Oh, whoops, sorry, I mean Ahhhhhh, the Caribbean!!!!!
That is our motto after all. It's just that as Faith rests snug in her berth at South Shore Yacht Club with barnacles bespeckling the pylons, seagulls flocking at the breakwater, ducks swarming (or is that flocking, too? Flocking ducks!) at the drop of a crumb, and the rumor of a pair of alligators in the harbor that we have stopped to reflect on the journey we've undertaken.
Essentially, it was inevitable for all of us.
El Capitan Juan: Quintessentially, I am humbled. And I needed that badly�.This isn't an escape (at least not in the classic sense). It's the fulfillment of everything I've learned and practiced my entire life. Every skill will be tested, every assumption challenged, presuppositions eradicated in favor of first hand knowledge. And hopefully I'll remember to check the fuel level�..
I send love and thanks to all, I'm glad you're a part of this.
Sean
El Numero Uno: How many new, you know, natures of water�You know, river systems and, ...how surprised I was at the differences involved in sailing those. How interdependent the team aspect approach has become. And how close we are to just the beginning of the trip. Love to all, (especially you, Doni) Brian
Telarana: I don't think there are words�.It's been a learning experience from day one, and while it seems like a hindering experience there's a deep sense of freedom within it. Because of the fact that every day progress is made.
Kind of feels like being Huck Finn, if you know what I mean�.
I think we do, Eric.
The Faith and her hardy crew send their love from the warm harbors of New Orleans! Goodbye rivers! (you've been good to us :)
HELLO SALT WATER! (please be good to us, too!)
Day 18 Monday 12:00 pm
"Good morning, officer, no, we don't need to pump out the septic, we just moored here since no one was around to put us in a slip. Oh, you work for the harbor? Well, where should we go? Got it: dock 3, pier 26, west side. Right, it'll take us a minute, we just got in last night and met the yacht club members and then went to Bourbon Street and then came back here and�.or, no wait�well, anyway it'll take us a minute."
Actually, it took closer to twenty. We had had the good fortune of making several good friends the night before � members of the illustrious South Shore Yacht Club who treated us to cocktails, assured us that we'd be fine moored where we were until someone with more authority kicked us onto the dock, listened (more or less) raptly to our tales of high adventure on the liquid highways of the Midwest, and loaned us keys for the shower, bathrooms, and laundry. One of them drove us out to the French Quarter after we had cleaned up, setting us free at about the epicenter of Bourbon Street. Several hours later we were deposited back at the boat by a cab and somehow found our bunks.
Most of the rest of the day was spent laying about the decks, visiting with the local residents ("live in boaters"), and taking care of small errands. And looking for the alligators, of course. Never did see them�..
We had a great dinner at the Treasure Isle Bar and Grille, accompanied by Billy, our attach� and a fellow live in boater. Eric finished the evening polyuranethaning the woodwork (we have to look classy for the beginning of the oceanic voyage!)
Tomorrow we cruise in salt water!