Trawler Blogs recently caught up with Eric and Christi Grab of Kosmos, the Nordhavn 43 that recently circumnavigated the globe. Here’s what they had to say:
Tell us about your journey. You circumnavigated the world in 2 years?
Yes, we left San Diego on April 28, 2007 and completed the circumnavigation on May 1, 2009.
What advice would you give to our readers who are thinking about taking off on a journey like yours?
Make sure that you do your homework so you know what you are getting into–there are many things to consider, from boating skills to weather to cultural mores. Don’t be too fixated on the boat; it should be more about the journey than the boat. Don’t let people discourage you from following your dreams; many will try. And don’t let irrational fears overwhelm you–understand the statistical likelihoods of potential problems and prepare accordingly.
Tell us about crossing the Pacific. What was that like?
The Pacific was the toughest ocean for us to cross. We were new boaters with little experience, which made the crossing that much harder (the 21 day pacific crossing was the very first passage we’d EVER done). We found the Pacific to consistently have the biggest seas of the three oceans we crossed, but at the same time, also had the most special landfalls.
What is the biggest lesson you learned along the way?
99% of the people around the world are nice. Everyone wants the same things: to be happy and have healthy children. We don’t think people should fear or demonize one another–with just the littlest effort to build cultural bridges, cruisers easily are welcomed and accepted.
Out of all of the countries that you visited, which was your favorite?
Comparing all the wonderful countries is like comparing apples to oranges. Every place has something about it that makes it special and we enjoyed every place we visited. To cite a few examples: We enjoyed Fakarava in the South Pacific because it was a remote paradise; we enjoyed Vanuatu and Timor because the people were so proud of their indigenous lifestyles; we enjoyed Oman because it was such a different cultural experience for us; we enjoyed Malta because it was so historic; we enjoyed Bonaire because it had good diving, and while it felt remote, there were enough amenities to keep us entertained.
What are your plans for you and Kosmos? Do you have any big plans?
We still live aboard and hope to go cruising again; it is just figuring out when it will be viable.
About Christi and Eric Grab
Eric and Christi Grab both grew up in Southern California and attended San Diego State, though they did not meet until years after they had both graduated. Eric followed a successful technical path of computer science and software engineering, and helped start three companies, including DivX. Eric has received several patents for his innovative technology and is considered a Digital Rights Management/Online Security expert. Christi joined the mortgage industry shortly after finishing college. When the boom started, she opened her own mortgage related business that prospered. Both loved to travel. In 2003, when they got engaged, they decided to take time away from their careers to travel the world on a boat. The only problem was they knew nothing about boating! After four years of preparation, they left on their world wide journey, which they completed in two years. Eric has returned to his software career. Christi has started a new career as an author and speaker.
Read More from the Grabs: The Unexpected Circumnavigation
You can find their book, the Unexpected Circumnavigation at Lulu and Amazon.
Lulu has both PDF digital and paper form.
Amazon has paper copies only.
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