I solo my first international crossing, into Mexico.
About Those Hallucinations…
Sailors who’ve crossed oceans solo have reported—both in books and in personal conversations—the prevalence of auditory hallucinations. In particular, hearing voices.
Dock Lines CUT! ✨24
Finally, after five long years of planning and preparation, the journey begins!
Top Ten Things Learned On My First Solo Ocean Crossing
AirBuddy Dive System Review: Fun but Fragile
The AirBuddy was great fun… while it worked. Unfortunately, mine died after about half a dozen dives or so. What happened?
Solo Sail Mexico to Marquesas: One Second of Each Day
36 days crossing the Pacific solo from La Paz, Mexico to Nuku Hiva, French Polynesia—compressed into one second from each day.
Package Held Hostage!
I don’t like to post disparaging content, but in this case it may save a fellow cruiser from grief.
The Swiss Cheese Model 🧀
I recently learned of the “Swiss cheese model” put forth by James T. Reason. The idea is that there’s a number of steps between events and an undesirable outcome… multiple opportunities or defenses to avoid a poor outcome, in other words.
Abandon Ship! ✨23
…practice! We launch a life raft to learn what to expect if we need to abandon ship.
How to Get Worldwide Satellite Wind Observations (ASCAT) via Email
While cruising in Mexico, I have access to forecasts of various weather models through PredictWind and an Iridium GO. I can also obtain NOAA synoptic charts for the region. However, on a couple notable occasions, the forecasts—even when just hours ahead—differed significantly from real conditions.