Many times on my voyage, I received comments* and emails from you that I found encouraging, supportive, and heartfelt and it meant a lot to me to get your honest feedback.
MaryLou and I are are now working on a book and planning several presentations about Going Solo in the future.
We welcome any comments you may wish to share about what following the voyage meant to you, and, what it meant to you to take part in the online conversation here on the blog.
We look forward to hearing from you. Many thanks.
Glenn and MaryLou
*Note: Going Solo had 750 subscribers. Visitors came from 73 countries. The total number of page views was 176,836. There were 1165 comments.
Dear Glenn and MaryLou
Thank you for taking us along on an inspirational voyage these last few months! Your writing has transported me out onto the Pacific – everything from the albatross to wrestling with gales to the creative culinary adventures of eating out of cans! Life at sea is an immense challenge – one of the reasons it appeals – but it is also immensely beautiful, as your posts have captured so well. Some of my own happiest moments have been offshore, and when I’m landlocked I dream of heading out there again. So this winter as I live and work far inland, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my vicarious daily visits to the open ocean. My own adventures have hardly taken me away from home and family as long as yours have, so I can only respect and admire your determination and love for one another.
Fair winds for the book project. All the best, Ellen
Thank you for your thoughtful article in Ocean Navigator. We posted in on the blog today and hope our followers will enjoy it as well. Hope you find an offshore adventure soon Ellen. Take care.
Glenn and MaryLou
The voyage in West Wind II was well under way when my daughter, Jennifer Williams, told me about the sailor from Victoria doing a circumnavigation and the daily reports on the your location, winds, sea conditions, issues to be dealt with etc. All of which was tremendously interesting as I had done very little sailing and was much in awe of the tremendous courage required to undertake such a voyage. My only experience on the water was as a deckhand on a tug and, as a young lad accompanying my father on trips on the coast of B.C. as he was a tug skipper. The necessity to abort the voyage was surely the right decision but nevertheless heartbreaking. Best wishes in your future endeavours.
Mike Williams, Calgary.
“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”
That was part of your post on day 95. As it turned out I read that during a particularly rough round of Chemo and it helped a lot. (I commented on day 129 how following your voyage helped me through my own.) Thank you for letting us share in the adventure.
I enjoyed the vicarious experience of being with Glenn. As a retired ex-football player who’s knees are bad I could fell the concerns with each wave on the sail back to Fremantle. It was a memorable thrill when I got up at 3 AM to talk to Glenn the first time with Ted Vk6NTE. I enjoyed the daily reports of progress and couldn”t wait until they were posted. The whole experience can be summed up in the last stanza of “The Impossible Dream”……” And the world will be better for this, that one man scorned and covered with scars still strove with his last ounce of courage to reach the unreachable stars,”
Best wishes 73 Larry W4VES
Whenever I think of Glenn and MaryLou I have happy memories. As a young girl growing up in Victoria, I remember whenever I saw them, I just felt…. happy. MaryLou’s kind demeanour and Glenn’s infectious, and never-ending smile. One memory of mine is hanging out on Glenn’s sailboat with my family in Victoria harbour. It was a warm, magical evening, and Glenn and MaryLou were flirting with each other like love-struck teenagers!
I love that technology has given us the gift of a having a closer world. This blog has been so enjoyable to read. Not only was I interested in seeing where Glenn was every day, thanks to GPS, but his ability to write in a way that was so creative and descriptive that I felt I was living vicariously every experience he was having. I experienced the beauty of sunsets, felt lonely with him when he wrote about missing his family, and excited along with him when he wrote about his mini-victories. Every morning I would wake up and reach for my computer hoping to see a new blog update in my in-box to read with delight. What happened to Glenn that day? It was like having a beautiful short story to read to get my day started.
And then if there was no email – I must confess – I worried! And on that note, I am happy you are safe and home.
Thank you for allowing us to share in this wondrous experience along with you. You are a beautiful writer. It was a thoroughly enjoyable trip!
Big hugs to you and MaryLou,
Jody Banister
We welcome any comments you may wish to share about what following the voyage meant to you, and, what it meant to you to take part in the online conversation here on the blog.
Thanks for those very kind words Jody. We really appreciate your feedback. Take care ML and G
Glen: As a mariner myself for 38 years I really enjoyed the daily posts of your voyage. They are special to me for many reasons, some of which are the immence size of the ocean and you are a very small spec out there, the beauty of a different world, the fresh smell of the open ocean, and the ever changing color of the sky and sea state. Not everyone gets to experience life at sea and you stated your experience very well. You also have a special lady at home to hold things together which I consider a big part of your accomplishment. I will look forward to your book and any other news of upcoming advenures. Sorry you had to leave your boat behind, I can only imagine your attachment to her. I sailed as Chief Engineer on one particular tugboat for 30 years and was very attached to her. All the best to you and MaryLou and hope to hear from you now and then.
Steve Erickson
Langley, BC
Situated here in the heart of the vast Canadian prairies, so far from the wild and treacherous oceans you were crossing, I was intrigued and inspired by your blogs and impatient to open each posting and read of your adventures for that day. Also I was so relieved when you pulled safely into harbour. Thanks to my family Kathryn and Grant in Victoria for showing me how to follow your journey.
Dear Glenn and MaryLou: Glenn, I am sad that the daily entries/blog are over. I often looked for your entry before I went to work (0630 a.m.) and shared with everyone in the lunch room as to how you were doing and what your new coordinate were. I wished/dream that I could have been born in a different place (Saskatoon in fact) because I so love the open ocean and feeling the wind on my face. I took my sailing lessions a few years ago and have been a land-locked sailor since then. Glenn I know that you are the hero for turning your boat around and am sure that MaryLou will agree. Enjoy your renewed friendship with MaryLou and a new adventure with life. Thank you Glenn for taking me on your round the world trip. I loved every second.
Captain and Mrs. Wakefield I just wanted to say Thank You both!! Your insight, determination and obvious love for each other is inspiring. I looked forward to getting your posts every day and couldn’t wait to read them. It’s too bad a mechanical issue forced you to stop/postpone your journey, but it’s also a God send you’re safe and in good health. You are both “ROCK STARS” to me.
Thanks Michael! We’ll be in touch soon. ML
Hi Glenn
Thank you for the push. I had been meaning to leave a comment since day one when I started following your journey! Congratulations on your epic sail. I admire the way you played out the game and the decisions made along the way. I look forward to the launch of your book! Best wishes to you and your family for the future. Craig Austin
Thank you Craig. Much appreciated. Never easy to make difficult decisions knowing there are many eyes watching.
I have enjoyed all of your posts. The human aspect of your adventures was most intriguing. It is difficult to understand the sense of isolation you must have felt in the dark moments but I feel that your portrayal was so honest and heartfelt. As I live in Bellingham, please keep me posted about your presentation schedule. Cheers, Bob
Thanks very much Bob. Once we have a presentation schedule we’ll post it on the blog. If you’re part of an organization that is looking for speakers, please let us know the contact details and we’ll get in touch. ML