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
posted by Zac at
6:47 AM
39 Comments:
Thanks for bringing us up to date on your activities in Cape Town. Sounds like you're having a wonderful time as you prepare Intrepid for her next leg.
I'm glad you were able to meet Mike and his Dad to share your experiences. You are indeed in a very small club of men.
Thanks to Jen for her wonderful pics. We appreciate them so much. Enjoy the rest of your stay in Cape Town, Zac!
Looks like you are having a great time. Keep on having fun
Axel
heye@madisoncounty.net
I would have loved to be a fly on the wall when Zac and Mike got together.
Two young men, matured way beyond their age by the experiences of the sea. May they be an example to everyone at any age of what can be accomplished through hard work and dedication.
Chris
Great blog, Zac! Glad you got to spend the weekend having a lot of fun... And now back to the hard work and preparation for the crossing of a third ocean -- amazing! Peace, Your Oklahoma Well-Wisher
Zac, Great pictures and descriptions of the days spent so far away from us at the bottom of the world. I was glad that you got to meet Mike and see his boat and share stories.
When I got to Hilo Hawaii in my old 29ft sloop we were tied up Tahiti style along a dock with all the other sailboats from all over. What amazed me was the diversity of the craft and the fact that we all had made it and were staring at the same sunset. It was a common element and it leveled the playing field. It didn't matter if you were poor, like me, or in a million dollar yacht. We were all staring at the same sunset. We had all sailed across an ocean.
Rusty
Man this makes me want to go to Cape Town. Again Zac you are out there being a great US Ambassador and representing the youth of America with such a positive image of going for your dreams and achieving them. I commend you my friend and I will continue a letter writing campaign to have you honored at the Whitehouse when you return.
Sincerely,
Chris Carnaghi
Alhambra, CA
Lovely pictures. The unposed natural smiling of everyone in each of them, including Mike, gives a great sense of relaxation on everyone's part.
Just what the doctor ordered before everyone ships out :-)
hi zac,
just found your blog recently!
and just out of curiosity, did your brown tshirt say "Do Hard Things"? ...as in The Rebelution!?
stay strong!
Lord bless you.
Hi Zac,
thanks update and the photos (thanks to Jen, too).
Do you meet Mike again when he is more rested?
Any news on Marta? From her website I guess, that she is still in Port Elizabeth.
Be well and enjoy Cape Town,
RK
Hey zac!
I'm glad you got to meet Mike. I just started to read your blog. It's so amazing.
Love,
Jessie Sunderland
Zac,
So happy for you and your folks. How cool is that for MA to talk to Mike P's mom and Sir Lawrence to speak to his Dad. A BEAUTIFUL THING!! Glad you and Mike could meet and chat. Wow - what a Divine orchestration - love it!
Enjoy your time in C.T.
AGAIN - how cool is it to have Jed in CT to greet you and hang out with. THAT is just a VERY COOL THING!! I am remembering your tale of discovering the flip-flop beach and unintentionally swimming with sharks! Memories were made and more are being made - So nice for Kathy to adopt you guys for a while.
Jen - THANK YOU SO MUCH - as always for your photos!!
ENJOY, ENJOY, ENJOY! Thanks for the update, Zac.
You rock!
LA in MN
Check out Mikes blog. This is part of todays. "Once berthed in the Royal Cape Yacht Club (with its fantastic facilities) it was time to meet Zac Sunderland and his Dad. We had lunch together and it was so great to have my first meal on land with them. We have so much in common, they’re such down-to-earth people and we shared several funny stories. I showed Zac around Totallymoney.com and I hope to have a look around Intrepid, Zac's boat later this week." Hopefully Mike will get the chance to see around "Intrepid" before he heads off East.
One note. I think someone mentioned that Zac is the younger of the two boys, but in fact Mike will not be 17 until March 2009.
Please folks, lets not make this a comparison, these are two fine young men who are showing the world that they are made of true grit. Why not read both blogs and wonder at their maturity and sense of adventure.
Thanks for taking time out of your crazy schedule to satisfy our blogging curiosity. I am so thankful to hear that you are spending some quality time with dad and friends on terra firma before beginning your next leg. What wonderful hospitality you have experienced along your way!
Here's to hoping you will get to show Mike around Intrepid as one awesome teenage ambassador to another!
@ Jessie -- Welcome! So glad to have you here. I recommend skimming as many of the previous blogs as you can find time for. There are a number of really wonderful folks here who have great admiration for your brother and, in fact, your entire extended family and friends. Your perspective, if you care to share, will add to the saga...
Gotta get back to digging out of newly-fallen snow again! Cheers to all, CindyinCincy
Great photos ! Glad to see some other humans around you for a bit of emotional support and mental refreshment ! Our prayers are ever with you ! News of you is an uplift to many in landlocked areas :) Again, you are a great lesson in geography and life's interesting choices . Blessings from the subzero climes of NH -the Grants
awesome! sounds like you're having a great time then. So, I have a question for you; you said Mike's boat was really fast, but smaller inside than Intrepid. If given a second chance, would you trade space for speed?
Keep on keepin' on!
-Halle S. in Oregon
skipper of the Dread Pirate Roberts
Crikey...photos!!!! Excellent, thanks!
good to know that all is well and everyone is enjoying the stay in CT.
Hugs,
Anita
Waterloo, NY
Captain SV Wombat
Hi Zac,
Glad you're having a great time, being with your dad, making newfound friends, and meeting Mike and his Dad. Bet you had fun sharing your stories.
Thanks, Jen, for the wonderful photos.
Take care and enjoy the rest of your stay in C.T.
Dick & Gin
Upland
Thanks for taking time out to give us a shout out and tell us about your adventures. Thanks to Jen for the great pics as usual.
I am glad that you are enjoying the hospitality of the people of Capetown and the time with your Dad.
As I read of both you and Mike's encounter half way around the world with your dads,it brought to mind that all parents ever want is our children's safety no matter what they are doing.
Kudos to the parents of both adventurers.
To all the regular Zac Packers, please ignore those who try to bring negativity to this blog.
This is meant to be encouraging to Zac and his family.
I remember when i was growing up, my mom always said "a soft answer turneth away wrath, grievous words stir up anger". If there is no response the comments cannot continue.
Here's to wishing both Zac and Mike continued safety and good wishes as they prepare for the next leg of their adventure.
regards
Sherna
Hi There Zac,
We are all enjoying the wonderful photos and the updates from Cape Town. You continue to be an amazing young man, and as I tell our Eagle Scouts in our troop upon receiving their Eagle rank, You are a "Marked Man" from this point on you will be under observation, by your peers and by the world as to discern how you handle your successes and your failures. Remeber with greatness comes temptations. It will be enjoyable to see how you impact the world with your story and with the rest of your life. And as always, we are amonst your biggest fans.
On your website you are standing in front of a banner with what may be your personal mantra, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Phillipians 4:13. As a fellow believer, I want to encourage you to be faithful in knowing the Lord throughout your journey, and look at the ways you have been strengthened by your relationship with Christ. And to be in the Word daily. When you pull back into MDR, you will surely have grown in wisdom and stature with man and God.
Ephesians 3:1 tells us to firmly grasp the Love of God, may His love for you be seen in each new sunrise.
Just one of the Pac,
Bob in OKC
Praying for you, we love following what you're doing as we sit here at the kitchen table, having school in NJ, looking out at the snow :-) We loved the "Do Hard Things" t-shirt!
Thanks for the update! That's cool that you and Mike Perham finally got together. Enjoy the South African summer - it's 0 degrees Celsius here (+32 Fahrenheit). :)
~Jessica and Rosemary from Alberta, Canada
Hello Zac & The Pac,
Well it finally looks like you're having a little bit of fun between working. I loved all the pictures, like always GREAT views behind your story.
I'm so glad you were able to hook up with Mike. Hopefully many pictures were taken. Enjoy the rest of your time on land. It seems like your doing just fine.
Rest and Repair,
Douglas Pistone
MDR, California
Zac,
Great post. Glad to see that the repairs are going well and everyone is having a good time. You and Mike are part of a very small fraternity so it was nice that you could enjoy your time together...hope you are able to give him a tour of Intrepid. Of all the great stops that you have made it sounds like this one is shaping up to be among the best.
Keep catching up on your sleep and enjoy all of the good meals.
SteveB
Birmingham, AL
Great story on ESPN of Zac and mike.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=3883711
Praying in earnest!!!!
Hebrews 7:25
Ezekial 22:30
We shall pray for you... on your behalf, for when you are not able to or refuse his holy name.
Lord- Bless your son with humility that he can see he needs your guiding hand in his life.
Let him see the wickedness of Evil so that he may choose his path carefully and without regret.
Lord-Bless Zac's parents as they trust in you.
Thank YOU!!! In your holy name. Amen
NOTE: I never have claimed to be perfect or even that i know how to pray properly but this is what is on my heart and i believe that the Lord hears all prayers sent to him.
well Zac Packers, since we'll all be wondering what we're gonna be doing after Zac returns home.... I have a new person to follow! her name is (yes, I said HER) Jessica Watson (Aus).... check her out, she plans on leaving Nov '09, just in time for us all to have a nice rest after Zac gets back home!
http://www.youngestround.com/
Jen
Hi, Zac. Thanks to Jen for the photos. That's great that Zac and Mike Perham were finally were able to meet. Are there anymore pics of the meeting???
Sounds like Zac is having n awesome time despite all the work he needs to do. Keep it up!
Scott
:)
Here's another article:
http://www.ybw.com/auto/newsdesk/20090104154740ywnews.html
I was reading back on the FAQ's and note Zac doesn't really get a chance to wash, unless it is raining.
I'm curious why you can't fix a simple rain barrel (cistern), to Intrepid and collect rain water. Can't cost more than 20 dollars, then for a further 10 dollars, one of those camping solar showers, 20l bag with hose and shower head that you sit in the sun for 3 hours and it heats up. You can at least have a nice warm clean water shower at leisure while on the voyage:
solar shower bag:
solar shower bag
heats up to 40 C.
basic rain barrel:
http://www.plastic-mart.com/class.php?cat=187
Pretty sure you could fashion a canopy to further collect rain and drain it into that.
Check around with the overland expedition people in Cape Town, quite sure they got all these things. Just a matter of lashing it onto Intrepid.
@ CindyinCincy
Thanks for the info and the welcome. I hope I can keep reading Zac's blog.
Sincerely,
Jessie
:-)
Hi,
Mike and Zac have been featured here:
http://www.latitude38.com/lectronic/lectronicday.lasso?date=2009-02-04&dayid=226#
RK
Zac seems to be looking kinda rough...whats up??
What timing....
Coming from Pastor Greg Laurie
The Miserable Life
So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who had married his daughters, and said, "Get up, get out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city!" But to his sons-in-law he seemed to be joking.
— Genesis 19:14
When you attempt to live both for God and the world, you resemble that poor, confused soldier in the Civil War who couldn't decide what side he wanted to fight for. So he wore the coat from the Union and the pants from the Confederates. Then he marched onto the battlefield and got shot at from both sides.
If you attempt to live in both worlds, you will end up living a miserable life.
Living for both worlds—the life of compromise—is a dangerous thing. Just take a look at the life of Lot, the classic compromiser. Granted, he was a believer, but he made numerous mistakes.
Lot lived in the wicked city of Sodom and eventually became a leader in the city. But he was so bound up in sin that when he went to tell his sons-in-law that the judgment of God was coming, they laughed and thought he was joking.
There was no power in his witness, because he lived a compromised life.
Is that happening to you? Are you getting weaker and weaker spiritually? Do the things that once made you blush no longer shock you? Do you find yourself becoming more and more tolerant of that which is evil and less interested in that which is spiritual? Do you find that your words seem to have no effect on the nonbelievers you share them with?
Such is the peril of the compromiser. They don't pull others up. Others pull them down.
Zac - Don't let others pull you down to their level! Be true to yourself and what you have been taught.
God Bless!
@ Bob in OKC -
Great post!
As many of you know, I'm not a big proponent of this ever increasing younger and younger attempts to solo around alone…
Now we have a girl from Down-Under, who is currently 15, will apparently set sail shortly after turning 16 for a SOLO NON-STOP UNASSISTED………
cRaZy in my opinion…
www.yougestround.com
In speaking with Grant Fjermedal he pointed out that some years ago the flying community had to lay down the law on what age-related stunts they would even “acknowledge” after some kid with rich parents flew into a thunderstorm on an around the world attempt. He died, as did the flying coach with him.
Daveh & Skipper
dave@davehickson.com
@ Zac -
Enjoy your last day with Dad. When will you be departing CT?
@ anonymous: re: Zac's "rough" exterior. I think that is what a weathered and wind beaten sailor looks like after he's sailed half way around the world!
@ Dave H: thanks for a very "sobering" post regarding another young person undertaking a solo circumnavigation.
Is nice to see Capt Zac adding some weight. tho' it's been my experience w/8 nieces/nephews, they start to "chunk out" just before hitting a major growth spurt. As guys keep growing until 22/23 & gals until 19/20, this could very well explain the "rough" look. Just my pov.
Warm Fuzzy Bear Hugs y'all!
Tomi/ATL
Regarding Zac looking rough, I think anyone would do compared to young Jess ;-)
I also note that Mike manages to shower under a bucket, so Zac doesn't really have an excuse. I guess he's just a typical teenager ;-)
On a serious note, Daveh, what do you consider a sensible age to attempt a circumnavigation? Surely it depends on a person's abilities, both physical and mental. You could be 15, 25, 35, 45, 55, 65 and have what it takes. Or not...
What a great adventure you had Zac. All the respect for your journey. Super description and pictures, man. What's your next challenge?
Waiting for your next adventure Zac. Keep up the spirit. We have so much in common.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home