This is a sandstorm in the Empty Quarter.
We are sitting high up on top of a dune feeling the full force of the wind and blowing sand.
We often debate whether it's better to be high or low during a sandstorm, but usually it doesn't make much difference. We normally remain at campsites for only one night, and it would be unusual to be forced to move because conditions became too severe.
We have a tent attached to the side of our Defender, so the tent isn't going anywhere.
We usually park the car so it shields the tent from the wind and blowing sand. As you can see in this picture, our plan didn't work.
The wind shifted during the night, and the winds is blowing full strength into the front of the car and the side of the tent. We piled gear on the windward side of the tent interior to keep it from rising up in the wind.
You might think that the wind would deposit sand against the car and tent and bury them with blowing sand. Actually the opposite occurs.
When the wind hits the tent, it scours the sand from under the tent on its windward side. One of the tent stakes in this picture no longer holds down the corner of the tent. The sand around the stake was blown away, and all that remains is a scoured sandy pothole.
If all your tent stakes get uncovered, the tent may collapse on you during the storm.
During one sandstorm, a friend's tent partially broke free from its anchors and the tent started behaving like a wild animal jumping, gyrating, and collapsing in the wind. From our vantage point, it looked like the tent occupants were being digested inside a voraciously hungry giant stomach.
I once had a dome tent go walkabout in windy conditions, and I had to chase it across the dunes for over a mile before I caught up with it and corralled it with my Defender.
Going though a sandstorm in a tent is a bit like going though a winter blizzard in a cabin. You crawl into you sleeping bag and hunker down on your camp cot as you listen to the wind howl. Before long, you close your eyes and fall asleep to enjoy your sand dreams.
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.
