introspection

Wow, it’s been an experience reading my own blogs and writing this book. It’s not so often one dives into their past and micro-analyzes it in such detail, it’s a healthy process. Now I know why some people keep a diary. It’s a positive tool and we can use it to understand our lives on a deeper level. Kind of like the difference between watching standard video and blue ray. When we read our own past we can see it in much more detail. For those of you with dreams of unplugging and voyaging the world, I strongly recommend you start writing your words down and keeping a personal blog. No matter how far you are from realizing your dreams, it will help to keep you on track. I made myself important promises in Tahiti that I had forgot of and I need to make them happen.

I don’t know if you guys have seen it on the news but there is some major “civil unrest” &  rioting going on in Colon, just 30 miles from here. The government is selling some public land they shouldn’t be and the people are furious about it. A 9-year-old boy was shot & killed  as police were firing into the crowd. Needless to say the protest has escalated. Panama’s president, Martinelli, is not liked by the people and has been fattening his own pockets during his term in office. I’ll never understand the amount of greed in the world, this land sale has already cost 6 lives, and for what, money?

Colon is an interesting city and funnily enough I’ve become just a little bit fond of it. The city is literally falling apart. But why are the people so proud of it? Carla and I often ask ourselves “why don’t these people simply move out”? The coast & country just a few miles out of town is so beautiful. I assume “people” need a social-center to gather. A thread to hold on to in their crumbling lives. The people of Colon have so very, very little. It’s my guess we all have a city we are somewhat fond of. A place where we keep our local history on display in museums and the words of our forefathers neatly preserved on bookshelves in our libraries. It would be hard to see the street we grew up on wither away and perish. I suppose we would hold onto the ruins as tightly as we could and fight for it by casting the last stone. I was struck so hard with 9/11. New York was/is my city, I was born and grew up there. After the attack I would have easily picked up a gun, so much has changed.

We’ve had some interesting weather. Just 100 miles to the North there is a tropical storm, very rare for these parts. For two days I was wishing to heave the anchor and sail to the San Blas as we had the perfect wind, 20kts from the West. Wind is scarce here, I miss the trade winds.

I’ve had good luck with sponsorship lately. ACR was a big one. I’ve sailed without EPIRBs in the past but with my extra crew member I just wouldn’t feel right without one.  I’ve also been trying to scrape some money together for some new gauges, mine are shot and I’ve only had oil pressure & tach. The tachometer is really (to me) the least-important gauge as my ear is more reliable and accurate. I recently bought a $20 water temp gauge that I don’t expect to last long but it’s good for the moment. Aside from water temperature I want a cylinder head temp gauge. Having a cylinder temperature gauge could alert me to cooling system problems and could save me an expensive rebuild. Well I contacted a company for gauges in exchange for advertising space and badda-bing, gauges on the way . The final stages of Splendid’s refit are coming along nicely. When you see the after picture of Splendid’s dash you’ll be amazed. A friend gave me a scrap of stainless plate to replace the black plastic you see here. I’m engine turning it and will mount the new gauges upon its clean surface. I’d really hate to bugger the diesel engine, she’s been so good to me.

Well sorry for being so quiet, I’ve just been in another world.

There are some cheap boats floating in the anchorage, around 10k. If anyone is interested in a project let me know and I’ll take some pictures. It’s a nice place to work on a boat here.

Peace, love, and Coconuts.

– alex