Although quiet it has proven to be a very pleasant Father's Day. Slept soundly until the pre-dawn cold made me rumage for the sleeping bag which Chris, the owner, had offered. The offer was originally declined due to me traveling with my summer biking sleeping bag. It had performed nicely to keep me warm and as far as possible from the mattrass at my seedy hovel mentioned previously, but it didn't cut it
when practising living on the high seas, while on the hard. Rolled over in my bunk after double sleeping bagging, as the sky was beginning to lighten. Awoke again around 10am. Did some morning routines like shower, laundry and then some wifi catch up at the Marina's Town Square. The wifi doesn't quite make it to Makina. Planning on setting up a no contract Telus account this week, to be able to set up a hotspot aboard.
It was not only Father's Day but the last day of the bus coming to the park near the marina until next weekend. There was little debate to be had. Daddy wanted medication. With such an abundance of Smoke Shops in this city it was hard to imagine how they were overlooked when last ashore... well off the boat at least. Before you think anything un-to-do about it, please know that it is strictly for medicanal purposes; in the sense that it makes me feel better.
The ride was relaxing knowing where it was going this time. Even ran into a familar face from the day before. We smiled in greeting. At the smoke shop a fellow came in behind me and fought with the door just as myself; as one had to be buzzed in. We chuckled about while he paid and told the attendent to use the change to pay for the package of 2 5mg chocolate indica edibles that where being shown me when he entered and bought his pre-rolls after me stepping aside for him. It was as close a feeling to passing the blunt prior to me quiting smoking, on doctor's orders, which must be gettin on over 10 years ago now.
Caught the return bus straight away with only enough wait at the stop to get one of the 10 packages open and downing a magnificant chocolate indica edible. A wonder of modern engineering. It was a philosophical headspace that made it back aboard.
[INSERT PIC OF CHOCOLATE INDICA GUMMIES]
Chris, the owner, has a great collection of cruising guide type books, as well as more technical things from chart reading to knot tieing. Wonder if it has its own word? Knotely?
The one that did have me doing a lot of reading was To Belize and Mexico's Caribbean Coast by Captain Freya Rauscher.
[INSERT PIC OF TO BELIZE AND MEXICO'S CARIBBEAN COAST]
Belize had been on my radar before the boat idea emerged. It just seemed like a nice way to accomidate oneself in central america and Mexico. When my Mother turned 60, as a birthday gift, me and my brother took her visit numerous Mayian sites over a six week period in a rental. Mexico agreed with me then and expect even more so in my more mellow years.
Captain Rauscher's cruising guide is a great read and brought to my attention things that had never really rolled through my mind before... like some charts still in use are dated from the 1800s. There are ground breaking advances being done with new technology yet in the meantime the user has more accuracy than the provider of the data helping in decision making.
She also made me think about archors a lot more. Call me a worry wort but her backup anchor idea sounded fine by me. Besides her explaination on how to lay out a two anchor V shape formation gives it a more practicle bent. Her wild suggestion to use the dingy for the second anchor if in too crampt a space to manuever, making sure its slack enough to not get caught up below. Just great practicle advice as she directs you through its waters.
She even tries to breakdown the colorization in relation to depth and types of bottoms. Cool seadog kind of banter; which she undoubtably is.
It seems that Chris' copy of World Cruising Routes" by Jimmy Cornell may have had a fall in the brink. Its pages were lightly stuck together and one could peel pages open with a slight fear of tearing them; so only the most peelable were explored. They sounded very informative. It has incredible amounts of data, in terms of what to expect weather wise, mixed with some sagely advice from a seasoned cruiser.
[INSERT PIC OF WORLD CRUISING ROUTES]
Took a walk to the Marina's Town Square and got into chat with my Daughter and Son-In-Common-Law. We had a fun chat. Had good news for them that a corporate buyer had asked for a counter offer after we turned down their first offer. They seemed to like the sound of my counter offer. So many planets seem to be aligning. ETH seems to have almost recovered from its recent dip, so sold off the last 2.5 ETH that was still on the exchange. There will be additional expenses. Will have a better idea of how much after a talk with the marina's yard tomorrow.
May the wind be at your back!
