Calvin Studen Sailed Around the World

Kathy Feasel

D. Hettinga

ENGL 245

11/2/2010

Calvin Student Sailed Around the World

After more than four years sailing around the world, Calvin sophomore Amanda Granger and her family spoke at Calvin last week about their adventure. Within those four and a half years, the family visited 38 countries. Gregg Granger has written a book about their experiences.

In an interview, Gregg explains that he and his wife used their retirement funds, money given from parents, and faith in Gods ability to provide. Originally from Gun Lake, Michigan, Gregg Granger explains that the idea came to him after much prayer and thought about his family situation in 2002. He wanted to provide for his family, and he felt that required more than just the typical American dream.

Once his wife agreed to the extraordinary idea, they planned a two year itinerary and bought a boat. They began sailing a year later, unaware of what lay ahead that would more than double their expectations. Emily was then sixteen years old, Amanda had just turned twelve, and Gregg II was five.

The family began in Hampton, Virginia, with a new 56-foot monohull. They sailed through the Atlantic Ocean, visiting many of the small islands on their way to Panama. Passing through the Panama Canal took two weeks, while they waited for their turn. Once through the canal, they cross the Pacific Ocean, a long leg of the trip equaling eight months. They came to Australia, which Gregg tells was his wife’s favorite place of the entire route. One of his favorite locations was Yemen, many of the pictures in his book show things they did in Yemen. From Australia, they headed northwest, making a few stops through Indonesia on their way to Singapore. From there they proceeded around India and above Africa through the Mediterranean Sea. The last leg of their trip was across the Atlantic Ocean, up the east coast of America, and back to Virginia.

As they had prayed, God did take care of them over and over again. When Gregg was treated for malaria at the UN Hospital in Asmarra, Eritrea, he was told that without the medication, which they lacked, he would not survive. He was sent to Cairo, Egypt and treated properly. Because they carried no health insurance, this hospital bill was an out-of-pocket expense, totaling $450. When his son needed stitches near his eyebrow, the cost was three dollars; after paying the paperwork fee, this equates to approximately nine cents per stitch.

Aside from illnesses and injuries, other obstacles that lengthened their trip were boat repairs and weather. One stop that should have taken a few weeks turned into ten months, during which the family rented an apartment. There was also the lack of wind. They had not expected that to be a problem, yet for many days they floated and swam in one location, waiting for wind.

Gregg explained that the language barriers were overcome by drawing pictures. When he went to a store in need of an oil can, he drew on a pad of paper that he carried with him, and sometimes needed to try a few times but eventually was able to obtain what he needed.

The Granger family purposely avoided major tourism cities, opting for the more traditional and natural culture rich areas. They developed many friendships, some of which they continue to keep in touch with.

While traveling, the children were home schooled, and arriving back home in 2008, Amanda was able to walk with her graduating class. Emily had graduated during a six week trip home for Christmas a previous year. Their book, Sailing Faith, the Long Way Home, tells more about their adventure.