Arab Captain Finds Circle of Friends in Dana Point

When the yacht with the Kuwaiti flag first docked in the quiet waters of Dana Point Harbor three months ago, the locals eyed the 46-foot vessel with curiosity.

“We didn’t know what to make of it,” said Norma D’Alessandro, 68, of San Clemente, whose craft is docked feet away.

But it wasn’t long before D’Alessandro and the close-knit cadre of local boaters came to befriend--and admire--the ship’s captain.

Ghanim al-Othman, a 31-year-old Kuwaiti entrepreneur, is said to be the first person from the small Persian Gulf emirate to attempt to circumnavigate the world in a ship. After waiting out the hurricane season, he is preparing to embark on the next leg of the voyage.

“The farthest we’ve been is Cabo [San Lucas in Mexico], and we thought that was exciting,” said Lois Mortensen of Dana Point, whose vessel was parked right next to al-Othman’s.

Al-Othman left Kuwait in January and made his way east, stopping in such places as Singapore, Thailand and Hawaii. His journey has made him somewhat of a national hero in his country, where television programs and newspapers have tracked his progress on a regular basis.

Al-Othman’s wife, who flew from Kuwait last week with the couple’s two young daughters to keep him company while he prepares his vessel for departure, said the whole country is behind him.

“Everybody is very proud of him there,” said Manar al-Ghanin, 31, whose first name in Arabic means “lighthouse.” “Even people I don’t know come up to me and ask about him. How is Ghanim doing? Where is he now? When you expect to visit him? Is he eating well?”

Meanwhile, the affable adventurer has won the hearts of his local hosts, who on Saturday threw a bon voyage party and wished him well for the second half of his long trip. He plans to journey next through the Panama Canal to the Caribbean, and then across the Atlantic. He expects to be back in Kuwait by August.

“This is fantastic. These are our neighbors, and they are celebrities,” said an excited D’Alessandro.

Al-Othman and his mechanic, Jawad Marrof, are scheduled to depart within a few days.

On Saturday, those gathered at the pier pondered his adventure with admiration and awe.

Leon Swails, 53, of Dana Point said circumnavigating the globe is something most boaters fantasize about but few actually do.

“People dream of this, and you see them doing it,” he said.

For his part, al-Othman said he was overwhelmed by the hospitality.

“I think Americans are the nicest people I have met so far,” he said. “I feel like I’m in debt for the rest of my life,” he told those gathered at the pier.

Al-Othman said he always loved the ocean but did not consider boating around the globe until he bought his yacht two years ago.

“I always wanted to be a captain,” he said. “I’m a captain now, of my own boat.”

Al-Othman, who owns a construction company and a furniture factory in Kuwait, said his first trip is actually a practice run. He plans to do it again in the future, spending more time to get to know the local culture in each port.

While he enjoys the stopovers, the solitude of the sea originally inspired the trip.

“It gives you a lot of time to think about yourself,” he said. “Some people listen to classical music; I like the sea.”

But the sea has been rough at times. Traversing the Pacific Ocean, with its gigantic swells and crosswinds, was a challenge to the crew and the ship. When they arrived in Dana Point, a friend who was accompanying him decided he had had enough.

“As soon as we hit the U.S., he ran away,” Al-Othman said, laughing.

Inside the vessel, he has the amenities of a small two-bedroom apartment complete with the latest technology. He has a satellite telephone and fax machine that keep him in touch with his business affairs in Kuwait as well as the latest in weather conditions.

But with the engine running hours on end, 20 days straight during their cross of the Pacific, most of the time has been consumed with maintaining the ship.

Swails, who has become close friends with al-Othman and plans to visit him in Kuwait, said he feels closer to this man from half a world away than he does to most of his neighbors in Dana Point, where he has lived for 12 years.

“I am not sure that I would even recognize a single neighbor if I saw them at the market,” he said.