The Ariana Project
Alan Mac explains…
“Ariana Radio, The Sail Trader, Ariana Sailing Team, The Solar Galley, Ariana’s Kitchen, are all part of the same project for the same reason. I want to help people think better for the benefit of all others. Simple idea but complex in its delivery!
When I created this concept 4 years ago I had no idea how difficult it would be, or how much money I would need. The other problem was this crazy idea that I had to do it alone!
Roll forward to the current day, and I am going slowly mad from A. Running out of money and B. Standing alone. Lesson Learned!
There’s a reason people follow the crowd, why they group together, why they don’t deviate from the program. It’s a lot easier.
I wanted to stand alone, but also stay in the heart of human society, which it seems are mutually exclusive. Add to this that no one actually cares if I succeed or not, and all you have is an individual with no money and an idea that no one wanted.
If only I had followed my father into business, I would have been fine. I would have made plenty of money and had a very nice life thank you very much. I would have bought a nice house, had a nice family, and enjoyed myself
No one really bothers to ask me “why?” No one takes the time to ask me why a fairly intelligent man, brought up in a middle class family, in a country where it is easy to make money, is suddenly on the side-lines of society, in a fringe group of wierdos who live on boats, who have shunned “normal life”.
My problem, I believe, is my thinking.
I believe, that due to my way of thinking, I constantly question whether what I am doing is ethical, whether it is causing any harm to people, animals or the planet, and if it is causing harm, I will not do it even if it is detrimental to my own existence. How strange!
I came up with the idea of The Ariana Project when watching a sailing boat crossing the ferry on which my mother’s coffin was being transported back to the place of her birth on the Isle of Bute, Scotland. “How peaceful that looks” I thought…
Three months later, I am on an RYA Sailing Course with Faro Sailing School on the Portuguese/Spanish border, intent on becoming an ocean sailor! What I didn’t realise was how complex a sailing boat was, and that I didn’t have a clue what I was doing!
I was already a highly anxious individual, even though I covered it well with an “outgoing upbeat personality, with a good sense of humour and clever social skills”, but learning to sail levelled the playing field. No longer could I hide behind a cheeky chappy personality, this time, I had to be serious, and I was going to be judged upon my knowledge and skill, which it seemed was inherently lacking!
Roll forward 4 years and here I am, having bought a classic 55 foot sailboat, having sailed thousands of miles offshore, with a firm grasp of good seamanship, training others, and helping beginners learn the ropes…developing personal resilience programs, creating solar cooking recipes, showing that we don’t need to ship products worldwide using dirty diesel cargo ships, serving beautiful meat free meals, learning all that the sea can teach me…. Engine maintenance, carpentry, electronics, plumbing, electrics, sail trim, watchkeeping, astral navigation, helmsmanship, sail trim, resource planning, crew management, navigation, toilet unblocking, water and energy management etc etc… Tell me a more complete human experience!!
It just shows you what is possible in life!
The Ariana Project is my life’s work, and you can find out more about it by tuning in to Ariana Radio or following the blog here…
Anything is possible. Right thinking has a lot to do with it.
Invitations to join the project will be sent out soon.
Thanks for reading .
Alan Mac
Skipper, SV Ariana
Follow on www.arianasailingteam.org
