I’m alive. I slither around the deck, water and sun in a tug of war, waves fracturing into a hundred fingers running from my hair to my toes. I hang onto whatever, grateful for the inanimate objects, a rail, a rope, a cleat, anything that will hold me onto the deck. I’m cursing, but smiling. […]
Curses, Tankers, Stories
I’m in my underwear, on my back, in a pool of diesel, glistening in sweat, yanking on a fuel hose. My feet are sticking up out of the cockpit locker. My head is under the diesel tank. “You fucking bitch,” I yell as loudly as I can. My ears hurt because there is nowhere down […]
Ships, ships everywhere!
We’re approaching the Panama canal, about 150 miles distant. It feels like were in the middle of a freeway, riding a bicycle between lanes. Big ships are everywhere, passing us on all sides. There is no traffic separation scheme here, so the ships pass each other port-to-port, starboard-to-starboard and they overtake each other (and us) […]
Is Golfito Really THAT Nice?
Golfito is a town sinking into the jungle. I like it here, but I suspect most people don’t. It’s a place of peeling paint, vines, a certain past, humidity, alcohol and some aging, slightly overweight ex-pats who are desperate to figure out how they could ever live in the States on 10 hours of work […]
Low Profile in Costa Rica
Approaching Golfito in southern Costa Rica. Doug and I have been motoring for four days. Mostly no wind, though we had 30+ knots for a while a couple of days ago in the Papagallo. Now cloudy with lots of squalls and lightning. Never seen so much lightning. What’s the highest point around here? Oh, right…. […]
Still Alive, Just Not Sailing
Many people have written, wondering if something has gone wrong.¬† Well, the short answer is no.¬† The long answer is my plans are changing daily. ¬†The boat is on a mooring at Barillas Marina Club in Bahia Jiquilisco in El Salvador.¬† Doug has joined us.¬† So Gunilla, Doug and I have rented a car and […]
Goodbye old friends….
Off the coast of El Salvador. Smelled a wood fire last night, perhaps someone cooking, the scents of humanity blown out to sea. Someone asked me once what I miss at sea. Smells. There are no smells at sea, except those we create ourselves on the boat. No musty leaves, no dust, no asphalt, no […]
Even The Devil Has His Good Days
The Gulf of Tehuantepec. Flat calm. I’ve been gritting my teeth for days now, in anticipation of crossing this 240 miles where it blows gale force 140 days per year. But today, nothing. Other than a little unpleasantness this afternoon — 20 or 25 knots on the nose with some steep chop — it’s been […]
Back to Mexico
I have only once before seen the ocean this calm, 13 years ago when I was stuck for a few days in the middle of the Pacific High on the way back from Hawaii. It is almost surreal. The water is smooth as glass. Not a ripple. “Ventura’s” wake trails behind for a mile or […]
Photos from Cabo
</p> Here are some phots from Cabo San Lucas. I apologize for the delay in posting. Unlike David, I can’t use the “no wind” excuse to explain my tardiness. Click on the slideshow above and you should get the controls that will let you view the thumbnails and select different images. Or just sit back […]