Donna Lange: World voyager & talented musician
Posted By RichC on January 7, 2007

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
Volkswagen has started strong in the Dakar Rally this year as after the first stage they have capture the top 5 spots of 187 cars in the race. Portuguese car racer Carlos Sousa was first in this grueling off-road event which travels some 5,000 miles through Europe and Africa. Sousa time for the first stage was 1 hour, 20 minutes, 38 seconds, which was followed by four more VeeDubs. So far they have made good on they goal of taking spots away from Mitsubishi cars capturing first through fifth finishes. Stage one covered 288 miles, with 73 miles timed.
I’m following up yesterday’s (1/5/2007) post about the California sailor Ken Barnes partially because the news media has picked up the story and and partially because of my sailing passion. In my opinion, this notoriety due to the
Many watching or reading the news have now heard about Ken Barnes and his 44 foot boat “Privateer,” but don’t know about another single handed sailor in the same blow only 150 miles away sailing a 28 foot boat. I mentioned 
Privateer. A wicked storm has battered his yacht, de-masting both masts, damaging his hatch and leaving him without power. Most concerning is that, according to reports from his satellite phone, he has been injured. (a deep cut on his leg) Another low is heading his way from the west and his boat will most likely not make it. Currently a rescue attempt is underway, hopefully to have him picked up by today. Yesterday’s photo from a Chilean P3 airplane has confirmed the damage. Fellow solo sailor 
from Ohio Congressman John Boehner. The ceremony was the place to be today in our nation’s capital, as for the first time in our nation’s history a women was elected to the position of Speaker of the House. There were no tickets to be had, even if you were the mayor California’s largest city, Nancy Pelosi’s home state.


While visiting a new home last week I took a photo of wiring running through a front door hinge. Unfortunately my concern was dismissed with a smile: “Oh I been doing this for 15 years” and “its only a small strings of lights.” Sadly, I don’t think pointing out the potential risk will be heeded, but perhaps posting this here might help someone else? As you put away your Christmas lights this season, consider the many safety issues that might have been overlooked. By the way, what do you think about running wires through door hinges?
As we put 2006 behind us, I have a sickening feeling when reflecting on this past year of war (US casualties top 3000), of local violence (Cincinnati homicides highest since WWII) and the of dangers around the world (Iran vying for nuclear power, North Korea testing missiles and continued killings in Israel and Lebanon). The civilized world, including the United States, is continuing to see a depressing slide in values and what traditionalists perceive as right and wrong, or good and bad. Surely people of faith recognize the Godlessness already apparent in much of Europe and that same erosion becoming obvious in the US as well? As a ‘once Christian nation,’ we have discounted biblical standards and the teaching of Jesus … America has moved from our “One Nation Under God” founding principles towards the philosophies of
It has been a busy holiday week which included Christmas, New Year’s Eve, football and my niece’s wedding. I also wanted to ‘