Well, I sit here typing this in the old familiar berth in Marina de Santa Cruz. I had the boat out for the weekend and put 17 hours on the new engine. I should be overjoyed but preparations for the ARC look like they are going to be an uphill struggle.
The weekend was great. I took the boat into two remote but relatively close anchorages just north of; and 20 miles south of, Santa Cruz. The peace and quiet was good for me. I got into Santa Cruz yesterday and now I am facing the daunting prospect of getting everything finalized before the big day of November the 26th when the ARC sets sail.
It is funny, everyone that I tell I am in the ARC looks at me incredulously and asks why. The best excuse I can come up with is it is the only way I will leave the Canaries, which of course is wrong; but on some personal and psychological level so true. Tomorrow morning I'll do an aft to forward inventory of things that need to be done. I have 10 days before friends arrive. A kind of wedding present. They have graciously offered to let me work but I will need the break if not a bit of opportunity to get the boat out and do a bit of sailing.
I won't bore you with the list of things that needs to be done, but an American guy, was helping me out today and he lost his cool. It is not looking great, particularly from the viewpoint of an old salt that is big on seamanship. I mean just the sight of my decks should have scared him off but no today while trying to fix my VHF this guy thought I was in the need of God's help out on the ocean. I'm not even mentioning the bad part of what he said. So like Job I suffer and the boat maintenance continues, unrelenting.
A note on the photo. Lucia and I had a fantastic week together in Fuerteventura. She took the picture of me. Rather symbolic don't you think? I was musing the other day that I was going to need a new website but www.lovediary.com is taken by a Japanese dating agency. I liked the shot. Back to the almighty Compromise. Maybe that is the fork in the road, girl, boat hmm, seems pretty clear I’m headed for the water. Could be a mistake if recent events and complications are anything to go by. Please Lord give me strength!