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I never
listen to "the net", which is channel 72 on the WHF, which people in(/at) the
marina and anchor(?) have every morning. To me it sounds as if they're talking
about the same every day and as if it's the same people saying it. But
sometimes(/from time to time) there there is "gold". Niels came running over
yesterday morning and told me that: "Day by Day has found an oar". I called them
and we went over there immediately. Yes, indeed it was my oar. How lucky can one
guy be........
The next day I used more gas for the new small engine than I have used for the
big one since leaving the mainland(/the Continent) (Portugal). I used five
litres, but I also think that I have seen every quay(/wharf) here in Colon.
At the anchorage I saw Bob, my clairvoyant(/second-sighted) friend from Bonaire.
He said that he needed (some) help going up the(/his) mast and he knew he didn't
have to ask around. (Eventually, edit) the help would get there all by itself.
He was right, and we agreed to meet at a later date.
I have found the crew for my transit. Earlier (on) I have sailed with Stacy and
my best friend, Natalie. And they would like to go through with me. Stacy has
brought along Gene, who is on board Stacy's boat. And the Swede Gøte has
promised that he too would come along.
"My" girls; Stacy, Gene and Natalie invited me to the cinema(/movies) yesterday.
We saw the new "Cast Away" with(/starring) Tom Hanks. He's a FedEx employee who
ends up alone on a desert(ed) island for four years following a plane crash. And
if someone has romantic dreams about ending up on a desert(ed) island they ought
to see this film. I sat next to Nat and were hardly able to concentrate on the
film. I would rather just hold hands. I did however control(/restrain) myself.
A book I have read quite a few times by now and which I'm never going to swap is
Captain Joshua Slocum's "Sailing Alone Around the World". He did his
voyage(/journey) in the late 1890's and the experiences were
evidently(/obviously) completely different from today, but the navigation and
the weather is still the same. And many of his advices are still useful to this
day.
"To young men contemplating a voyage - I would say; Go!". Yes, it can be said
that simple, and that still goes.
"The tales of rough usage are for the most part exaggerations, as also are the
stories of sea danger". And lots of people I have spoken to, have never
experienced storms or really bad weather.
Joshua learned to sail the hard way; "I did not live among angels, but among
men, who could be roused". "To face the elements is, to be sure, no light matter
when the sea is in its grandest mood. You must then know the sea, and know that
you know it, and not forget, that it was made, to be sailed over".
Simple as that!!! |