Donna Lange: World voyager & talented musician

Posted By on January 7, 2007

Donna Lange on Inspired Insanity
In a post a couple of days ago I mentioned solo sailor, singer and songwriter Donna Lange and commented that I would see if I could get permission to share some of her music. I’ll include a couple cuts to the right sidebar under the heading “What I’m listening to,” with the caveat that if you like her music you’ll consider writing Donna’s mother and sending a check for $20 + $2.50 postage and handling for her music CD:

Donna Lange CD
Wilton Mobile Home Park
314 Louden Road, Lot 131
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866-6514

As she navigates ever so close to South America’s ‘graveyard of the sea’ — Cape Horn — where fellow single-handed sailor Ken Barnes was just rescued, the better weather looks to be holding. In an email I received this morning from aboard SB Inspired Insanity, Donna wrote “I should be around the horn monday morn. i am just under 300miles, a solid 2 1/2 days. Then i will head up to the channel and to Puerto Williams. This is a challenging passage, but this sailor is now far more experienced and the equipment and repairs to her 28 foot boat have made it far safer than when she started. For me personally, it is good to see that there are still people dreaming and doing, sadly … 99% of us will forever be “just dreaming.”
🙁
EDIT-6PM update: Click here for an actual morning plot and an 18:00 EST estimated update as she approaches Cape Horn.

EDIT: I am following Donna’s voyage daily; here are a few other posts.

EDIT: Use the link on this post to connect with Google Earth daily plots of Donna’s progress along with log entries.

EDIT: Adding an ‘Equator Crossing’ updated post. Bristol, Rhode Island homecoming estimated in mid-April. Stay tuned to welcome Donna home.

I’ll finalize this post with the latest email that was sent to the handful communicating regularly with her … adventure types enjoy!

1625UTC 1125local/NY 0525NZ
LAND HO!!!!!!!
I had just got off the phone with Jonathan, confirming plans. The winds have gradually settled down over the last hour and it was time to take a reef out of the main. It is imperitive that i make good time today to make Puerto Williams by tomorrow night. As I open the companion way, a waft of warm air washes across my face, the sun filtering through a haze, soft white. There had been a ship that was going by earlier. As i strained my eyes to see it, I realized that in the liftng clouds, i was looking at Land, not horizon. The jagged edged mountain tops ridged and steep to the sea, were not clouds, but shadows of Chile’s Island of Tierra Del Fuego. I was suddenly full of excitement. just minutes ago I was daunted by the task of getting up to and along the channel,driving and sailing headwinds. But now the magic of the adventure has grabbed a hold of my imagination. The whales, seals. The sea captains. Those who live at Cape Horn, not just ‘go around’ it. The glaciers and penguins. The people here. And I will have an introduction. The music of Argentina…so romantic and passionate. I am still 54 miles from the Cape, but I should have some sight on it by this afternoon, and if I am not already around it at dark, surely its light will be shining close ahead. I have to find my camera. Shoot. in just 2 days i will have to be personable. If I know me, at some point, especially if the sun really comes out, i will take a bath and wash my hair. try to scrub 2 months worth of dead skin off my shins. it seems to be worst there. It only gets like this because it has been cold. even the first weeks when it was still relatively warm, i was ‘air fluffing my skin’, but once it gets cold, i become a hermit hiding in my polar fleece layers. Next sighting… the CAPE. loves to all. xoxoxo d

Comments

Desultory - des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee

  1. lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
  2. digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark.
My Desultory Blog