Best way to go shopping ever. Following an old guide book we took the dinghy down Sarah Creek. Past all the lovely houses, lawn to the water edge, huge power boats and docks. Then on to a reed fringed waterway, looking more and more impassable, a narrow channel throughout the reeds and then a little gap just wide enough for the dinghy where we could just see a track. Tied up and followed the track all of 20 metres and there was the modern world. Supermarket, MacDonald's, the works. Not a bad way to get groceries.
On the way we stopped to ask some fishermen where to find Propane and they immediately offered to drive us to the gas station. So generous. It would have meant a 3 mile walk for us on a busy highway. They wouldn't take any petrol money, just took us to the place and brought us back. Another example of the kindness of strangers.
We are still in lovely Sarah Creek as the weather forecast is still rather ratty, especially as we are heading north and the Chesapeake's reputation for strong winds and short ugly chop is not inviting. Still enjoying the cruising lifestyle except for missing our families and friends.
It is due to our lovely daughter that we are here on this beautiful boat rather than toiling away in a boat yard in Tahiti on a boat that even repaired we would probably always worry about the hull. We can't thank her enough for her clear sighted comments. We both had put so much work into "Woodwind" that to turn around and to walk away was one of the hardest things we have ever done.
Now the hard part is that we are half a world away and she is slaving away at her studies and we miss her so much. Love you, Freya.
I've been reading Erskine Childers's book "The Riddle of the Sands" and it one of those books that resonates with my time and place, despite being written in 1904. The narrator is invited to go sailing. Something he equates with white trousers, deck chairs and a full crew. He ends up on a small, smelly boat with week old bread as staple. Now, "Bounty" is nothing like that but there are still very few mod cons that most people would think are essential. No dishwasher, no washing machine, toaster or microwave. We have become so used to labour saving devices that we then have to go to the gym to get fit. It has been a long time since I have been as fit and healthy as I am sitting here typing this.
We were on a dock and Gary was hand pumping up the dinghy, watched from a 3 tier high snowy white floating apartment. She asked the dock master if it was hard to pump a dinghy by hand. Then when Gary had finished she offered her electric pump to pump it up. I realised then that sometimes the hard way to do things still provides satisfaction.
Sorry, a rather philosophical blog today.
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