to start following it!
As always, stay safe while getting the work done and have fun.
--Sue McGah
Laguna Niguel, CA
Hi Abby, with the days running out for this year you definitely have a full on support team trying to get you ready. Reading a Google alert today the skeptics are saying that they have no problem with yours or to quote the Sunderland sailing ability, but your age is giving them concern. My personal opinion, you go for it Abby, at 15yrs I was racing VJ's across Sydney harbour on a Saturday afternoon, with ferries, every other class of yacht up to offshore going for it, and it was more dangerous than sailing solo around the world, and nobody gave a thought to our age, we did it because that is what we loved and chose to do, the same as you are, it is your dream, and with your family fully in support of your skills and knowledge. 16yr persons are doing adventure and traveling all over the world, it's called "LIFE" you enjoy while you can.
ReplyDeleteBrian
Hervey Bay.Queensland AU
12-15-09 @09:42
ReplyDeleteHi Abby,
Thanks for the "Progress" report. Looks like everyone is very busy. I hope you can get everything done before your deadline. Not many days left, but if you have enough people working then it's possible to finish. (If their not tripping over each other).
I think you should be careful and not overwork yourself and make yourself sick, it happens. I know that you're excited and anxious to get on the water, but please use caution (how many times have you heard that). I'm your 74 year old worrier. LOL...
I tell Jessica the same thing, you girls worry me to death. LOL.....
Take good care of yourself and I’m looking forward to those pictures.
Good luck to you Abby, and may God bless and guide you.
Looking forward to your next blog.
Michael(74)from Kingwood, WV
P.S. I think I made a mistake on an earlier post. Do you have a dog named Spot or should I get new glasses? My apologies on that.
Abby,
ReplyDeleteTake your time and do not feel pushed. You have to have your equipment working well so this will not give you problems. Take your time. However we all want you to get going. I can not wait for the pictures. Please take along something special to eat when you are 30 days out and nothing is going well. A can of tomato soup works well. Keep the up dates coming.
Bill
Minneapolis
Go Abby!!
ReplyDeleteSounds like more work, work, work! Wow, with others your age mostly just glad for the Christmas break to goof around a bit, you're hard at work with a skillful team, preparing to embark on an amazing, risky adventure around the globe! Keep up the hard work, keep up giving us updates (will definitely love some pics), and best wishes to you & your team to get it all done as perfect as can be before the end of the year! Take good care... Peace, Your Oklahoma Well-Wisher
ReplyDeleteStarting to sound really exciting and really busy getting prepared. At least you will get to spend Christmas at home! Remember you promised to do a solo trial cruise before departing. You may have things to fix after doing this so I am guessing you won't make it until the end of December or first of January. Abby, I am a little worried because in an early post you said this boat would be twice as much work to single hand. Kind of scary if you go to the southern ocean. But I know you and your dad will know whats best for you so all we can do is give you our support and prayers.
ReplyDeleteHi Abby,
ReplyDeleteconcerning food choices. I remember from following the German Beluga Racer through the Protimao Global Ocean race. That they added regular pasta to their menu as they liked that better than the freeze dried stuff.
Good luck, RK
PS: The Beluga Racer won their round the world race and it was an Open40, too, though double-handed.
ReplyDeleteWay to go Abby! It's so exciting to see all your progress! We miss you horribly, but we're so excited that you are going to sail around the world! :D
ReplyDeleteMiss ya! and yes, TAKE PICTURES! LOL!
Chrissy <><
I agree with Tuesdays LA Times article by TJ Simers. You are only 16. Proceed with this "Adventure" after you have had the opportunity to experience real life.
ReplyDeleteBalmoral Sailor, Laguna Beach, CA
P.S. I did follow Zac,s voyage from beginning to conclusion.
Coming back to the Cape and the weather window. If you do miss it this time round and if sailing East to West is a non-starter for this type of boat, is there any particular reason that you cannot bypass --- for now --- the Cape and not start in the Atlantic? Sail down to Panama when everything is ready, cross the canala, and officially start your attempt from a port on the Atlantic side? Sail down to the Southern Ocean then all the way East until arriving to catch next years weather window and around Cape Horn and back up to your starting point at whatever port in the Atlantic. Would sure beat waiting an entire year to get going and would kill two birds with one stone if having to be forced to drop Cape Horn entirely this year and make it a stops and assists run through the canal. Just do the canal but officially start once through it. :-)
ReplyDeleteGawd..here we go again..The House of Pessimists.
ReplyDeleteCan you just imagine all the poor chidren growing up in The House of Pessimists. Wear a diaper till you are 12 (just to be safe), a bicycle only when you turn 16 (just to be safe), an Xbox when you are 21 (just to be safe), a motor car when you are 25 (just to be safe)..blah blah blah...don't get married and have children (just to be safe) so that you needn't have to worry like I do.
:-)))
12-15-09 @17:29
ReplyDeleteHi Abby,
Just finished reading the new posts. Congratulations to Marianne and Laurence, I hope everything goes well for you both. Another sailor in the family. Can we call you "Big Sis",now????
Hey, there's a name for your boat. LOL........
I also read the LA Times article, which was great until I got to the end where all the naysayer’s/doubters enter their comments. People can be so narrow-minded, they see a figure(13-14-15)and don't take the time to find out what the individual is like. Personality, qualifications and experience play a big roll in an individual.
Abby, you've got them all and then some.
Well Abby, I have to go fix dinner since that dang maid didn't show up again. Yeah right. LOL.....
You take care of yourself and don't work to hard.
Looking forward to your next blog and those pictures.
Good luck to you Abby, and may God bless and guide you.
Michael(74)from Kingwood, WV
Abby, As for a different food other than dehydrated foods look into Brinkman's Turkey Farm in Sandusky Ohio. They have the BEST canned meats one can find. Kitty and I had a lot of Brinkmans Farm canned meats on board duirng our circumnavigation and they were great. They are just big chinks of meat (all kinds) with no sauces. look them up on thre internet. Good luck and we are are pulling for you. BTW I raced against Wild Eyes in the Bermuda 1-2 when Michael Millard was the owner captain. You have a great boat for the trip.
ReplyDeletePlease keep this blog up from the trip. I intend to follow your adventures. My dream is to one day circumnavigate myself (though perhaps with a crew!). I commend you on your courage.
ReplyDeleteTry tinned fruit, pasta, chocolate and whatever you like, that can be stored for long time. Jessica Watson like chocolate and tinned fruit. You need something to make it fun. No one is a machine, everyone needs tasty and delicious food at least sometimes. Don't worry about the weight of the food. Dehydrated food has the advantage to save weight during mountain walks, but don't worry about that. Good luck! /Bengt I Larsson, Sweden
ReplyDeleteI'm a little amused that an anonymous poster above thinks you should wait to do this after you've experienced "real life" - I wonder what he/she thinks sailing around the world is!
ReplyDeleteA couple years ago, as my mother's Alzheimer's was getting worse and her mobility was also increasingly impaired, she told me that she'd always wanted to visit the Grand Canyon but that she figured she'd never get to see it now. I will never forget those words. She was 70 at the time - she could have walked to the Grand Canyon dozens of times in all those years, but it had always been "maybe next year." We don't know what happens tomorrow and sometimes 'next year' becomes the year after next again and again. Life is lived by living it - and I continue to cheer you on your journey. I have my own planned for 2011, on a more leisurely schedule, from MDR to the Galapagos then Peru to hike Machu Picchu, and on out to Rapa Nui. I'm a little more than twice your age and I get the very same criticisms you do. If you waited to do this in your 30s, the same criticisms would be leveled against you.
Life is an adventure - sailing around the world alone is a fantastic way to start it off.
Glad to see how quickly things are moving along getting Wild Eyes ready. Your parents are raising amazing young adults.
Hello Abby, good luck to you on your voyage. I have a question for you: Were you inspired to do this by reading the book "Maiden Voyage"? I have read it several times over the years (I'm 61 now), and I am constantly amazed at the courage it took Tania Aebi to do this at age 18. Now, with that same courage, you have taken up the challenge at age 16. Simply amazing! Please keep your blog updated, so that we may all follow your adventures. Also, please be sure write a book when you are finished...so that the rest of us can sail the World vicariously through you as we read it again & again. Stay safe, sail well, and "May all the seas you travel bring you safely home!".
ReplyDeleteLarry in San Diego
Thanks for the "Progress" report.
ReplyDeleteHow those pictures from two days ago coming along?
ReplyDelete12-17-09 @15:40
ReplyDeleteHi Abby,
Just wanted to check in with you to see if everything is OK. Haven't heard from you for a while, I'm sure you're busy. I know you're going through a hell of a lot of work, getting her ready. Just take care of yourself and don't get overworked. Wish you all the best, take care, and I'll keep you in my prayers.
Good luck to you Abby, and may God bless and guide you.
Michael(74)from Kingwood, WV
Hi, Abby, I followed Zac's trip after Darwin, and have become hooked on following you kids. I'm keeping up with Jessica's journey and am amazed at how people from all over the world are following you all. I have no sailing experience, and would be terrified if I couldn't see land. I was probably one of the many who thought Jessica should have stayed home and learnt to knit socs. Now i'm getting to know her and are 200% behind her, as I will be when you set off.May the Lord go with you, Abby.Bev Darwin NT Australia
ReplyDeleteWill there be a web site where I can see your track as you circumnavigate the globe?
ReplyDeletePeace and blessing and may the Lord be with you.
Kelly Brown
Will you still be leaving in December?
ReplyDeleteВуди Вудпекер мультфильм / Woody Woodpecker
ReplyDelete