If an Ozzie saw this picture of my Defender 130, he would say that it's somewhere out in the Red Center of Australia. The red mud on my Michelin XZL tires is a dead give-away. That's Red Center mud for sure.
We are actually exploring the Finke River Gorge in our heavily laden Defender. Ozzies will recognize this section of the gorge called Palm Valley.
We cruised the outback for a month in our Defender 130 before resuming our sailing trip around the world. This 1995 Defender exudes character and stands ready to take us on a driving trip around the world.
Stuck on the front of this land cruising machine is a Paul Bunyan size bullbar designed to deflect wayward kangaroos. We never had any problem with hopping roos, and for us the bulbar was the perfect platform for shooting outback video while driving through the bush.
The Defender 130 has everything you need for outback adventure, right down to a high lift jack. Although the Defender is a little rough around the edges, that's the kind of truck you want for cruising in the outback. There'll be no tears when tree branches pinstripe the sides of this truck.
Trucks tend to deteriorate over time, but this Defender keeps getting better.
When I first purchased the truck, the pick up bed had some scrapes down the left side, but those scrapes didn't last long. Someone ran into the area with the scrapes, and when the body shop finished making the repairs, the back of the truck looked almost as good as new.
About a year later, a massive hail storm put a thousand dents in the rest of the truck, and the insurance company replaced the damaged panels and repainted the truck. This reinforces my belief that there is no limit to how good my life can become.
Our white Defender has a roof-top tent that's good for camping in the most inhospitable terrain. It doesn't matter how many rocks are on the ground, if the Defender can get us there, the roof top tent will give us a good nights sleep. No need to set up a tent and sleep on lumpy ground.
We added pull out drawers in the pick up bed in the back of the truck. Those drawers serve a double purpose. They protect sensitive gear from outback bull dust, and they provide a secure location to hide computers and cameras from larcenous eyes.
White Defender now sits in storage on the Queensland coast. I'm earning my Freedom Chips, and when the coffers are full, this Defender will leave the stable for another adventure. I can hardly wait.
Life is good.
Awesome music video that captures the essence of what it's like to sail offshore in a catamaran around the world when conditions are less than perfect. David Abbott from Too Many Drummers sings the vocals, and he also edited the footage from our Red Sea adventures. This is the theme song from the Red Sea Chronicles.
Sailing up the Red Sea is not for the faint of heart. From the Bab al Mandeb to the Suez Canal, adventures and adversity are in abundance. If you take things too seriously, you just might get the Red Sea Blues.
If you like drum beats, and you like adventure, then have a listen to the Red Sea Chronicles Trailer.
Flying fish assault Exit Only in the middle of the night as we sail through the Arabian Gulf from the Maldives to Oman. And so begins our Red Sea adventures.
Sailing through Pirate Alley between Yemen and Somalia involves calculated risk. It may not be Russian Roulette, but it is a bit of a worry. Follow Team Maxing Out as they navigate through Pirate Alley.
Stopping in Yemen was just what the doctor ordered. We refueled, repaired our alternator, and we made friends with our gracious Yemeni hosts. We also went to Baskins Robbins as a reward for surviving Pirate Alley.
After you survive Pirate Alley, you must sail through the Gate of Sorrows (Bab Al Mandab) at the southern entrance to the Red Sea. The Gate of Sorrows lived up to its name with fifty knots of wind and a sandstorm that pummeled Exit Only for two days. Life is good.
Captain Dave and his family spent eleven years sailing around the world on their Privilege 39 catamaran, Exit Only. During the trip, the crew shot 200 hours of video with professional cameras to show people what it's like to sail on a small boat around the world.
The Red Sea Chronicles is a one hour and twenty-two minute feature film showing their adventures as Exit Only sails through Pirate Alley in the Gulf of Aden and up the Red Sea. The professional footage documents their experiences in Oman, Yemen, Eritrea, Sudan, Egypt, and the Suez Canal. It chronicles the rigors of traveling in a remote section of the world rarely visited by cruisers. Exit Only dodges Yemeni pirates, fights a gale and sand storms in the Bab al Mandeb at the southern entrance to the Red Sea. The crew explores deserted islands on the western shores of the Red Sea, and learns to check the cruising guides for land mines before venturing ashore.
The Red Sea Chronicles also has outstanding Special Features including an Instructional Video on Storm Management that tells sailors how to deal with storms at sea.
And don't forget the two Music Videos: "The Red Sea Blues", and "Captain - Save Our Souls".
The Red Sea Chronicles is a first class adventure that stokes the sailing dreams of both experienced and wannabe sailors alike.
Join Team Maxingout as they sail through Pirate Alley and up the Red Sea
See what it's like to cruise on a catamaran before you spend a bazillion dollars purchasing one
After watching the Red Sea Chronicles you will be able to see yourself sailing on the ocean of your dreams
Although I like the feel of a paper book in my hand, I love trees even more. When people purchase an eBook, they actually save trees and save money as well. Ebooks are less expensive and have no negative impact on the environment. All of Dr. Dave's books are available at Save A Tree Bookstore. Visit the bookstore today and start putting good things into your mind. It's easy to fill your mind with positive things using eBooks. No matter where you are or what you are doing, you can pull out your smart phone or tablet and start reading. You can even use electronic highlighters and make annotations in your eBooks just like paper books.
