Be scared of what doesn’t change!
The crew of Pendana, (our much loved Nordhavn 62) are going to embark on a circumnavigation of planet earth (well, as much as we can without running into the end of a Somali pirate’s gun). As a family we have thought long and hard about this change in direction and with the help from some very special people, Ken and Roberta Williams (San Souci), David, Kathryn and Ayla Besemer (Three at Sea), Prof David Bennett AO (Clinical Professor), Captain Mark James (Professional Mariner), Craig Brent-White (Master Mariner unlimited), Mrs Judith Poole (Educator), Peter and Margaret Sheppard (N55 owners) and many others we feel the opportunity is now and that we should seize the day!
The Besemer family, from Three at Sea sent me a quick message after I told them of our decision which reads as follows:
James, as you begin your preparations in earnest, we offer these words from Mark Twain:
‘Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor.
Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
Most appropriate, thank you David.
With discussions had, fears (almost) overcome, and plan in place, Pendana will leave Australian shores and venture into international waters departing in April 2015.
I have prepared a very quick video showing a very rough plan of our voyage:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_3Y_MrI–4
This video doesn’t list all the places we will visit and perhaps some we won’t, it is a quick mock up to give some idea of where our heads are at. Importantly the video does try to correspond with the appropriate weather patterns for taking on such a voyage during specific times of the year, thanks to World Cruising Routes by Jimmy Cornell.
There is little doubt that the Ellingford household is full of excitement and some in-trepidation as we plan and commit to the above undertaking. We are sure that this will be a wonderful, life enhancing experience for all aboard Pendana. Time will ultimately tell!
Life has so many lessons to teach and both Claire and I are firm believers that by exposing oneself to all that life, has to offer (the good, the bad and the ugly) then we as people grow and gain perspective. Learning is done through text books but real understanding only comes from direct experience.
Life without challenge is no life at all and while Claire, the children and I live a comfortable, safe existence, it is not one with a great deal of challenge. For some this may be perfect but for us, we want more. We want to truly experience all this planet has to offer and the only way to do that is to expose ourselves and take the chance that we will be fulfilled. As there are no guarantees in life, I guess this is where the courage of our convictions kick in.
So, there you have it, Pendana is going to travel the oceans of the world – the purpose for which she was built. Two adults, two children, three cats and one very, very happy dog, ‘Caesar the Magnificent’ will embark on a trip, a voyage of discovery.
You can catch more from James and company over atwww.pendanablog.com.
