No matter what happens, I choose to think positive.
When I lived in Arabia, I spent my free time driving in the sand dunes south of Riyadh.
In this picture, my Defender sits high and dry in the Bakra dunes. I am high-sided, and I'm not going anywhere until I recover the vehicle by digging out the sand from under the chassis (the hard way) or by having someone pull me off the top of the dune using a snatch strap (the easy way).
Getting high-sided on the top of a sand dune isn't a problem; it's only an embarrassment. It simply means I miscalculated my speed as I was going over the dune, and at the last minute, I slowed down too much, and I didn't have enough momentum to make it over the top.
If you want to enjoy driving in the sand, you must learn to think positive.
It's inevitable that you are going to get stuck many times when you drive in soft dunes. It doesn't matter whether you are high-sided or sunk to the chassis in soft sand, a positive attitude turns this inconvenience into a real adventure. A few minutes of work with your shovel and sand ladders free you from your sandy prison.
There's no need for panic, recriminations, or berating yourself for getting stuck. It goes with the territory. If you drive in soft sand, you will get stuck, so get over it and keep on trucking.
The goal isn't to never get stuck. Instead, the goal is to have an adventure and to live your sand dreams.
Driving in sand dunes is a lot like life.
You frequently find that you are up to your axles in problems and are high-sided by the challenges of life. That's to be expected, because you are living your dreams. If you don't panic, and instead, maintain a positive attitude, it won't be long before you escape the sand trap and start moving in a positive direction.
Everybody gets stuck at many points in their life, but not everyone thinks positive. Negative thinkers bog down in their problems, and they may stay stuck for years at a time.
Positive thinkers know that getting stuck is only a temporary inconvenience.
No matter what happens in their life, they choose to think positive. For them, positive thinking is a choice they make dozens of time each day. They know that if they want to be positive, nothing and no one can stop them.
Think positive.
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.
