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They dreamed of escaping the rat race and cruising the world; in their late forties they made it a reality.
In 1987, after their children had grown up and left home, Brian and Adela Thompson threw caution to the wind. Retiring from full-time work, they sold their idyllic seventeenth-century cottage and downsized to a 'Tupperware semi'. In return, the wind took them across canals, rivers and seas, to lakes and lands afar in their 25-foot cruising yacht Kiebitz.
Take Wing to the Baltic follows the couple on the first of their dream voyages-a three-month adventure afloat. Setting sail from the East Coast of England in 1989, Kiebitz (German for 'Lapwing') took the Thompson's through the Netherlands and across the Waddenzee to the Lauwersmeer, onto the North Sea and along to the Kiel Canal, through the Danish archipelago to Copenhagen, back to Friesland via the Eider and Helgoland, and home again through Holland and Belgium.
From man overboard scares to tackling Amsterdam's tricky 'night run', Brian and Adela share the harsh realities of undertaking such an expedition, as well as the wonderful friends they made and places they explored along the way. Told with humour and modesty, their story is both informative and inspiring, and proof that dreams can come true.
The fascinating log won the Cruising Association's Dugon Cup in 1990, awarded to the best log of a cruise in a sailing boat of up to 25 feet LOA.
About the author
Brian L. Thompson, PhD, is a licensed psychologist; and director of the anxiety clinic at the Portland Psychotherapy in Portland, OR. He specializes in working with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive and related disorders, and has published research in these areas.Brian C. Pilecki, PhD, is a clinical psychologist at Portland Psychotherapy who specializes in the treatment of anxiety disorders, trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and matters related to the use of psychedelics. Brian also has extensive experience in the areas of mindfulness and meditation, and incorporates them into his therapy with clients. He is an active researcher and has published on topics such as anxiety disorders, mindfulness, and psychedelic-assisted therapy.Joanne C. Chan, PsyD, is a licensed psychologist, and assistant professor of psychiatry at Oregon Health and Sciences University (OHSU) where she provides psychological support to medical and dental faculty, residents, and fellows. Joanne specializes in exposure therapy for anxiety and obsessive-compulsive and related disorders, and regularly provides training and education in her areas of expertise.Steven C. Hayes, PhD, is Nevada Foundation Professor in the department of psychology at the University of Nevada, Reno. He has been president of numerous professional organizations, is author of forty-five books and nearly 650 scientific articles, and is among the most cited living psychologists. He has shown in his research how language and thought leads to human suffering, and is originator and codeveloper of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT): a powerful therapy method that is useful in a wide variety of areas; relational frame theory (RFT): an empirical program in language and cognition; and process-based therapy (with Stefan G. Hofmann).
