Hello and Good Night
Latest Position: 12/13/08 29 54.430S 31 01.200E - Point Yacht Club, Durban, South Africa
After another harrowing day at sea with ships, currents lightning and no sleep Zac is safely in port. We received one final phone call, "Hi Dad, I'm in and I'm going to bed." He arrived about 4:00am with the help of a group of faithful followers from PYC and especially Phillip Strauss whom our family met while cruising in Mexico 7 years ago. Lots of long stories for sure!
Zac will have a busy day today meeting and greeting and getting settled. For now we will all have a good night's sleep.
Cheerfully,
Marianne
After another harrowing day at sea with ships, currents lightning and no sleep Zac is safely in port. We received one final phone call, "Hi Dad, I'm in and I'm going to bed." He arrived about 4:00am with the help of a group of faithful followers from PYC and especially Phillip Strauss whom our family met while cruising in Mexico 7 years ago. Lots of long stories for sure!
Zac will have a busy day today meeting and greeting and getting settled. For now we will all have a good night's sleep.
Cheerfully,
Marianne
posted by Zac at
9:49 PM
36 Comments:
Early Merry Christmas mom and dad.... nothing like having your young one safe in a harbor for a great Christmas present...
fondly,
Ron & Cheryl Roberts
m/v Lazy Days
ps.... good job Zac!
Land Ho, Zac!
Great news! You made landfall in Africa. A new continent on your journey. Have a good sleep after the difficult sail into Durban and then get good meal. Now that you escaped the Cyclons of the Indian Ocean, you can take you time and start seeing a bit more of the ports and land you visit.
Have a great time.
RK
yes, we will all have a good sleep! especially Zac! Way to to world sailor!!!
jen.
Marianne
Thanks for the update. What a relief to know that Zac is resting safely in bed away from those ligntning storms.
After Zac left Mauritius I remember your post...." Laurence was a bit choked up as he reminded him of the potential weather on this leg" The Sunderland Family can rest peacefully for the next few days
Zac,
Congrats on another successful leg. We will continue to prayer for your safety as we ride along with you on this incredible journey. Enjoy Durban and all it has to offer, it is a beautiful place.
Sherna
Now I'm glad I couldn't sleep so I could get this good news! Well done, Zac!
Zac!!
OK! Get some rest, eat some great food, meet some good people, have some fun, see the sights, work on the boat, and enjoy a little break! We all look forward to hearing about your experiences in Durban.
great Zac! if you have a chance let us know about your arrival... you know, the details that mothers want to know!!! :-) Very proud of you! If you can, solicite help from other yachtsmen/women for cooking ideas.... there are fantastic goodies that are easy to make! just ask the local yacht club for someone's expertise.... just a thought!
Congratulations on crossing the Indian Ocean all by your self!!
Rob from CA
B from BC
Well done Zac!
Happy Christmas and great sailing for the New Year.
All the very best,
Tim Harding
BIEEEENNNNNNNNNNNNNNnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
IJAaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Bien nene!!! vistes que se llega cuando se tiene que llegar... ni antes ni despues,
jajaja
Abrazo GRANDE y descansa tranquilo un par de dias que despuestendras que comenzar preparar tu proxima travesia.
@ MOM/DAD: Thanks for the update
Glen
Buenos Aires
Argentina
Wonderful!
Enjoy Africa and all she has to offer.
Blessings,
Anita
Waterloo, NY
Hooray....wonderful news.
I am sure that you are all exhausted and now you can all relax!
That must be the best feeling for the Sunderland family and also for Zac.I feel your relief.
Zac is such a special person.
Good to hear that you have a long standing friend in Durban...that's made me feel much more confident about Zac's stay.
Greetings to all this Christmas season.
UK friend
Yeaaaaaahhh..
Congratulations to all. I'm sure Zac will sleep like a log (and then some).
Zac, Enjoy your well earn rest and tick off one more ocean!!
"And to all a GOOD night"
YEAH!!! Zac's in port!!!
**Jumps around excitedly**
Can't wait to hear more form Zac,
EmilyAnne
Fayetteville, NC
Just woke up and went straight to my computer for an update..
thank you for the news of Zac's arrival.....big sigh of relief.
Congratulations Zac. Great job. Now take your time and enjoy SA.
I start to feel sorry for the Mike kid. He left and after 10 hours he had to go back cause his autopilot failed AGAIN which caused and unvolontary gybe. I am glad he still has his stick up
Axel
heye@madisoncounty.net
Yea! You made it to a new CONTINENT! Can't say I have ever been there! But now YOU can! WOW! Enjoy EVERYTHING and take it all in...and report back! We might be getting a little spoiled by all the recent communication...but I would still really like pics and video! Too bad we can't taste the food from here...but then I would be asking for that too! Photos and descriptions would be great!
Glad you have an "instant land crew" to help get ya in and through and to someplace where you can eat and lay your head. That is SO AWESOME! THANK YOU FOLKS for taking in 'our boy Zac' and getting him what he needs. It provides much peace for those concerned for him. You may not know it, but you are the hands and feet of Jesus!
Looking forward to your report. Again, ENJOY the land!
LA in MN
Well done Zac
Another continent landfall..and the end of a amazing leg. I am so proud of you, and you have, and continue to inspire me to reach for my dreams.
Happy belated 17th birthday..Now your on land again, take some time to celebrate all you have acheived this year, your 16th year on Earth.
Again, congrats , From Dave in Kamarooka Australia
I have been checking the blog several times a day, looking forward to Zac making port. Very glad he is tied up and can relax. Enjoy. diane
YEA!!! im sporting Zac's shirt today for sure! I save it to wear when he reaches port!
Have a great weekend all!
Laura
Bermuda Dunes Ca
What a harrowing week! My goodness, what a lot of work he's putting in!
Glad he's made it safe and sound and can have some sleepy time!
Dana
Santa Monica
hope he can sleep in - he's a teenager and it IS Saturday morning!
First of all, many thanks to Philip Straus and company for guiding Zac into port at 4AM! That's more than a warm welcome! To think that Zac was just 10 years-old when they last saw one another. Who have thought that they would meet up again under these circumstances. Great stuff!
Looking forward to hearing more after Zac's well deserved super-slumber, binge-eating and media greeting. Life is good and I am grateful for another safe, although harrowing passage! WOO HOO!
Hooray! Another miracle for sure! Congrats zac on your next continent, I bet she's a beauty!
I must say, I've never been there (although I hope to travel to Uganda in April), so you'll have to tell me and everyone else all about it!
Go and get some sleep and a good bite to eat (not mac 'n cheese)! It's great that you made it. May the Lord bless you and yours,
Halle S. in Oregon
What fantastic news! My wishes per my comment of 12/12 has come true.
Everyone can now sleep peacefully for a few days -- on many continents. I can imagine the happy sounds of sleep at Sunderland Base Camp and remote location in Durbanwantsho!
G'night to all,
The Croaker
Land Ho, Captain Zac,
How exciting that you are finally on solid ground in spite of the difficulties these last couple days. It makes me think of the shirt you had been wearing that said, "Do Something Hard." It seems you should now have a shirt that says, "Did Something Hard." You continue to amaze us. You are an awesome sailor. Enjoy your well earned rest.
Sylvia in Cherry Valley
@Axel –
I saw that about Mike, man, very frustrating… I would have ZERO confidence in that AP and would rip then entire system out and start from scratch, different brand, new head, EVERYTING… cRaZy…
You know how I feel about the standing rigging getting a MAX LOAD hit during an accidental jibe, I would not trust any of the rig load points at this point, especially on an O.50, great boats, fantastic boats, but light and temperamental and in some cases somewhat fragile, which with crew isn’t typically an issue… Solo?? That’s another story all together…
I’m sure Mike is ready the throw some tools, I know I would be after all he’s been through…
Zac - Great that you're in port in S.A... I'm sure you'll wake up with a bit of a sleep deprevation hang-over after what you just went through...........
Daveh & Skipper
dave@davehickson.com
Zac,
Your adventures are lessons for all. Many land locked sailrs are viewing your days at sea with marked intrest. I'm one such sailor. Presently a thousand miles from any ocean, I'm in the planning stages of some solo voiges of personal intrest. Locations may change as intrest and weather dictate.
Congrats. on your sucesses so far. I hope all your lessons have prepared you well for your planed dip south to the south Atlantic. We will all be pulling for favorable winds & seas.
The amount of intrest you have generated within the jounior sailing comunity (in our area)is causing an overload in sailing classes. This is good for the sport everywhere.
Keep the spirit and determination afront with all your adventures. We will be with you every step of the way.
Best wishes
Ken
s/v Running Water
I agree with Daveh about Mike's Autopilot -- and about the danger of single-handing such a tempermental boat.
Some weeks ago I posted a comment here saying I'd feel better if he were in a boat like Zac's -- which can be steered by either a wind vane (no power required) or a simple Autohelm type autopilot which could be carried in multiples.
I hate to thik of that kid down in the Southern Ocean, getting tossed into another accidental jibe, which could cost him his mast or worse.
I keep thinking of what a different voyage he could have in a Westsail 32 with old fashioned wind vane and a couple of autopilots tucked away down below. The voyage would be slower, but so very much safer.
Kind of like the difference between doing a road trip in a VW camper bus and a Formula One racing machine. I'd take the VW.
-- Grant Fjermedal, Seattle
Praise God for you safe arrival in Africa!
love,
the Coyle Family
(repost from yesterday w/current update edits added)
Ahh, the smell of land! The anticipation of a warm meal, a HOT shower & a bed that doesn't rock/roll. Funny, that's what I think of pretty much each night during my 1 1/2 hr commute home (okay, a chair in lieu of bed that isn't bouncing, jerking w/each start & stop from ATL traffic). I so agree w/you Capt!
LAND HO! Welcome to the birthland of Humankind.
As to your canned food, I go cheap for lunch at w*rk (it's still the dirtiest 4-letter word in my vocabulary!), try the various store brand Chef-boy-ardee generic products. Yeah, a wee bit high in sodium, but they do hit the spot in a pinch & are great right outta the can.
@ Glen -
Senior, tiene un hermoso alcance de las palabras - en cualquier idioma. Gracias por que muchos puestos reflexivo. HUGS Amigo!
@ Team Sunderland & Capt Zac-
In case I've forgotten recently, thank YOU for all you do & for permitting us to be apart of your journey & lives.
@ ZacPac -
Thx for your posts & being so uplifting w/your words to Capt Zac. Many a night I struggle after my 11-12 hr shifts. Your words help to lighten my heart - THANK YOU for sharing. I pray they also uplift Capt Zac when he has struggles in spirit.
In light of the Season, may we all be able to enjoy the sights, music/sounds and peace of heart.
Capt Zac -
You've so earned this mini-vacation (time on shore). Relax mate - do your 3 Rs (recharge, reprovision, repair). Find a hot bod to give you a hug from we ZacPac'ers!
Warm Fuzzy HUGS!!
Tomi/ATL
PS -
Don't forget to take your anti-malarials!
T.
PSS -
Those of us long-timers already know these next couple weeks will be sparse on updates while you enjoy your time on land. Thx in advance to Team Sunderland for keeping us in the loop.
In case I get sidetracked over the next couple weeks. Happy Yule & Merry Christmas!
T.
Solid effort Zac. Well done Lil Buddy!
Zac,
Great to hear that you finally made land. Hope you have a relaxing visit.
Steve B
Birmingham, AL
Hello Zac,
Well you finally finished another leg, great job. I know you really wanted this one especially being so low on sleep and also food.
Get rest and be ready to meet lots of new people.
Rest Up,
Douglas Pistone
MDR, California
Can you believe you made it all the way to South Africa!??!! That's just incredible!
You'll have a blast there :)
Jess from SC
Right on bro keep it tight , keep it right.
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