"The Lifesaver"

First crossing , first Typhoon !!! After three days of pure bliss , I started feeling a bit worried when i realized that this typhoon was not going to stay on the east coast of the Philippines . A quick look at the weather map confirmed that there wasn't enough time to reach land before everything got out of control . The only option was to start heading west to get away as much as possible from the center of the storm . Night fell and rain started pouring down . 50 knots of wind and no way to see were the waves were coming from . Scary ! The boat got knocked down a few times : it's a strange feeling to be standing on the wall of your boat !!!
I was glad i had met Glenn in Hong Kong and asked him to come with me on that trip , I probably wouldn't have made it without his support . We had to endure 30 hours of madness before finally managing to get to the coast . ICE , Don McIntyre 's boat (more on him later , he's a legend !!! ) who had left Hong Kong with us had managed to get in before the Storm . He was waiting for us at the pass and guided us through a maze of Philippino fish farms to a good anchorage spot . First time in my life i was happy to see flat water :) Surfing a 20 tons steel boat had not been the most pleasant experience . I finally shut down the engine and we went to bed exhausted . After a day of rest we got back on the water this morning , heading for Subic to repair a few things and make a some modifications to the boat .
I'm really peacefull now , fear has been replaced by a feeling of ecstasy . I don't know if i've ever felt like this ...
I guess that's what happens when you really start to enjoy being alive .

Ben , transmitting Alive from Kalakuta , 15° 28 North - 119° 45 East

"Around The World"

The List is Dead , Long Live The List !!! I finally left Hong Kong yesterday and i'm on my way to the Philippines right now ;)
I was on watch this morning and i enjoyed my first sunrise onboard ! 130 miles away from Hong Kong and 420 miles to go !!! What a great feeling , watching the world go by at 6 knots . It's so much more than what i was expecting , i don't know how to write about it ! I just can't get rid of that big smile on my face :)
James Brown blasting from the speakers in the Pilot House , Kalakuta gently rolling with the South china sea swell , I'm like a turtle , slowly moving my house to a new country .
Big Kisses to all who believed in what i was doing, and supported me and my crazy dreams . And a big FUCK YOU to all the others who tried to make me doubt :)
Free Your Mind , And Your Ass Will Follow !

Ben , Transmitting live from the South China Sea : 20° 32' 054 North , 116° 18' 067 East

Rain , Rain and a bit more Rain !!! Summer is coming in Hong Kong and this means hot temperatures and high humidity ... It' s in this kind of weather that i've been running around the city for the past two weeks , looking for all kinds of parts . I' ve become an expert at scouting for all kinds of things in Hong Kong : Boat stuff in Ap Lei Chau , electric things in Sham Shui Po , tools and screws in Mong Kok . And if you want to be successful , you got to get deep into The List .
The List started it's life as an innocent looking piece of paper but has now grown into a healthy looking A-4 sized notebook . The List is like the Blob , the more you feed it , the hungrier it gets . The List likes when i meet other sailors , as it's almost sure i'll have another thing to add to it . The List ranges from fuel filters to cookware , food , diving gear , lifejackets , rope , more filters , bed-sheets , oil , flares , fishing rods and transmission fluid ! My credit card hates The List . The List has become my best friend and my worst enemy : it will keep me safe and ready but could also keep me shopping forever . I now understand now why many people get a boat and never leave : The List has taken control of their lives .
But I plan on beating The List . I'll be burning The List at the end of this week . It's the only way i'll be able to get my freedom back ... Oh , just though about one more thing to add to The List ... And one more ... I will also need a can opener ! And a Wire Cutter , 10mm minimum !!! It feels great , more lines on the notebook ... It starting to look a lot more serious now !
Hmm , The List is so addictive , it's going to be hard to get clean .