Ok, I’ve been hinting on this blog in various posts I’ve been up to something. And, things have not been slowing down enough for me to write. So, let me at least explain in general terms what I’ve been up to and how Google Earth will be involved.
A few years ago, my wife Karen and I bought a sailboat and took our kids sailing around the Caribbean (see Google Earth visualization of that trip). My wife and I thought cruising and exploring by sailboat was such a great idea, we planned to do it again when our kids moved out for college. In fact, we decided we would sell our house, buy a new boat, and live and sail around the world for five years. Guess what? Our kids (who are twins) are starting college right now. And we just bought a new sailboat! I had to sail it from the Bahamas last week, that’s why I had Mickey writing blog posts, the boat doesn’t have satellite communications – yet.
Using Google Earth these past three years has only intensified our plans for the trip. First, to help us explore places we want to go. Of course, we want people to be able to see the places we go and will post Google Earth maps of our route and destinations. Since for three years I’ve been writing about the multitudes of different ways Google Earth can be used, plans have been made for some really cool Google Earth content coming from our circumnavigation. Real-time tracking, using Google Earth for nautical charts, geotagging photos, GPS tracks when we go ashore, aerial photography, and more (see a test run here). In the coming weeks, I will be sharing more about what is planned in those areas.
For five years, we will be geo-blogging our trip and leveraging Google Earth and many other tools to share our experiences. In addition to Google Earth Blog, there will be a new blog dedicated to the trip. The plan is to continue Google Earth Blog – although, I will get some help to keep the daily flow going. We won’t be departing until sometime next year (originally it was going to be November 2009, but we may move that up a bit). We’re very excited about this trip, and I’m also excited to share with you the plans I’ve been cooking up to leverage Google Earth to make following our trip an experience in itself!
About Frank Taylor
Frank Taylor started the Google Earth Blog in July, 2005 shortly after Google Earth was first released. He has worked with 3D computer graphics and VR for many years and was very impressed with this exciting product. Frank completed a 5.5 year circumnavigation of the earth by sailboat in June 2015 which you can read about at Tahina Expedition, and is a licensed pilot, backpacker, diver, and photographer.
Very cool! I’m a daily reader of your blog and also a wannabe cruiser (though more of the “lead mine” than “just as happy floating upside down” type), so I’m looking forward to keeping up with your circumnavigation via the blog. Are you going to have a separate sailing blog that links from this one?
Jason
I just wanted to thank you for all the great information you have put on gearthblog. It is my #1 site for GE information. Have you seen the clip on the Microsoft Sphere? Is this the future of globes? It is and interesting tool.
Here is the link: http://research.microsoft.com/~benko/projects/sphere/
I am so friggin jealous. I’ll be living vicariously through you for the next five years.
WOW:D that’s a realy cool idea but five years!?
thats really long but if i could do such thing i did it right away i
wish you the best for your trip
Congratulations Frank!
That is very cool! It is nice to see people living the dream. Very inspiring!
Fantastic Frank! Kudos on pursuing your dream. Can’t wait to see what you do with Google Earth & Blogging on the open seas!
Hi Frank and many thanks for creating and updating GEBlog… Its the #1 site i open every morning!!!
I would like to wish you and Karen all the best for the “mother of all trip” I`ll be following your blog, and hope you some day anchor up in Tromsø. I`ll be your personally guide in my town….
Congratulations Frank! I hope you have a really great trip! Can’t wait to read your new blog.
Even in the world of Google Earth, there is a time when you just need to go and see things in person. 😉
This is really exciting news – and the prospect of a few years of juicy “Where’s Frank?” teaching material.
Looking forward to hearing more about the plans, and the new blog!
Noel
That sounds fantastic, Frank. Imagine if Columbus had a Google Earth — the irony being, he’d have actually made it to the orient.
Cool news, Frank. I’m not sure I’d take a boat, but I’m jealous just the same. 🙂
It’s great hearing from so many of you both by E-mail and the comments here. My goal is to inspire people to think about ways to explore the real Earth while also remaining connected and enhance and sharing our experiences with Where 2.0 technologies.
I just found your blog, I was looking for information about Google Earth. Imagine my surprise to find a fellow sailor! You’re a few years ahead of my hubby and I (our daughter is in high school). We hope to be able to at least cruise the Inside Passage and to Mexico when she’s in college.
I’d love to link to you when you cast off or start on the sailing aspect of you next blog. My readers would love to follow along. Please let me know the address and I’ll add you to my blogroll.
Congrats on the boat…I’m drooling! I guess I’ll have to look at what you have about Google Earth now 😀
Thanks for sharing your time You will have more fun and experiences please tell us stuck in the muds what goes on
Very jealous that you can take the time to sail around the world like that. Someday! SOMEDAY!
Sailing around the world would be amazing! However, I’ve got the same issues as a lot of you…finding that much time off and the long open water passages (kinda boring). My plan is to make my way around the world one sailing region at a time. Use Yacht Charter Advisor to find the top rated yachts and charter companies, fly in, sail for a week or so and back home ready to plan the next adventure. All that said, I’m am looking forward to the reading about your sailing adventure!
Sailing around the world is always a legendary event,google earth make this more easy and helpful for the sailors…More pics from the story would be nice…