2015 Holland America Grand Voyage

The first Grand Voyage Segment was  a 28 days Iberian Celtic Nordic Baltic Explorer. Then on to the British Isles, Scandinavia and The Arctic Circle, North Pole,The Polar Bears and The Northern Lights...and a big layover in The United Kingdom to watch Stadium Sailing in Portsmouth for The America's Cup.

• ▼  July 2015 (9)
  • Portsmouth-America's Cup World Series Race
  • Portsmouth, ACWS
  • The U.K.-Mind, Body and Sea
  • Portsmouth-America's Cup with Oracle Team USA Trai...
  • Portsmouth, UK-Chasing The Fastest Sailors InThe W...
  • Portsmouth, UK-America's Cup World Series
  • Bon Voyage AmeriCAN Dreamers
  • Being There-With Holland America
  • Edam, Netherlands- Dutch Cheese Market

• ▼  June 2015 (37)
  • Western Norway-Hardangerfjord
  • Vøringsfossen and Sysen Dam-Team Ionic
  • Eidfjord Passage, Norway's Ecstasy
  • Flåm Mountains-Primary Colors
  • Flåm, Norway-Free For All-H2O
  • Ålesund, Norway-Everyday Epiphanies
  • Norway-Red, White and Yellow Houses
  • Trondheim-I Love Ewe
  • On Top of The World 71°10′21″
  • Honningsvåg. Norway-Ready, Set, North Cape
  • Tromsø, Norway-Gateway To The Arctic
  • Narvik Mountains, Norway
  • Narvik, Norway
  • The Arctic Highway
  • Geirangerfjord, Norway-H2OMG
  • Troldhaugen, Norway-Edvard Grieg
  • Bergen, Norway-Fjords
  • 14 Day Northern Explorer Cruise-Norway
  • Haarlem, Netherlands-Globetrotting
  • Flanders Field, Belgium-A Place To Remember
  • Normandy, France Awe and Gratitude
  • Limerick, Ireland-Tyres
  • Foynes, Ireland-Path of Moist Resistance
  • Galway, Ireland-Claddagh Rings
  • Killeybegs, Ireland- 50 Shades of Green
  • @Irish Sea
  • Dublin-Guiness Storehouse-Intoxivation
  • Dublin, Ireland-Irish Central
  • Pembrokeshire, Mid-Wales-Sun Day
  • Saint Just-By-Rosalind, UK
  • Falmouth, UK-Cornish Coastline
  • Guernsey Channel Islands
  • Portland UK-Rocks
  • English Channel-White Cliffs of Dover
  • Edam-Smile and Say Cheese
  • Holland-Keeping In Touch With The Dutch
  • Copenhagen-The Little Mermaid and H2OMG

• ▼  May 2015 (30)
  • Stockholm Marathon- How Swede It Is
  • Helsinki, Finland-Olympic
  • The Hermitage-A View With A Room
  • Petersburg, Russia-Painted In Vodka
  • ST Petersberg-Ain't Much Sunshine-Only 60 Days
  • Tallinn, Estonia
  • Berlin, Germany Alpha Bravo, Check Point Charley
  • Kiel Canal
  • Hamburg- Neuengamme Camp
  • Hamburg, Germany-The Beatles
  • Elbe River, Germany
  • Amsterdam-A'Dam
  • Brugge-500 Beers
  • Brugge-An unFlemished Reputation
  • Portland, U.K. Stone
  • Brest, France-Quaint Quimper
  • Being There-France
  • Haute Médoc Region, France
  • Bordeaux, France-View of The Left Bank
  • Porto, Portugal - Bom Dia
  • Lisbon, Portugal-My Dutch Bike
  • Lagos, Portugal-A Wind From The North
  • Gibraltar-Monkeys
  • Like A Rock - Strait of Gib
  • Córdova, Spain 3 Cultures
  • Alicante, Spain- Knight and Day
  • @Sea-Mallorca
  • Civitavecchia, Italy-Crows Nest
  • Rome Sweet Rome, Italy
  • 2015 World Cruises

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Portsmouth-America's Cup World Series Race

It is the most famous sailing event in the world and the oldest competition in international sport.

The best sailors race in the fastest boats. These AC45 catamarans are different.

They are faster, lighter and they fly on the sea---the boat's foils are out of the water, so things get very fast very quickly. There's very little of the CAT in the water. It's about aerodynamics.It's about control systems. It's about hydraulic systems. It's not Brain Surgery, it's Rocket Science---reminds me of Formula 1. In fact, Red Bull had one of their open-wheel cars next to their bar concession on full display-Zoom.

I broadcasted a few live video feeds using Twitter's new app Periscope. It was cool to get all the views and have people from Europe and in fact all over the planet see my world through my lens (Samsung S5).

Avec Philippe Presti, the French Olympian and coach of the America's Cup champions ORACLE TEAM USA

With Artemis Racing Grinder Chris Brittle

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Portsmouth, ACWS

It was like Formula 1 on water

The America's Cup World Series is in The UK this week-and what do you call 2 days of rain in England---a Weekend!  Conditions were shifty, gusty and all-round demanding ,but that helped the teams  get the pressure they needed as those AC45 sails turned into engines and got speed. BAR and Oracle USA  were neck and neck competitively and it just proved how close the races will be tomorrow and Sunday.

Avec Philippe Presti, the French Olympian and coach of the America's Cup champions ORACLE TEAM USA

If Britain can rule the waves then I can wave the rules and get closer to the boat's before the crowds show up for today's practice runs.  See Video Below:

Race Official Martin Stephens

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The U.K.-Mind, Body and Sea

When I landed in Rome, things started to take off. I was on a different plane. Avi-Navi-gation seems as natural to me as sending an e mail or going to Starbucks.I fold up my self and carry "me"around as if I were a gym bag. FCO Airport is is no exception.

Travelling well is an important part of living well. If you travel well, your trip becomes more memorable and more rewarding. I haven't been everywhere-but it is on my  list--and so is being a multinational soul, an AmeriCAN, not an AmeriCANT.

I couldn't do it on land alone. NYC or L.A., London and Tokyo were what I call "making the right mistakes" These adventures were nothing more than bad planning but useful nonetheless.  I needed to get consecrated @sea and that is what I have been doing for the last 7 years---Turning the slogan "Just Do it, to JUST DONE-ONCE AROUND WITHOUT LEAVING THE GROUND. 

I Myth You-Joseph Campbell

The AWE in Awesome was put back into May and June, and more importantly, I put the HE in Hero-as I continue on what Joseph Campbell articulates in The Power of Myth, as actually feeling the rapture of being alive. I have never sailed to The Arctic Circle- and now I can say "Just Done It!" Swish

Don’t RENT your life, OWN it. Live Your Dream(s) Now, not your Back-Up Plan

They call it Planet Earth but it's mostly covered in blue ocean. I took a 1hr train ride  to Civitavecchia,  the port of call for Holland America's Prinsendam, I was about to start on the first of Two Grand Voyages.

"Every day is a journey," wrote Basho, "and the journey itself is home." If the Zen poet hadn't said that more than 300 years ago, I would have. I am Basho on a frequent flyer pass, with complimentary mojo on take off.

Don't Just Read My Words: See My May-June 2015 Videos:

The Irish Sea - Celtic Explorer

The English Riviera-Cornwall

Have You Driven A Fjord Lately? H2 0MG

Portland,UK ROCKS

How Swede It Is- Stockholm Marathon

From Russia With ART-Sankt Peterburg

Driving On The Arctic Highway- Midsummer

Ready,Set, North Cape-Arctic Circle

Flåm, Norway - Enriched By A Wonderful Osmosis

Nordic Track-Waterfalls Everywhere

 The Netherlands-  Keep In Touch With The Dutch

Portsmouth, UK- Riding a Zodiac  and  Chasing an AC45 Sail Boat

47 Stories:

▼  June 2015 (37)

• Western Norway-Hardangerfjord
• Vøringsfossen and Sysen Dam-Team Ionic
• Eidfjord Passage, Norway's Ecstasy
• Flåm Mountains-Primary Colors
• Flåm, Norway-Free For All-H2O
• Ålesund, Norway-Everyday Epiphanies
• Norway-Red, White and Yellow Houses
• Trondheim-I Love Ewe
• On Top of The World 71°10′21″
• Honningsvåg. Norway-Ready, Set, North Cape
• Tromsø, Norway-Gateway To The Arctic
• Narvik Mountains, Norway
• Narvik, Norway
• The Arctic Highway
• Geirangerfjord, Norway-H2OMG
• Troldhaugen, Norway-Edvard Grieg
• Bergen, Norway-Fjords
• 14 Day Northern Explorer Cruise-Norway
• Haarlem, Netherlands-Globetrotting
• Flanders Field, Belgium-A Place To Remember
• Normandy, France Awe and Gratitude
• Limerick, Ireland-Tyres
• Foynes, Ireland-Path of Moist Resistance
• Galway, Ireland-Claddagh Rings
• Killeybegs, Ireland- 50 Shades of Green
• @Irish Sea
• Dublin-Guiness Storehouse-Intoxivation
• Dublin, Ireland-Irish Central
• Pembrokeshire, Mid-Wales-Sun Day
• Saint Just-By-Rosalind, UK
• Falmouth, UK-Cornish Coastline
• Guernsey Channel Islands
• Portland UK-Rocks
• English Channel-White Cliffs of Dover
• Edam-Smile and Say Cheese
• Holland-Keeping In Touch With The Dutch
• Copenhagen-The Little Mermaid and H2OMG
• ▼  May 2015 (30)
  • Stockholm Marathon- How Swede It Is
  • Helsinki, Finland-Olympic
  • The Hermitage-A View With A Room
  • Petersburg, Russia-Painted In Vodka
  • ST Petersberg-Ain't Much Sunshine-Only 60 Days
  • Tallinn, Estonia
  • Berlin, Germany Alpha Bravo, Check Point Charley
  • Kiel Canal
  • Hamburg- Neuengamme Camp
  • Hamburg, Germany-The Beatles
  • Elbe River, Germany
  • Amsterdam-A'Dam
  • Brugge-500 Beers
  • Brugge-An unFlemished Reputation
  • Portland, U.K. Stone
  • Brest, France-Quaint Quimper
  • Being There-France
  • Haute Médoc Region, France
  • Bordeaux, France-View of The Left Bank
  • Porto, Portugal - Bom Dia
  • Lisbon, Portugal-My Dutch Bike
  • Lagos, Portugal-A Wind From The North
  • Gibraltar-Monkeys
  • Like A Rock - Strait of Gib
  • Córdova, Spain 3 Cultures
  • Alicante, Spain- Knight and Day
  • @Sea-Mallorca
  • Civitavecchia, Italy-Crows Nest
  • Rome Sweet Rome, Italy

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Portsmouth-America's Cup with Oracle Team USA Training Day

Took a bit of video and some great photos of not only Oracle's Rig, but also Emirates Team NZ, Softbank Team Japan and The Swedish Team Artemis out in The windy Solent.

Out at historic Portsmouth Naval Dockyard and met up with 2x America's Cup Champion, Skipper Jim Spithill, from Oracle Team USA, going for #3 next Sunday

Capturing a bit of The SPIRIT of Racing-With Land Rover BAR

I managed to hitch a ride on Charles and Annie's Ballistic Inflatable (Zodiac) and the 500HP  was no match for Mothers Nature and The Land Rover BAR crew. Last July, while we were on The QM2, an Oceanliner, we reached 22 nautical mph, nearly getting blown off the deck, and these guys can throttle it to 50, in the tiny spaces of a 20 meter trampoline. 
Even though it was a sea trial,the boat's foils are out of the water and things get very fast very quickly. There's very little of the boat in the water. It's about aerodynamics, it's about control systems, hydraulic systems. It's not Brain Surgery, it' Rocket Science---reminds me of Open-Wheel Racing technology and Life in the Fast Lane, at the Indy 500.

Chasing Ben Ainsley's Landrover BAR On The Solent

Back to Today's Photos:

Oracle Team USA

Softbank Team Japan

Emirates  Team  NZ New Zealand

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