CCXXXVIII (Fracas date: 62.0328)

Sunday April 12th, 2015

Yesterday was hot on the boat. In the late afternoon, it was almost unbearable below. We have an air conditioning system that is conveniently stored in the engine room. I thought about swimming around the boat. Then I remembered the time of day! We were told more than once by our fellow cruisers, not to swim after three in the afternoon.

At first I thought this was practical as happy hour for some begins at 10:00 and continues through the day. By 3 or 15:00 they are too pissed to swim so a good rule right? A snorkel is a complicated thing to operate and I won’t even mention flippers… and getting all that shit on in the water (notwithstanding jumping off the boat wearing it all (like Lloyd Bridges on Sea Hunt )) (all the 30 somethings are saying “Lloyd Bridges…Sea Hunt?”).

The reality is that the predators feed late in the day. We have only seen a few ‘predators’ along the way. We know they are here and that we can be on the menu. So, a good sailor will avoid swimming along the buffet table when dinner is on…just sayin’.

Tip 1. (a new section I’m adding) If you are going to break the rule and swim after 3 or 15:00hr, drink plenty of red wine because red wine doesn’t go with fish… (But, Sharks are not ‘fish’) just sayin’

Tip 2. If you are going to follow tip 1 then have an adult dress you in your snorkeling gear in shallow water and put on your tether.

It has been eight months since we dropped lines and left the berm heading west and then south to get to the Caribbean. As you know we did not make it to the Caribbean, the Bahamas were always in the running for an adjusted destination. My bout with skin cancer (wear sun screen) and the history, people and places along the way delayed us in a good way. We also stopped for a time to have our Grizwald family Christmas.

I know ML  is ready to go home. She’s been a great wife, sailor and friend on this trip. I look forward to getting home as well, (snow gone though) and to my dog and family (order reversible). I continue to worry about my reception from Ozy, I had better arrive with a stout and furry dog toy for her to secret away, a toy never to be seen again.

We continue to get the boat ready for leaving. All the food has to be gone and off the boat lest it becomes fuel for insects. We must place poison here and there to avoid that happening and must remember to remove same on our return in the fall.

When we left we were focused on leaving, no time or preparation was done planning just what and how we would take things back home for the summer. ML did find a bag for checked luggage and I can use my Gill sailing bag.

We hope to drop the sails today if we can find a weather window…

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