Dodging Bill

On Saturday, the 22nd of August (our 11th wedding anniversary), while readying for Bill the Hurricane's arrival by getting Davis Shipping's aluminum workboat out of the water, I was approached by a gentleman of obvious European persuasion (the Fs for Vs and the Vs for Ws was the ringer here). He was inquiring as to whether the pontoon (meaning floating dock) would be adequate in keeping his boat safe when the wind got going on Sunday evening. I said, "yes" of course, because if the boat stayed longer I'd have a better chance of having a look at it, and crap did I ever want to have a good look at it!

I informed him that winds of this magnitude were pretty much the norm at this time of the year and that this was taken into account when they put those things there. I did fail to mention that it was rare to have anything but small fishing boats tied up there, but I was sure that given some of the past blows it would stand against even his 85 foot mast. Just the same he was going to put out his anchor to guard against any possibility and I saw the opportunity to offer my help and have a look at the vessel. So it was that Woody-Jack and I got to go aboard this fine vessel.

Later I would bring Janet and the Fredder down to the wharf for a look and they too were offered the chance to see the boat. This is all important when you want a boat because if the spouse is not on board there's a good chance it ain't happening. Well, during the three nights that our guests were at the wharf I'd get to spend two evenings on board and the great couple that owned the boat were good enough to accept our offer of grub on the other night.

All of this is simply a lead up to my point that most of us have no clue about living and are simply coasting through our time...wasting it on trash. At no time is this more apparent to me than when offered up through the magnifying glass of people like Herman and Rian. They have spent two and a half years summering in Newfoundland and Labrador with the two winters spent in the heady space offered up at a veritable bargain in New York city. Apparently fees for wharfage in the off season there equal about $2800 for seven months... all electrical included. Beat that when most apartments there run at more than five thousand a month. The plan for them involves sailing from Newfoundland waters in the coming weeks and taking the opportunities of weather windows to head down the eastern seaboard to New York for a short stay before continuing on to the Carribean for this coming winter. The plan also includes Brazil in 2011 after seeing the other side of South America and the Antarctic along the way. Then nobody knows where.

Now I'm not suggesting that all of us can afford the luxury, or that we all can, or should own large sailboats (I would love to and I don't understand why everyone doesn't see the upside), but we all should try our hand at seeing the world outside of our little hovels and attempting to connect with other cultures on some level. World relations could always use a little more understanding on the most personal of levels, and shit, the food is so good when you were raised on things boiled or baked to da'bejeezuz.

Think of the adventure of entering a new port every evening, meeting the locals, sharing some good grub, and moving on in the morning. The greatest part is that it's not an airport that inflicts such doses of culture shock that when you meet new people you're not even yourself, or resorts that cater to eating crap and drinking oneself into oblivion on the same old crystaline beach with sand up the crack of your arse. There is no hauling of luggage and rushing to get to the rental car booth before everyone else.

It's all a pretty sweet deal, if you don't get seassick, that is. I don't know if I'll ever have the opportunity to do something like this even on a smaller scale, or if I'd have the guts to if the chance arose for such adventure, but I'd like to think I'd take A Crack At It.

Photo Credits: Duke Kelloway

Photo Captions: Top, At the 'pontoon' in Wesleyville; Bottom, leaving Wesleyville past Bennett's Island.