I just sit and wonder
Where can my good man be
When it rains in here
It’s storming on the sea
When it rains in here
It’s storming on the sea
- billie holiday

Guest Post by Josh Teitelbaum

All Terra Santa expeditions are supported by our weather man, Karel Vissel. Karl was born and bred on the small island of Terschelling in the Netherlands. It was there he began his love affair with the sea.

Karel worked for many years on fishing boats in the Netherlands and America (Nantucket). He travelled the world on his bike before finally settling down in Kibbutz Maabarot in Israel.

He is a fanatic paddler, and keeps abreast of expeditions all over the world. In order to follow expeditions, Karel began to research and analyze weather maps. He has developed a fine sense of how to take weather information from a variety of sources and distill it into useful messages for kayaking and other expeditions.

Karel supports all our expeditions and trips with timely and accurate information on weather and sea conditions which he forwards by SMS text message to cell or satellite phone. The information provided by Karel is a welcome compliment to local broadcasts, and is often even more accurate. This makes our paddling easier and safer.

Lately, he has supported Rotem Ron’s just-completed solo circumnavigation of Iceland (June-July 2006), our Ireland trip (July 2006), and is now supporting the Greenland East Coast Kayak Expedition.

Karel’s timely information is invaluable. During a Greek trip in May 2006, a group of advance paddlers were getting ready to make a long, 50 km. crossing to the island of Karpathos. The group leader, Terra Santa co-owner and kayaking guide Saggi Nehushtan had to make a difficult decision: go for it or not. It was Karel’s information that helped Saggi to make his decision: he brought the group safely to Karpathos.

Karel is now supporting kayaking and other expeditions worldwide. He can be reached at krm_visel@maabarot.org.il.

* photo provided by JT. Thank you!

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