Shivering at Sea

Latest Position: 02/27/08 1500Z 21 51.724S 000 35.017E (460 miles from St Helena)

Zac continues to press on in steady but light conditions. Intrepid is faithfully pulling him on towards port and thay are both happy! He had been suffering a bit with an eye infection but after digging around in his seldom used medical kit (many thanks to Dr. David Lowenberg) he has been applying some antibacterial eye drops and doing much better.

It has been overcast and very cold compared to the balmy warm weather of South Africa. He has been digging through his clothes looking for his sweatshirts and the infamous missing socks!

He asked how you were all doing and if you were missing him. He asked me to say 'Hi!' to all of you and says he is keeping a log of his days to St Helena to publish once in port.

Thank you to the blog commenters who posted all of the interesting links to St Helena Island. Can't wait to hear what Zac has to say about the place. All being well Zac should arrive there by Tuesday unless the wind picks up. :(

Cheers,
Marianne

PS Yes, he is trolling a fishing line!

Jen's Blog

Jen Edney on assignment with the Ventura County Star back in April 08

Greetings from the RMS St. Helena!

Wow, it seems crazy to be at sea while Zac is at sea. We just plotted his location on the chart last night and, at that time he was about 180miles from us. I am hoping that we can catch him on the radio soon. By now, since the ship is fairly small, word has spread about a photographer on board photographing a young man sailing around the world solo. Everyone is intrigued and anxious to meet Zac when he arrives in St. Helena. I am asked every day if there's any news and, unfortunately since Zac's sat phone is so low on battery power I have little information to offer them.

Life aboard the ship is quite relaxed, something I have not experienced for quite some time. Nothing like being on a ship in the middle of the ocean for 5 days to force a bit of work and relaxation as well. I have been introduced to the game of shuffle board and cricket, neither of which i have seen or played before. The people on board are from all over the world and traveling for different reasons...some on holiday, some visiting family, some for work and others seeking/recieving medical care.

Being at sea is giving me a different perspective of the story, helping me to connect even more with Zac and his dream.

I have been asked by Marianne to explain a bit about the reason why my photos are so small on the blog and why my name is on them. I am a professional freelance photographer and selling my photos is how I make a living. If I do not protect my photos then anyone can just take them off the web and use them how they would like and I would never make any money. Because the photos are under copyright, any copying and pasting of my photos off of the blog or any other website is copyright infringement. I have put all that I have into covering Zac's story and am 110% dedicated to the job and doing it well. I would ask that my work be respected.

I can't even begin to thank everyone who is followingZac's journey for all their kind and encouraging words to Zac and all that are involved with this project. Please know that your messages donot go unnoticed and are very much appreciated.

Cheers!

Jen

You can contact Jen directly at jenedney@yahoo.com for photo permissions. Also see her blog at http://jennedney.blogspot.com/ and web site at www.jenedney.com

Jen chasing Zac in Majuro, Marshall Islands

On to St. Helena

Latest Position as of 021809 1500Z 25 19.788S 003 00.165E


Spoke to our man again this morning. Light winds (12-15 knots), small swells (6 feet) and slow but steady progress. He has had the same problem with his windvane coming apart again but has been able to reconnect everything. Hans from Scanmar thinks it may be a worn bearing - that perhaps the unit was installed at an angle that is just slightly off. He and Laurence are talking, so that is good.

Zac and I spoke briefly of the state of our nation and of our world. He misses the news and keeping up on what is going on. I'm not sure if his SSB radio get BBC Radio and all those great shows that we used to listen to on our Ham radio while our family cruised several years ago. His love of adventure keeps him dreaming up what he'll do next and where he would want to live. He has had time to consider himself and his place in the world. He has always been a bit of a philosopher but it seems his travels have given him more experiences and time to ponder.


I also spoke to Jen on her sat phone this morning. She is enjoying her passage from Cape Town aboard the RMS St. Helena. She has hooked up with the captain who will try to raise Zac on the radio. She has promised to send an excerpt from her journal at sea. She finds it interesting to be at sea at the same time as Zac and maybe understanding his experience a bit better.


It has been great to hear from some 'old' bloggers and to keep the debate and discussion on the blog comments a bit more balanced. It makes monitoring the comments (not moderating) all the more enjoyable.

To 'Ratty' - Thank you for the radio contacts.

To Lynda - Actually, Zac has 4 X 8D batteries. Two of them are under the companionway steps and 2 are in a custom built box in the starboard side lazarette in the cockpit. Laurence said that they are 'gel cells'.

To C. Alter - Thank you for clarifying the reasons why Jen is careful with her photos. She really is the most amazing person. Very focused and determined while being humble and always there to lend a hand. Yes, she did see much of Erik Bjerring. She sent many of her photos from his office. Laurence, Zac and Jen had a great meal with Erik and his family in Hout Bay near their home.

To Anonymous - I think that Daveh explained pretty well why Zac will stop in St Helena. He could shave a week off of his passage by not stopping but that is not the main goal for him.

To Steve - Thanks for the insight on Brazil.

There is a SALE on at Zac's Store.
All T-shirts and Calendars are $10.00 (used to be $20).

That's all for now. We should be hearing from Zac in a few days.

Cheers,
Marianne

The South Atlantic

Latest Position as of 02/23/09 at 1633Z 27 17.306S 006 53.340E (over 700 miles from Cape Town - nearly half way to St Helena)

We spoke with Zac early this morning. He is doing really well. He did have his auto pilot come apart last night but since Intrepid can steer herself when going into the wind (don't quote me on the exact terminology - I wasn't taking notes!) he turned Intrepid into the wind and was able to fix the loose bearing without too much trouble. He had quite a bit of wind with a gust up to 37 knots showing on his wind meter! Since he is going downwind (the wind is behind him) it wasn't too dramatic. He has altered course slightly westward due to some sea mounts on the rhumb line that are known for crazy seas and many fishing boats. This knowledge, thanks to a great cruising guide to the Atlantic that he and Laurence picked up in Cape Town.

Zac still has a ways to go and has not been able to rig up a charger for his sat phone so our conversation was short. Otherwise the boat is doing well. Zac is playing around with his high frequency radio trying to get onto any South Atlantic Net.

I asked our world cruising expert, Rob Jordan, for his take on any option for Zac to head to Brazil after stopping in at St Helena. Zac had asked this question as well and our only answer was that it would take too long and that it wasn't very safe there. Ron agreed with the taking too long part. The currents in the area are contrary until rounding the easternmost point of South America and the living/sanitary conditions there are quite poor almost assured to result in illness on Zac's part. We will regroup and see how Intrepid and Zac are faring after this leg and determine the best course for him then, but we are definitely leaning towards a non-stop passage to the Caribbean at this point.

There have been some controversial comments made on the blog recently. I dislike moderating the comments; it is very time-consuming and it disturbs the flow of ideas between bloggers. I haven't found any comments that I deem to be blatantly inappropriate here. I think people are perhaps taking offense too quickly. It is inevitable to compare the various solo circumnavigators that are out there right now. Even people who condemn others for doing so, are doing it! In fact, the differences between Zac and Mike's trips are so many, it makes tallying them all the more interesting. No one here has ever condemned Mike or Zac but we have plenty of thought-provoking comments on their boats, equipment, routes etc. This, I believe, should be encouraged. We all are wondering and theorizing who will make it round the youngest. There is no ill will in saying so because someone surely will return the younger! It certainly is interesting timing for sure! Both boys have many miles to cover and much to overcome to even make it around the world. I enjoy healthy debate. One thing I have learned since embarking on this journey is that there is no need to go crazy if someone doesn't agree with you. Be polite, say your peace and enjoy the journey!

Jen has left Cape Town and is en route to St Helena. We won't hear much from her for the 5 days it will take her to arrive there. She is rooming with one of the other 4 women who have booked passage. Should be an interesting story!

We should hear from Zac again in 48 hours all being well.

Cheers,

Marianne

Update & Jen's Blog

Latest Position as of 02/21/09 1600Z 29 08.523S 11 19.610E (470 miles out of Cape Town - 1200 miles to St Helena)

Zac departing Africa with Cape Town in the background

Zac phoned this morning to check in. He is doing really well as is the windvane. He has had beautiful conditions making 6 knots with a steady 15-20 knots of wind out of the south/southwest. The swell is a bit awkward on the aft quarter but all in all it has been a good ride so far. He is in excellent spirits and seems really thrilled to be at sea again.

Laurence has been in touch with Hans from Scanmar Marine to discuss Zac's windvane. Hans has been a gret supporter of Zac from the beginning. Zac may need to make some adjustments to the system when he arrives in St. Helena which should be in about 10 days.

Jen has been wrapping things up in Cape Town in preparation for her 5 day voyage via ship to St Helena. She sent over a blog of her own and some more of her fabulous photos:

Zac and Laurence provisioning for the long Atlantic crossing

Gday from Cape Town.

It was very hectic the morning Zac left, last minute repairs to the engine and myself trying to finish mounting a camera on the solar panel of the boat. Geoff from Bavaria Yachts took me out on a follow boat to see Zac off and snag some photos. It's always nice to be able to greet/see Zac off on another boat, getting away from the mooring/dock always allows for nice photos.

After I saw Zac off I went over to the Royal Yacht club to have a chat with and take some photos of Mike, Peter and Saito. They were busy making their final repairs before their departure today. I put together a little collection of photos on my blog showing all three of the sailors working on their boats, and the different characteristics of their boats http://jennedney.blogspot.com/

Now that everyone is gone, I am making my final preparations for heading to St. Helena to meet up with Zac. While I was here in Cape Town I found out the only way to get there is by ship so I will be hopping a ship in a couple days to hopefully arrive when Zac arrives, if all goes well.

One thing I've gotten used to over the past 8 months of photographing Zac is that there is no such thing as 'planning' or having a schedule. Things are constantly changing and you just have to go with the flow. To those of you that have asked how I am funding this, well, that's a good question. I have used all my savings, the rest of my student loan money and whatever I can make inbetween meeting up with Zac. A lso, with the kindness of people we have met, as in Cape Town, accomodations have been donated at a few of our stops which is a huge help.

These past 8 months have certainly been an adventure and it has been worth every penny to help Zac and the rest of the Sunderland family achieve their dream, Zac's dream. It has been incredible to watch first hand the amount of work that goes on behind the scenes. Laurence amazes me with his energy to get things done while in port, believe me, it is never a vacation for him. Marianne is definitely what I would call a 'Super Mom' managing to not only hold down the fort at home but also to keep everyone connected between Cape Town, Japan, USA, etc. The Sunderland family is an incredible family and I have been extremely blessed to be a part of this project.......

Cheers,

Jen

Repairs at Sea

Latest Position as of 2200Z on 02/19/09 31 10.515S 14 18.079E (260 miles from Cape Town)

We got a call from Zac about 2:00 this afternoon which was strange because it was midnight for him. Following along with Zac's theory that if something is going to go wrong it will happen in the middle of the night, there was a problem with his windvane. He explained what had happened to Laurence who explained everything to Ron from Scanmar Marine. Ron was able to walk Zac through the repair. If you ever have the pleasure of doing business with Scanmar, be sure you talk with Hans. Does he have stories! He is a circumnavigator from before GPS - a completely different story from Zac's high tech venture. Hans and the Scanmar team have been extremely helpful in providing Zac with advice and support. Basically, one of the gears on the end of the connecting rod from the airvane had turned upside down. No one knows why or how. With the transom of Intrepid being buried frequently in swells, Laurence reminded Zac to tie himself on and NOT to let any parts fall in the water. Imagine!
























Monitor Windvane on Intrepid

Zac called later to let us know that the vane was repaired and report his position. He seems well - relieved I'm sure that he won't have to hand steer across the Atlantic. We expect to hear from him in a day or two all being well.

Au Revoir Cape Town - Until Next Time

Latest Position: 02/18/09 1446Z 32 23.427S 16 22.301E

Photos Courtesy of Charnell Timms

Sorry for the delay in getting a post out. Zac was furiously running around his last few days in Cape Town with a mixture of errands and boat chores and farewells to new South African friends. He pulled out of Cape Town Harbor on Tuesday under the 10:45am swing bridge. He had a steady breeze in the bay and took some nice film and photo shots of his favorite town to date.

As his time zone is 10 hours ahead of us we planned for him to give me his blog post this morning, that is until he realized his sat phone charger had melted away inside. With 2 bars of power left on the phone, we will talk only very briefly once a day to get his position and pass any urgent info that is needed. On board email has been intermittant though he will work on establishing that on his long passage to St. Helena Island. The passage north and west up through the Atlantic is a bit over 1500 miles and should take between 12-15 days. He has had some annoying head winds today but the Clearpoint Weather forecast shows the winds beginning to swing around to it's normal south, south westerly and then south easterly direction as I type.

Zac has been extremely upbeat and happy from his long, restful stay in South Africa. He was consistantly amazed at the kindness and generosity of the South African people. Bloggers Alex Van Heerden and Jill Adkins both brought Zac care packages of both South African and American foods for his trip. Erik Bjerring and his crew at Wiltel Marine were always on call for advice in the marine and tourist realm. And of course the Johnson family - Richard, Kathy, Seth and Jed have become the best of friends with Zac and Laurence.

Jen (onboard Intrepid), Zac and blogger Jill Adkins

One of Zac's sponsors, Produce For Kids, arranged for a top nutritionist, Dave Grotto of 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life! renown to advise him on all of his nutritional needs including caloric intake, protein, carbs etc. We haven't talked much about the folks at PFK along Zac's journey but they have been a guiding force and support along the way, checking in with us regarding Zac's health and fitness. You and your kids can check out their web site at http://www.produceforkids.org/. My younger kids go on their site at least twice a week and play some of the many educational games that are found there. Zac will be doing some public speaking on their behalf upon his return to encourage healthy eating and lifestyles in kids.

Perhaps some of you die hard blog followers will be wondering from this blog's photos what has happened to Zac's hair. Yes, he had it cut! (Photos to follow from Jen) It got to be so annoying that practicality won out over the plan to leave it uncut for the entire voyage. It is nice to be able to see his face again, no? Special note to Bill Mann: I did ask Zac to gather his hair for you to sell for your retirement on ebay but he was quite embarrassed at the thought. I then asked Jen if she would do it and met with a similiar response! I have not asked yet whether or not the clippings were gathered but will let you know...

Other news is a small bit of rerouting. Zac will likely pass on Trinidad & Tobago and head instead to the nearby island of Grenada. This stop is some 3700 miles from St Helena Island and will be his longest passage to date. Though the sea is not as tempestuous in the Atlantic this time of year as say the Indian Ocean, the mental challenge on this leg will definitely stretch him.

He has his book to work on and some schoolwork so it will be interesting to see how he passes his time. From the Carribean he will head north and west to the Panama Canal and then back into our own Pacific for the trip north and home.

We should be having some changes on the main web site http://www.zacsunderland.com/ in the next weeks. If there is anything you all would like to see there we would love to know.

That is all for now. Hopefully I will get Zac's last days update via email soon. Otherwise I will keep you all posted with what news I have for the next few weeks.

Cheers,

Marianne

Zac with Mike Perham onboard Intrepid

Cape Town Rendez Vous

Mike Perham, Minoru Saito and I

I was all set to head out on Thursday. I had said good bye to my new friends here, packed up everything and the boat was stowed. And I had a nice fat weather window to go with it. Wednesday evening I went to dinner with Richard, Jed's dad, Seth, Sasha, Dean, and Jen Edney. Richard and I went over some cruising guides of Panama (where he has lived before) and the Mexican coast while looking out of the restaurant window at the mildly stormy sea.

When I called my mom to check in she told me about Minoru Saito, the oldest solo circumnavigator, who was going to be pulling in to Cape Town on Friday. I decided to stay in Cape Town for another weekend - not a hard decision. I went down to the Royal Cape Yacht Club on Friday morning to welcome Saito-san in. We waited at the YC for a few hours and didn't see any signs of him or his approach. We went up to the club and on to his web site (www.saito8.com) and saw a photo of his boat. As I walked outside I saw him pulling in just then. We got some photos for our mutual sponsor, Clearpoint Weather. They provide me with my Iridium satellite phone and their fabulous weather forecasting software. Great guys and great software. I'm not just saying that for a sales pitch, they really are the best over there. I've had them cheerfully helping me sort out software issues at all hours of the morning when I was pushing deadlines. A blogger asked if the crahing of the Iridium satellite this week has effected my phone reception. Their site said that there would be some minor problems and I have definitely had some. Apparently they have a few spare satellites up there for just such a time as this so all should be well soon.

Mike and his dad came down to see Saito-san and we all went and had lunch together and, of course, talked about our travels. Saito had been out for 40-some days and had only stopped for some sail repair. He has seen it all in his time at sea including pirates. Although he has been sailing all of his life, he did his first solo circumnavigation when he was 50 years old. He is planning a short stay here in Cape Town before heading on east.

It was great to see the Perhams again. Mike's boat should be back in the water this weekend and he is looking at a Wednesday departure. I have nothing but the greatest respect for Mike. To be able to do what we are doing is no small thing no matter your route, boat or even personality.

That evening we went for a braai at Dustin and Adam's place (sailing instructors down here). There is nothing better than a good South African braai with their big brick ovens and great food. Today is Valentine's Day. I am looking forward to a good one. I have a few surprises happening today. I will elaborate more soon as well as thoughts and details of my next leg into the Atlantic.

Have a great one.

Cheers,

Zac

PS Many thanks to Jen for her awesome photos. Check out more of Jen's photos at www.jenedney.com and http://jennedney.blogspot.com/

Cape Town Log - Laurence

Excerpt from Laurence's log:
So here I am on the 747 400 Lufthansa flight on my way home. I'm torn between leaving Zac and saying our farewells and missing the rest of the family back in the USA. What a great trip it has been full of great experiences, much work, and great achievements. I’ll give a quick run down of the highlights.
I know that many of you are intrigued to know the details of the Mike and Zac meeting. Both Mike and Zac have far too much in common to be arch rivals. Both are matured well beyond their years and displayed a healthy respect for one another exchanging the many varied experiences that they have encountered along the way. I can’t help thinking about the magnitude and chance of this great encounter of two of the worlds' youngest solo circumnavigators meeting by happenstance or by divine appointment on their quests to be the youngest to circumnavigate the globe. This is truly one of the greatest days and inspirations for young sailors world wide. We had lunch together and whilst the lads had much to discuss Peter, Mike's father, and I had equally as much in common and a bond of respect, knowing that we had both been through a similar paths in supporting and managing similiar campaigns to date. After lunch Mike and Zac, along with Jed and Jen, went to look at Mike's boat. We all had a great time though in the backs of our minds was the thought of the pending work that still needed to be carried out on both vessels to see them through their next legs safely. It was time to say our farewells and get back to work. Both young lads have come a long way and have vast distances to cover before either one accomplishes his goal. Please be mindful of their well-being and pray for both.

Zac and Mike Perham checking out Mike's spectacular Open 50

©Laurence Sunderland

Jed, a young lad that Zac had met and became fast friends with in Cocos Keeling, lives in Cape Town and was eager to show Zac around. Kathy and Richard, Jed's parents, offered their beachfront condo to us to help offset our expenses. Seth, Jed's brother who lives in the condo, and I took it in turns to make some culinary delight as our evening meal. We didn’t manage to poison one another and I think Jen may have put on a few pounds which means our cooking must have been a success. It was very generous and much appreciated and many thanks to Richard and Kathy.

Entering Cape Town Harbour with it's 'Table Cloth'

©Laurence Sunderland

The V&A Waterfront Marina is a very special place to be moored: not only is it a very beautiful location, close to all the important amenities, it is also very safe . Eric and Jeff from Wiltel Marine and the local Bavaria & Aicon dealership have really been very accommodating and a great help in many different aspects. It has meant that we could really achieve a great deal of work and have Intrepid in the best shape she can be in for the Atlantic Ocean.

The work list was varied and extensive see list below
1/ Run new main halyard
2/ Change out broken U-bolt on bow
3/ Caulk deck fittings
4/ Change broken camera aft.
5/ Change mast boot
6/ Run lazy jack lines
7/ Tape up mast steps (halyards keep getting stuck behind them)
8/ Inspect camera monitors aloft and get them working
9/ Service engine
10/ Tune Rig
11/ Locate all charging equipment for cameras
12/ Repair life lines
13/ Run new jack lines
14/ Check all ground tackle (anchor, chain, lines etc)
15/ Troubleshoot solar panels - not charging properly
16/ Pick up courtesy flags, charts and guides for next legs
17/ Fuel vessel
18/ Provision vessel
19/ Clean vessel inside and out
20/ Wash all boat covers
22/ Glass-in delaminated tape on lower shroud bulk head
23/ Clean all metal work
24/ Lubricate and clean salt off all running rigging
25/ Engineer auto pilot to work off of wind monitor

This is the majority of the work list which we were able to knock out. Intrepid looks like the majestic vessel that left Marina del Rey back in June. Now with some 16,000 nautical miles under her keel she is ready to come home.

The excitement keeps on mounting in Cape Town. I’ve just learned that Minoru Saito, who also is attempting a non-stop solo circumnavigation will be stopping in Cape Town. Zac will delay his departure by a few days to meet Minoru who is attempting to be the oldest person to solo circumnavigate. He is an amazing person. For more info on Saito-san check out his web site at http://www.saito8.com/ The '8' in his web address stands for this being his eighth solo circumnavigtion!

It is no surprise that Cape Town has earned a reputation as being a yachting mecca where you can just about get anything done to a yacht that you can think of. It was also Cape Town where half of the Vendee Globe fleet limped into after taking a beating in the Southern Ocean.

Cape Town certainly appears to be a very spectacular place with quite a diverse culture.
We worked long and hard days only stopping for those media engagements. We enjoyed the very spectacular backdrop of Table Mountain which was occasionally coverd by the 'table cloth'. When a north easterly blows it covers the flat topped mountain in a cloud. It is really quite a spectacular sight to behold. Unfortunately, there was no time for a trip to the top of Table Mountain. The one afternoon we had free Zac decided to visit one of the local missions and bless them with a donation of food which was aboard Intrepid and would not be used. It proved to be quite a humbling experience. Many of the young folks either had TB or HIV and a short life expectancy. It was very sobering but we were all grateful for being there and being able to give a little.

I really wanted to see Mike and Peter Perham before leaving but as the day for my departure drew near I had a few curve balls to deal with that brought my time in South Africa to a close. I left for the airport knowing I’d given my best. Now it is time for Zac to say his farewells as he ventures out into Atlantic Ocean.

Cheers,

Laurence

Cape Town - Final Days

Photos copyright Laurence Sunderland 2009 :)

Awesome Cape Town Beaches ©Laurence Sunderland 2009

This past week in Cape Town has gown by way too fast. We worked on the boat most of the week and on Friday my dad took the 30 hour flight back 2 Cali. It is always a bittersweet time because there is always more work that could be done. With the help of Doudemas, we have Intrepid looking as good as she did when I left Marina del Rey nearly 8 months ago.

Jed, Me and Jen with friends onboard Intrepid ©Laurence Sunderland 2009

Friday night I had some friends over to the boat for a BBQ and chilled. It was great to relax and enjoy the boat for a change. Then on Saturday we went to the X Games, extreme skateboarding, motorcross biking and wake boarding, for the day. They were being held just across from the V & A Marina where Intrepeid is berthed. Since Jed lives about an hour outside of Cape Town in Pinland Jed and I ended up catching a train to get from his house to the games and walked through the heart of Cape Town. This kind of thing can be a bit dodgy but it was great to just fit in like a local and we had no trouble. It was an awesome experience.

Dropping of food at the orphanage ©Laurence Sunderland 2009

We stayed at the X Games till it started raining and then went and saw a movie. Sunday morning we went back to the X Games for the day and then went back to Jed's to meet his dad whom I had met while in Cocos Keeling. He had just flown in from where he has left his boat in the Seychelles off of northestern Africa. We traded stories of the sea for a while. It was good to see him again. Richard has sailed from Cape Town to St. Helena before, which is my next stop so it is good to get some advice from a veteran. All eyes are on the weather as I look for a good weather window mid to end of week.

Awesome friends the Johnsons and the Bjerrings ©Laurence Sunderland 2009

Monday, it was back to work on the boat. I finished a few jobs in the morning and at 1:00 had a few Vogue magazine photographers show up for a photo shoot. I took the boat out for the shoot but had a little engine trouble. I managed to sort it out and we sailed around the bay which was cool. The photographers made me put on some pretty interesting (must be Italian style) clothes and took a bunch of pix.

Friends ©Laurence Sunderland 2009

Later in the day I got a phone call from Jed who told me he had organized to have me speak at his school tomorrow morning. I ended up going out to dinner with Jed's family and Jen. I'll have to sleep over at Jed's house and get up early. It is nearly midnight and I've still got to write some bullet points down for tomorrow's speech so I'd better go!

Cheers,

Zac

At the church/orphanage ©Laurence Sunderland 2009

Blog ©Zac Sunderland 2009

Fun Zac Video

Hello All,
Mom here...
Just had a nice talk with Zac who was unpacking groceries from the rental car and checking off a list with way too many things to do today. He apologizes for the bloglessness. Laurence is heading out today so they are prioritizing and scheming how to spend the morning.

Meanwhile, Skype's blogger, Howard Wolinsky, stayed up late to videotape his interview with Zac. I thoroughly enjoyed watching it and hope you do too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ei-ZSKvK354

Blog with photos soon!

Cape Town Photos

All photos courtesy and copyright to Jen Edney:

On board Intrepid

The repairs have been going very well. Today we are having the engine serviced and doing some more rigging work.

Hanging out with our South African worker

This weekend we did take it easier on the work side of things and had some fun: Friday we went out to dinner with Erik Bjerring from Wiltel Marine and his family in Houte Bay. We did some work on the boat on Saturday and then went back to Jed's house and went to a party. I got right in with Jed's group of Pinlanders (Pinland is a town about 10 minutes from Cape Town). My dad and Jen went to a braai, the South African word for BBQ (pronounced (Bry).

Jed and I onboard Intrepid

We had an awesome night and I stayed over at Jed's only to have my dad come by at 7:30 am to pick me up for an interview for Mike's documentary. I did that and then it was off to church. After a spirited sermon we all went over to Jed's dad's condo and crashed for a couple hours before lunch with Mike and his dad. We went down to the yacht club and met Mike and his dad, had some lunch and swapped stories of weather and places of the world. After lunch we went down to Mike's Open 50 and got the tour. It is a crazy boat built for speed and was actually smaller inside than mine. It was great to meet Mike and I wish him all the best.

Mike and I aboard his awesome Open 50

Mike had just come in from being 5 weeks at sea and he was tired from dodging the fishing boats all the previous night (I know his pain) so Jed, Jen and I went to an afternoon concert. We were as close to the stage as you can get without being on it and had a great time.

We stayed at Jed's that night and in the mornig my dad picked me up and we did some work on the boat. I did an interveiw with two girls for a school paper and then iy was back to Jed's for dinner.

Jed's house has become my home away from boat!

Seth, Jed, Kathy (Jed's mom) and Dad talking to the family back home on Skype

We had a good evening with Jed his brother Seth, Jen, my dad and Jed's mom Kathy. I've got to get back to work here but I'll shoot out another blog again on my Thursday.

Until then.

Peace,

Zac

Wednesday night racing at the Royal Cape Yacht Club with Erik Bjerring and friends