Hey Tom,

Some folks out there jockeying to become the next Bumfuzzles, it would appear… (grin)

I believe the fact they were such prolific bloggers actually had a LOT to do with turning this into the huge story it did.. Consider the fact that about a month ago, the Open 40 ANASAZI was dismasted west of Cape Horn, after a transit of the Southern Ocean. The Chilean Navy rescued the family aboard, and eventually assisted in the successful salvage of the vessel. The skipper is an American named James Burdick, accompanied by his wife and 3 children…

Aged 5, 3, and 1…

Even among sailors, this event was barely a blip on the radar screen, never made it here, to the best of my knowledge. Certainly never became the mainstream media "Firestorm" that the REBEL HEART saga did. Now, a voyage through the Southern Ocean via Cape Horn is arguably a FAR riskier endeavor for young children or a toddler than the Milk Run passage the Kaufmanns were making, why was there no attention whatsoever paid to the ANASAZI rescue? Could it have had something to do with the fact they weren't blogging their way across the entire Southern Ocean? (grin)

Granted, few people pay attention to what the Chilean Navy does, although their rescue of solo sailor Ken Barnes a few years ago became a big enough story in the States to land him appearances on TODAY, and GMA… And of course, "sick baby at sea rescue" sounds far more dramatic than "yet another yacht dismasted/abandoned near Cape Horn", I suppose… But really, seems to me the principal reason this story has garnered such widespread interest, is due to the existence of their blogs, which often verge on a titillating stream-of-consciousness self-absorption that is somewhat unusual, to say the least… After all, how many cruising blogs out there keep the audience informed as to the occurrence of the most recent conjugal coupling aboard the good ship, or the timing of 'The Admiral's' menstrual cycle?

Reading the blogs, side by side, is pretty illuminating… Much of it reads as if Charlotte and Eric were not even on the same boat. At times, he appears stunningly unaware of her discomfort, her griping on her blog about what a PITA passage making with an infant and a 3 year old can be, one almost wonders whether he's even bothering to read HER blog (grin) 3 days into the trip, she asks him (not entirely in jest, it seems to me) how long it would take him to sail around the world by himself, without her and the girls? A few days later, she begins her blog posting of the day with the stark confession "This is the stupidest thing we have ever done…" I don't know, I don't think one has to do too much reading between the lines to get the sense that there was a LOT more going on aboard that boat, than simply a sick infant… (grin) And then, just coincidentally after the blog postings cease, they lose steering, and the boat begins taking on water? Could be, I suppose, but that sure sounds like a whole lot of 'developments' arising out of nowhere, simultaneously… (grin)

Please understand, I'm not 'accusing' them of anything, and I think it's wonderful when families go off voyaging like this. I have the greatest admiration for anyone who does so, and frankly, I don't know how they do it, I doubt I ever could. No question, a 1 year old is likely far safer on a cruising boat 1000 NM from land in the Pacific, than in the child safety seat on any highway in America… Or, in a stroller on the grounds of a military installation like Fort Hood, Texas, for that matter…

However, that is assuming the boat is well found, and the adults aboard very capable. And, here is the only problem I have with what the Kaufmann's did: Eric certainly seems capable enough, but I'm not sure where you, or anyone else, gets the idea Charlotte is an "experienced" sailor. Sure, that claim has been made often in their defense, but reading her blog from this voyage, it's apparent to me she's frankly pretty clueless as a sailor, and had no idea what this passage might turn out to be like. She has no understanding, for example, of whatever it was that "Eric did with the sails" at one point, to make the motion of the boat a bit more comfortable. She is clearly unprepared for, and surprised by, the rigors of passage making, she really sounds like someone who might have been spending her first ever night offshore. Eric was clearly sailing that boat singlehanded, with her and the kids along for the ride. (Seems a classic example of a couple perhaps following HIS dream, more than THEIRS) I've looked at the blog, and trying to figure out where she got all this supposed "offshore experience". Eric singlehanded the boat down to Cabo, so she didn't make that trip. They never even ventured up into the Sea of Cortez, looks like they only sailed a total distance of a few hundred miles beyond Cabo, and virtually all of their time in Mexico seems to have been spent in marinas…

For even ordinary Mom & Pop cruisers, both need to be capable of sailing the boat themselves, no? And that's where it seems to me that some degree of irresponsibility may lie, in this case: I seriously doubt her ability to deal with managing the boat herself, in the worst case scenario that Eric might have become incapacitated, himself. And, with 2 small children aboard in addition, that's where their lack of preparation in her being ready to embark on such a passage really comes into question, for me…

As for the boat being well-prepped for the trip, well, I don't know… I realize very few cruising budgets will accommodate a carbon fiber pole, but as one dumbass who managed to break an aluminum Forespar pole in comparatively tame conditions, I have my doubts that bamboo whisker pole of his is gonna be up to the task of making it thru a Pacific tradewinds crossing (grin) And the destruction of their drifter the first day out speaks volumes. Of course, that could happen to anyone, but the fact that they admit they did not EXPECT it would last the duration of the passage is a bit of a head-scratcher. For a 3500 NM passage thru the ITCZ, on a heavy boat not very easily driven and carrying only 30 gallons of fuel, I would think a dependable light air sail inventory in good condition would be near the top of the list of essential gear… but, perhaps that's just me… (grin)

best regards,

Jon