Back at Sea
Lots going on in the Sunderland house these days with Wild Eyes finally over from Florida and Abby's departure date right around the corner. Since my last blog which was quite a while ago I have turned 18 had a really fun party with some good friends down in the marina. Soon after that it was down to Ensenada with my dad, photographer Lisa Gizara and her fiancee Eric to pick up Wild Eyes off the ship. Abby had sailed down with our friend Peter a day before. We met up with an LA Times crew down there - it was good to see Pete Thomas and Al Seib again.
The next day the boat was put in the water and they were off. My dad, Abby and the LA Times guys in Wild Eyes and Peter and myself in his Fairweather 39 doing the bash up to San Diego. The trip went well in Lady K; warm food, 3 hours on and 3 hours off watches but from what I hear, Wild Eyes was quite cramped as the boat is really only made to fit one and there were five!
We bashed along through the night in the freezing cold til we were off of the Coronado Islands where Wild Eyes slammed into a drifting kelp patty. We ended up towing them for a little way and arrived in SD around 6am after a pretty sleepless night. We both cleared customs after which the LA Times crew got out of there pretty fast. Looking at Wild Eyes we saw that some how the boat was wrapped in kelp so out with the wet suit and knives and I jumped into the freezing water. It took me 2 hours to cut my way through it all. It was weird staying up all night and then being weightless under water. I was 10 feet under holding on to the keel and started to fall asleep under water holding my breath. I think I had a dream and everything!
After that experience and some super glue holding my sliced hand together we were off again for a pretty smooth sail down to Marina del Rey. Now that I'm back it is just lots of work to do. I've been doing a lot of work on Intrepid getting her back to her previous glory - slow and steady.
The long awaited DVD production is moving along and is due out at the first of the year. Thanks again for all of your patience.
Happy holidays to everyone.
Cheers,
Zac
The next day the boat was put in the water and they were off. My dad, Abby and the LA Times guys in Wild Eyes and Peter and myself in his Fairweather 39 doing the bash up to San Diego. The trip went well in Lady K; warm food, 3 hours on and 3 hours off watches but from what I hear, Wild Eyes was quite cramped as the boat is really only made to fit one and there were five!
We bashed along through the night in the freezing cold til we were off of the Coronado Islands where Wild Eyes slammed into a drifting kelp patty. We ended up towing them for a little way and arrived in SD around 6am after a pretty sleepless night. We both cleared customs after which the LA Times crew got out of there pretty fast. Looking at Wild Eyes we saw that some how the boat was wrapped in kelp so out with the wet suit and knives and I jumped into the freezing water. It took me 2 hours to cut my way through it all. It was weird staying up all night and then being weightless under water. I was 10 feet under holding on to the keel and started to fall asleep under water holding my breath. I think I had a dream and everything!
After that experience and some super glue holding my sliced hand together we were off again for a pretty smooth sail down to Marina del Rey. Now that I'm back it is just lots of work to do. I've been doing a lot of work on Intrepid getting her back to her previous glory - slow and steady.
The long awaited DVD production is moving along and is due out at the first of the year. Thanks again for all of your patience.
Happy holidays to everyone.
Cheers,
Zac
posted by Zac at
2:55 PM
21 Comments:
A quite belated Happy Birthday! Last year nobody of your followers forgot to send you wishes over to the Indian Ocean, but year I forgot the birthday. Your experience under Wild Eyes is scary. You all should take your time getting Abby and her ship prepared.
Best wishes,
RK
"I was 10 feet under holding on to the keel and started to fall asleep under water holding my breath. I think I had a dream and everything!"
That's more than wierd - positively surreal... and just a little bit scarey, too!
Good to hear that Intrepid is getting some love & attention; and GREAT news that the DVD production is finally making headway again.
Thanks for the update, Z-man!
Happy Holidays Zac ! After reading about Wild Eyes encounter with the kelp patty i wondered how a solo sailor would deal with a simlar occurance while underway on a circumnavigation would it be necessary to return to port for repair! Regarding your recent diving experience beneath Wild Eyes doubt if in the future you'll undertake such non- emergency repairs on so little sleep 20/20 hindsight .Best Wishes
Zac --about your Everest climb idea. First of all, Everest by the regular route is basically a tourist climb, a "walk up" as real climbers refer to it derisively. And beginners would only do the regular route anyway, since other routes require technical climbing skills and are very dangerous. Sure, it would be a sort of accomplishment to go up Everest, but it's totally over-hyped by the media that doesn't know or care dick-all about climbing, but it's pretty lame as far as an actual climbing accomplishment. (I'm speaking about the regular route up; there are some insanely dangerous and never-repeated routes up various faces and ridges of Everest.)
For a beginner climber like yourself, far better to learn some technical rock and ice skills, and then take on some real climbs as opposed to walk ups --right in the Sierras, Cascades, and Rockies, there are some heavy-duty climbs that far outweigh Everest in terms of bragging rights. Unless you're gonna do technical climbing, Everest is just a walk-up. That being said, while the climbing on the regular route is pretty much nothing, and the route has fixed ropes everywhere littering the mountain, the dangers up there at high altitude are very serious. I'd seriously recommend reading about HAPE and HACE (google these terms). It's not like soloing Cape Horn; I'd say the chances of dieing in the high Himalaya, especially for a beginner, are much higher. So, all in all, it makes more sense what real climbing is (rock, snow, ice), and do some technical routes to prove yourself, instead of wasting your time (and LOTS of money!) on an Everest walk-up, which doesn't really mean anything anymore. And anyway, you wouldn't be the youngest to summit if you did it, by the way.
All in all, if you want respect from the climbing community, the only way to get it on Everest is by a difficulty technical route, which you couldn't do anyway unless you became a really good technical climber first...and which no ones attempst anyway unless they are really, really experienced.
Have a start by looking here: www.alpinedave.com Also read Alpinist magazine. Real alpinists make fun of Everest tourists...just so you know :-)
Here's the deal --read Steve House's new book "Beyond the Mountain". Here is a guy who is probably the greatest mountaineer in the world right now, and I don't think he's ever been on Everest. He climbs without supplemental oxygen, no Sherpas, no fixed ropes, no gear left on the mountain. Climbs hard routes on mountains without media hype.
Here's what someone wrote about Steve House and his new book: "In a time when most of the accomplishments in mountaineering are so summit oriented, alloyed with sponsorship and even reality TV, how can you not be pleased to read the account of someone whose accomplishments are the purity of the opposite? The value of the climb, the route, and the unique experience of successful climbing partnership are lost to all except the climber. Steve House brings this all back to its proper value and vividly in his own words. This book is an act of Alpine art in itself. No Sherpa support, no supplemental oxygen, only minimal equipment, and nothing left on the mountain!"
Read the book to learn what real climbing is and abandon the Everest summit nonsense. After your round the world sail, Zac, you deserve a more pure challenge. To become an Everest summit chaser would debase you, man!
So good to see you doing your brotherly duty but don't take it to far Abby needs to learn these things. LOL
Dying to see the DVD I saw a hour and half preview online about a month ago it was great though I can't find it anymore. I wrote to Praxis and asked about it but never heard back oh well can hardly wait to see all the real action.
Best in Jesus
JJ
Leave it to big brother to share the gory details about his sister's boat! :)
And...
Yay for the DVD!!
I forgot to ask...
Is the work on Intrepid along the lines of getting her ready in preparation for a North West Passage adventure?!
Mountains are a waste of time. Stick to sea-faring adventures.
Meanwhile where's the book? More interested in that. Do a self publishing if necessary e.g Lulu.com before it becomes "stale" :-)
Who did this video?
Zac Sunderland - Worlds Youngest Circumnavigator?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9WTeBCAnGw
That's about as cool as it gets. Awesome tunes, great speedup thing going on, is the DVD like this?
Get that SoCal PBS show to broadcast the DVD if you can.
I'm glad that you are taking care of your boat. If you ever get the chance, visit the Air & Space museum in Wasnington D.C.and if you somehow ever get to London England, visit the museum in Greenwich. Maybe 'Intrepid' should eventually (after many more trips with you I hope) be protected and preserved in a safe place for people to see. I took a long time looking her over the day you got back. That is an amazing boat. I had the same feeling looking at 'Intrepid' as I did when I gazed up at those aircraft hanging from the ceiling at the Air & Space museum. You did an awesome thing Zac with that old sailboat that carried you safely A-L-L the W-A-Y around the world.
Rusty
Hey, Zac
Happy olidays to you, yer fam and friends around the world
Kodiak Mike
If there ever is going to be a part two of the dvd you should think about sending it along for free to the ones that paid over six months ago?
Great news on the DVD production, as it's been a very long time.
Still hoping to receive the DVD that we paid for at Marina del Rey on July 16 and the watercolor that was auctioned nearly a year ago (ask your Mom - she has it).
God Bless.
Zac,
I was checking out your sister's boat on her blog and I was thinking about your accomplishment on such a smaller budget.
You blazed the trail!
Your record was beat but not the total scope of your adventure.
I've never heard a complaint about anyone having it easier.
P.S.I hope you can autograph my DVD before you mail it!
Straight Wakes,
Mike S.
Isn't that cool! Looking so forward to your DVD. Zac, will you post when it is done and to be sent out, hoping not to be missed on the preordered mailing list. Then....I will be able to watch for it to arrive! Sounds like your having some great times! Happy New Year to you all,
Sincerely,
Pam
Canada
Where can I come on Saturday to see your sister off on her trip?
Mary in Manhattan Beach
Was looking at your sister's blog and website; thinking about your accomplishment(s)
Hi Zac,
I'm a pupil from long meadow school.i have learn t a lot form your blog.how did u cope on your yoat on your own.I bet you are really proud of yourself. In school we are looking at survival and how you survived around the world. I heard your next challenge would be climbing mount everest. Can't wait to see this.
hi,im a pupil from longmeadow school and in class we have beenlearning about you.i just wantedto ask you some questions:
was it scary when you got followed by pirates?
who is amber?
what is wild eyes?
will you be able to awnser my questions?
from anonymous
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