1 April 2002

I ran off on you without much notice in my last Ship’s Log Update..!!
We were in Panama City, just starting to plan side trips into the countryside,
when I realized we were going to be gone for a few weeks. So, I rushed
the Update to Lesley via CD-R for her to send to all of you..!!
Panama City... It’s “Very Different” from the City of Colon on the East
Coast.

Colon is best described as the “Most dangerous city in the world..!!”
Panama’s a cosmopolitan city with high rise office buildings and apartments
set along the harbor’s waterfront. The commercial areas are complete with modern
retail shopping, department, clothing and electronic stores aplenty...!!!
We even find a book store that looks like a Barnes and Noble knockoff..!!
Similar shelving, color displays, a coffee shoppe, an Internet Cafe, and the
latest New York Times Best Sellers in both Spanish and English...!!
Sheri contributes mightily to Panama’s economic health today.
It is our first Sunday in Panama City and we are heading west with Pedro,
our “Taxi Driver for Life” as he described himself..!! A two hour ride will
take Laura, Sheri, Pete and me into the El Valle Rain Forest. Not however, until
Pedro drives past his Mother’s house, which is in a little village “not too far”
off the main road..!! Pedro, 59 years old and single, lives alone
with his Mother and he wants us to see their house...
Well, “not too far” depends on whether you have another hour and a half's
drive ahead of you, and you'd really like to get there..!! Or, if you're out for a
,drive with nowhere to go, and all day to get there.!! But, Pedro is all
smiles as he drives past a little three room stucco building called home. We all tell him
how cute it is...

And, he turns the car around so we can meet his 85 year old Mother...!!
Mom, all 48 inches of her, comes out smiling with few teeth and waving...
We get out of the taxi, smile and wave, take a few pictures of Mom and back
into the taxi to the Rain Forest... Not so fast..!! Panic hits Pedro when he
turns the key and NOTHING HAPPENS...!!! All I can do at this point is
laugh...
We open the hood and all look inside for a sign, NONE..!! LOL..!! I cross the
terminals of the battery with a screwdriver and a wrench, sparks fly. That's
a
GOOD sign..!! A relative, Pedro’s cousin, is running down the street,
still getting dressed. Mom went for him..!! A little discussion and it is
decided
to clean the cables and battery posts... The interior lights come on...
YES..!!
Another 15 minutes to finish the job, more hugs for Mom and we’re off....
Rain Forests tend to be HIGH in the mountains, this one is no exception...!!
What had been a sun filled ride, is now a cloudy day with a light drizzle.
Fees paid, we start the long hike to the top of the Rain Forest.
We climb and climb and we climb some more, over damp slippery
moss covered pathways, over fallen trees and troublesome rocks..!!
Every once and a while our “Spanish Speaking” guide stops to explain the
differing plants and fauna to four bewildered, “still climbing” Gringos..!!
The tree tops touch, creating a huge dark green canopy overhead.
The trail twists and turns up thru the damp darkened mountainside.
An hour later, we climb out of the mist. A hot mist I might add and just a
little
too humid for most. We climb into bright sunlight. We are above the clouds..!!
The views are spectacular..!! Pictures.? Yes,I got ‘em... You'll see..!!
We rest for a few minutes and prepare our descent....
Oh..!!! I forgot to tell you something..!!
Before starting this little “Walk up the Mountain,” we were all fitted with
a Body Harness, a Hard Hat and two sets of Heavy Leather Work Gloves..!!
You see, going down was going to be.... “Much easier..!!”
All we have to do, is hook the 2” strap connected to the Harness over the
steel
cable that's attached to a tree just above our heads, and “slide down” to
the next level,
to land on a small plywood platform built around another tree trunk. Got the
idea...?
From the looks of things, these young “Guides” never saw an OSHA spec..!!
Oh, the two sets of Leather Work Gloves.? We put the second set over the
first...
Yes, two gloves per hand. Two sets because these would be our breaks as we
fly thru the trees from one hillside to the next... Ahhhhhhh... Now you get
it..!!
There are four separate steep steel “cable rides” to get us back to ground
zero...
Part of the problem for me, is that I can’t see the next “landing platform”
from the one I’m standing on. Our guide indicates it was “OK,” his “friend”
is
there to help with the landing...!! Two rules. Feet first, so as to hit the
tree when we get to the next platform. Feet first, or we hit with our
heads..!!
Second, not too much brake, because at the end, the cable actually turns up a
little.
Not enough speed will leave us short of the landing platform, that's not
good..!!
I offer to go first... It’s an exhilarating ride..!!!
On the first run, I focus on hitting the tree trunk with my feet and
have little time to look around to see the beautiful Rain Forest below.
Sheri is next. She, who can’t climb a step ladder without feeling oozy..
LOL..!!
Down she comes, it seems like a long time as I wait for her to reach the
platform.
Flying like Peter Pan, Sheri lands. Her feet hit the tree, perfect. She's
all smiles..!!
It was some sight to see her hanging by a single strap, holding the cable with
her gloved hand. Laura and Pete soon follow, feet first with beaming faces..!!
We are given “Certificates” upon completion of the hike and swift return..!!
We have stories to share with the rest of the crew when we return to Panama
City.
Within the next few days, Sheri and I are off to Boquete, Panama.
It’s a one hour flight north to the Costa Rican border, to coffee country.
We rented a little cottage built on the mountain side within a coffee
plantation.
The plantation is owned by a Canadian couple in their mid 50’s who dropped
out of
the computer world and drove south until they found “the right” place to
live...!!
Thru the US and into Mexico, thru Central America until they saw this valley.
It’s commonly called the “Valley of Rainbows.” A quick trip home to sell
everything,
they purchase the coffee plantation and build three guest houses to rent for
income,
fulfilling their dream. They are living very a contented life..!
We’re given a tour of the coffee fields, with an explanation of how the
coffee bean is processed, from being harvested in December thru April
by the native Gnobe-Bugle Indians, to the number of steps along the way
before
the coffee gets to our table. We buy fresh roasted beans straight from the
roaster,
tour the beautiful valley below and visit the small Indian Village.
Sheri and I have dinner the first night at Boquete’s oldest hotel, Hotel
Panamonte,
built in 1914. The Dining Room is furnished with antiques and a Swedish charm.
We could very well be guests in someone's lovely home.... in fact we are.
Dinner is delicious as are the local desserts.!! Following dinner, the room
takes on
the atmosphere of a personal residence, with guests talking from table to
table.
We are, at one point, the focal point of the discussion, sharing our plan for
a
circumnavigation. But, the real point of the night’s discussion has to do
with birds.!!
One bird in particular, the “Resplandescent Quetzal.” Almost extinct,
it is the National Bird of Guatemala. The Quetzal has been described as
“The most beautiful bird in the world” by the Audoban Society. Bird watchers
from all
over the world come to Boquete to catch a glimpse of the Quetzal. For some
reason the
bird has found the mountain side just below the volcano here in northern
Panama,
suitable for nesting and have made it their home. To the disappointment of
many
in the room, they made the three hour assent in a 4 wheel drive truck,
only to be leaving without seeing a Quetzal, while a few others spotted some.
The mature male is the one to see..!! He is about 18 inches tall, green with
a bright red chest and a white stripe below and tail feathers that grow
to be four feet long. They show us pictures in their books, awesome..!!
We tell our hosts about the conversation. “You want to see them..?” they ask.
They know a man who will take us and we will definitely see Quetzals..!!
A phone call and we are scheduled for an early morning ride up to the volcano.
We meet Chago after an early breakfast and endure the ride thru a dry boulder
filled river bed in low speed, 4 wheel drive at idle. Three hours up the side
of the mountain.
Now I really know what these 4 Wheeled SUV’s were designed for..!!
We stop beside an open field surrounded by tall trees where sheep are grazing.
We walk past the sheep and baby lambs. We listen to Chago as he makes a bird
call.
There's some movement in the trees. He calls us over and points upward....
There they are... !!!
We move to another tree, more of them..!! A magnificent full grown male,
a young male and a few females...!! LOOK..!! Excitement builds,
two more full grown males, four young males and more females..!!
It is definitely a “WOW..!!”
Not to shabby for a couple who 12 hours ago, didn't know how to spell
“Quetzal..!!”
The key to us seeing them is directly related to their diet....
Chago doesn't know where they nest either. But, he knows what they eat,
a small “avocado like” fruit and he knows where the fruit trees are, right
here..!!
As we watch them, one of them drops the pit of the fruit
directly in front of me, it is still warm from being in the birds mouth.
Do I have pictures.? Yes, I've still got the pit.!! Want to see, just
ask..!! LOL..
The valley below is a patchwork of endless colors of vegetables, destined to
the
south of Panama. A river runs from the mountains thru the valley that
provides rich soil
and plenty of water for growing. We meet the owner of the largest farm in the
valley at the marketplace this afternoon with Jane, our hostess. His father
is
Canadian and mother Panamanian. He looks and dresses like a Texan. You know,
6’4”, faded jeans, cowboy hat and boots. He looks like the “Marlboro Man.!!”
He offers to put anything we buy on one of his trucks that's headed for Panama
City overnight. We buy a case of tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots and potatoes.
We fly back to Panama City and his truck is at the Marina bright and early
the next morning.
What a wonderful few days in a place we NEVER expected to be..!!
Today, I meet with our Agent, Tina McBride, for a personal tour of Panama
City.
She has close contact with the Jewish Community in Panama City. I taken tosee
all
three Synagogues and able to visit one. They're all within walking distance.
And, what comes with any Jewish Community..? Right, a Jewish
Delicatessen..!!
Yes..!! A Deli here in Panama, just like the ones back home... Almost..!!
I speak with the owner, she's getting freshly made corned beef later in the
day..!!
Needless to say, Isla, Laura and I return. We need two taxis to get our
purchases
back to the ship..!! I hate to admit it, but I made one more trip before we
left.
The Tree is scheduled to sail at 11:00 am, I am at the Deli at 9:00 a.m.!!
Cary, it was great to shop there..!! But, it wasn't Gold’s..!!
Gold's is in Westport, CT The “Best Deli” and Guys in the World..!!
We renew old friendships in Panama City as well. Dave and Carolyn Parks,
owners of Tara, sailing to Australia, were in Balboa Marina, about 15 minutes
away.
We first met them in last Dec. in Bonaire. Great couple, now living in Maine.
But, they lived in Weston, CT for 25 years before deciding to sail full-time
two years ago.
Weston is the sister town to Westport, they were practically neighbors.
We all got together once a week in Bonaire for “Yachties Hour” at the
Marina’s Pub.
We were introduced to them by our friends the Kantors, of Runaway.
They join us for dinner the following night. We talked about you guys, Claire
and Dick..!!
We miss you..!! It was good to see them again. We’ll meet next in Tahiti.
It’s time to sail. This time to a group of islands called the Las Perlas.
These are just south of Panama City, most uninhabited. Yachties in the marina
tell us about the Indian Village La Palma in the Jungle, some 30 miles up a
navigable river on Panama’s south coast, where the Indians are building a
wooden ship, “By Hand” !!
The ship is their second. Their first, a 65 footer built in 1990, hit a reef
and was lost.
The story of exactly who the owner is, remains unclear. But, there is an
American, who they met, in charge of overseeing the construction. (remember)
That's all the crew of a “Wooden Ship” needed, to have our interest
peaked..!!
We alter our sail plan, which was to sail directly to the Galapagos Islands.
We will head back the Panamanian mainland with the unique experience ahead,
of sailing in
a river and see the ship. We’ll then go south, 100 miles off Colombia's
dangerous coast,
Pirates actively operate there, to visit Ecuador before heading west to the
Galapagos.
Back to the Las Perlas Islands, they are a joy to sail, clear calm waters and
good wind.
We have lunch at a beautiful Hotel Resort on one of the islands. It’s a
weekend
haven for residents of Panama City. Small fishing villages are on others,
many
more uninhabited. We spend a leisurely week here, enjoying nature at it's
best.!!
It's early morning, about 9:00 am, we're motoring easily with little wind
toward
the mainland of Panama and the Gulf of San Miguel, when suddenly there's a
loud
slapping sound coming from off the port side. Another, and yet another.!!
The sound is that of clapping your hands together, hard..!! And still
another..!!
There in the water are hundreds of Manta Rays. No, thousands now surrounded
the ship..!! The Rays are flying high, three feet and more into the air and
then
“Belly Flopping” on the water's surface causing the loud slapping sound..!!
Some of the Rays flip 180 degrees in the air and landed upside down..!!
Everywhere we look there are Rays, “flying high..!!!”
Tony shuts down the engine and we watch in utter amazement.!! What is going
on.??
Within the first ten minutes, we collectively try to take hundreds of
pictures.
Aim here..!! No, there.!! It continues until finally the crew, everyone
except
Sheri and me, take out their snorkeling gear and over the side they go..!!
The crew swimming, are surrounded by thousands of the Rays as they flutter
their huge wings, ever very gently, in slow motion..!! From on deck, the
Blue Pacific
turns a sheet of spotted brown as far as we can see, interrupted by the
thousands
of white triangles, as the Rays wing tips come to the surface as they swim..!!
After almost an 40 minutes in the water, it's time to pick up the crew and
sail on.
The exciting stories of their individual experiences, swimming with Manta
Rays,
touching them as they passed, brought all of us into the fray...!!
Now you can't buy that kind of experience anywhere, at any price..!!
We settle in and sail thru the Gulf of Miguel towards the mouth of the river.
The rainy season causes surface soils to run into the river turning it into a
reddish color.
We see the water begin to darken as we approach the mouth of the river.
Tony sends Lee and Pete forward, to be “Look Out” on the bow as
logs and other jungle debris float past as we sail up toward the Indian
Village.
What an exciting adventure this is..!! We sail past an occasional hut built
along
the river's edge. Dugout canoes go pass, Cayucos, with a fishermen paddling,
waving.
It's nearly 4:30 pm when we dropped anchor in front of the Village of La
Palma.
There are no other cruising boats in sight..!! We see the ship under
construction.
It's just a hundred yards off the bow. We'll see it up close in the morning.
Once the ship is secure, some of the crew go ashore to check out the village.
The local Pub is always a good place to meet the locals and get information.
I radio that Isla has dinner about ready and it's time to return to the Tree.
Simon responds that they are already in the Tender and headed for the ship.
He was quick to tell me that they “met the American.” Remember the guy
“supervising the construction..?” I mentioned him earlier, in Panama
City....?
“He says he knows you” Simon said..!!!
“His name is Nick, he owns a restaurant called Onion Alley in Westport..!!”
Well, I've known Nick for 18 years and Sheri's known him for 25..!!
He's been to our home, The Cow Barn, a number of times.
Our Nick, Nicole Donovan, worked for him when she was in High School.
Simon told me that Nick lives in the “building” next to the ship and was on
his way home.
I told him to pick Nick up for dinner. He will eat on board with us...!!
Within minutes we're shaking hands and giving Nick hugs on the deck of the
Tree of Life in the jungles of Panama!! What are the odds of that
happening..?
Nick explains that he was tired of the restaurant business. So, he went back
to Fairfield University to get his teaching certificate with the intention of
going
to Africa. His partner, Drew Friedman would run the business for a few years.
Somewhere along the way, he met a man from Maine who heads the Foundation
building a ship in Las Palma. He said he needed help with supervision...
Nick thought about it... He's now “supervising” a ship's construction in
Panama..!!
We're off to see Nick at his “Waterfront Home” and his ship the next morning.
It's not hard to describe his living conditions here, clean but “Very, Very
Basic..!!”
Nick sleeps on an air mattress in a small 10 x 8 room, as do some other
workers
on the project. They get running water two hours every morning. So, they
stock up.!!
He reads a ton of books swinging in his hammock. He and Sheri trade Best
Sellers.
And then..!! You see the pride on Nick's face as he gives us the tour of
“his ship” under the shed's roof. Every piece of wood in the project is
cut by hand, including the large trees used in the hull's construction.
The trees are cut “up river” and connected by steel cables for the long
“float”
to La Palma. Once here, they are pulled ashore and put thru a huge band saw,
cutting the logs into usable boards of every length and width.
They make everything here, including screws and nuts ‘n bolts..!!
They just finished a 100’ long table on which the 100’ Main Mast will
be fabricated..!! A second mast, 60’ in length, will complete the Ketch's
Rig.
The project began in 1995 and they expect to launch in just over a year.
I told Nick we'd meet him in three years in the Med. But, who knows,
the way things happen these days, we might well see him sooner...!!
Later that morning, we set sail back toward the Pacific and Salinas, Ecuador.
We've heard so much about the country from other Yachties, we decided to
make a stop in Salinas at the Porto Lucia Yacht Club. A Sat Phone call to our
friends Maria & Adam Emanuel in Washington D C and we had an E-mail list of
places to see and things do. Maria’s family is from Ecuador. She and Adam
were married at The Cow Barn in Westport a few years ago. We were happy
to extend our home to them and their 200 guests, many from Ecuador.
They and Annalee, Adam's mother, have been close friends for more than a
decade.
Sheri and I then talked about going to Machu Picchu, Peru.
It's going to be a very long time before we're in this part of the world
again.
I speak to Lesley, she tells me that Jenny and her sisters, Cornea and Millie,
both living in CT now, are in Lima visiting their Father. Another Sat Phone
call from the Tree of Life to Jenny and plans were made to meet in Lima.
Meeting Jenny and her sisters at the hotel within minutes of checking in
is like meeting family..!! After all, we've been living together for 18
years now..!!
After the tears and hugs, I order room service and we just talk.. and
smile..!!
What a welcome it is for of us..!! And, a thrill for Jenny to finally show us
her
country after all these years. She always told how beautiful Peru is, she was
about
to be proven right.!! Jenny spends the following day showing us the city
and the
shopping center overlooking the harbor with wonderful shops and restaurants.
We stay for lunch. Sheri does a little shopping for Alpaca shawls.
Later that evening, we have dinner at a beautiful Oceanside restaurant with
Jenny her cousin, Irma. We say “Good Night and Good Bye.”
But, for Jenny, the night is just beginning..!!
She's going “Out” to met her sisters at an Outdoor Cafe not far from
the hotel. You're right Lesley..!! It's only 10:00 pm, I am getting Old..!!
A taxi ride to the airport, and a one hour flight take us from Lima to Cusco,
11,500 feet high in the Andes. From here, we will go to Machu Picchu by
train.
The Hotel Monasterio, an Orient-Express Hotel property, is our home for
the next four days. It's like walking thru and living in a ancient museum.!!
The 18th Century Monastery, left abandoned for over 200 years, was restored
only
three years ago as a hotel. Guests speak in “hushed tones” as the sound of
Gregorian
Chanting play in the background throughout the hotel. The stone archways open
to corridors leading to the dining room, to courtyards and to a beautiful
chapel.
Dark passageways take us to our two level suite. The hotel established a
relationship with the Cusco Museum of Art and have over 50 magnificent
works on display. A member of the Museum's staff gives a walking tour twice
each
week thru the halls and corridors describing the origin of each piece.
She takes us back in time...!!
It is a very special place to spend a very special four days..!!
The schedule for a day long visit to Machu Picchu begins with breakfast at
4:30 am.
I had almost forgotten there was a 4:30 in the morning..!! LOL..!!
We meet our Guide for the next two days at 5:00 am in the lobby.
Anahi (Anna-he), is about 25 years old with a degree in History and an
additional years training on the Machu Piccu Ruins. A short bus ride to the
train station
and we're off on another fabulous adventure... There are three different
trains to
Machu Picchu. Our train is owned and operated by the Orient-Express...!!
Each car is staffed with two young attendants in Dark Brown suits,
wearing Tan Gloves. The service is impeccable..!!
The three hour train ride takes us over the surrounding mountains of Cusco
for the 3,000’ foot descent toward Machu Picchu. Yes, I took pictures thru the
train's windows and I've had a chance to look at them..!! No, the pictures
don't
come close to depicting the valleys and mountain sides covered with fields of
planted corn and vegetables. For 20 miles in all directions, these fields
impress..!!
Yet, there are only small villages in the area. I can't comprehend the
amount of work that each worker must do, to achieve these results.
Machu Picchu at last..!!
I won’t tire you, at least not yet, with the details of what we see...!!
I will say this, however, if you ever have an opportunity to travel to Peru,
take it..!!
The Inca ruins are a testimony to the advanced civilization that lived long
before.
Built in the 1500’s and not found and destroyed by the Spanish invaders,
Machu Picchu rested, undiscovered until 1911 by a Yale Professor.
The restoration of the site is equal to the Aztec ruins of Mexico,
to the Roman ruins throughout Europe and Israel, to those in
Egypt's Valley of the Kings that Sheri and I have visited.
But, unlike the others, the Incas left no written record of their time on
earth.
The next morning we meet Anahi and a driver, Nicholas, with a new Toyota SUV.
We are head to the “Sacred Valley” to see other Inca sites. I am excited in
the telling, that this day brings new and more impressive vistas, including
,a village, who's people are still living in the original Inca houses..!!
One more quick side story ... last one, I promise...
Background: I lived in Mexico City in 1966 and became very good friends
with a man named Sammy Alisracki. I moved to Hollywood, CA in 1967 directly
from Mexico and we lost touch. In 1995, Sheri and I were on the Sea Goddess
in Indonesia with a couple, Lenore and Sylvain Berger from Mexico City.
I ventured and asked if they knew Sammy. Lenore said he was her cousin
and that he died of cancer that year. I told them of my friendship..
Sylvain looked at me and said, “You're the American he always talked
about..!!”
A new friendship developed. Three years ago, we had dinner with the Bergers
in
Mexico City along with Sammy's wife, his sister and his two brothers.
They are all friends of Dr. Arturo Costantina, our next door neighbor in
Westport, who is originally from Mexico City, Victor still works for him.
OK.!! As we're touring a small Inca Village, we meet a tour group passing
us in the opposite direction along a narrow street. The two tour guides
exchange
a few words, smiled and move on. “The women are from Mexico City,” Anahi
said.
“Oh, I have friends in Mexico City, I wonder if they know them.”.. I said.
Sheri gave me the “look”... Don't be silly, there are 30 million people
there..!!
Anahi, followed me, catching up with the ladies and I asked if they knew our
friends Lenore and Sylvain... All of them smiled, not only do they all know
them,
but Lenore and Sylvain are in Cusco at the Monasterio Hotel..!!
We finish the tour at 5:00 pm and return to the hotel, I run to the front
desk
and asked to be connected to the Bergers room. We missed them by a day,
they checked out that morning. I sent them a card suggesting we meet again
soon..!!
If you ever find yourself in Mexico City, look them up at any of their stores.
They own three “Berger Jewelry Stores” and two “Bulgari Stores” in the
Polanco
section of Mexico City. And stay at the 10 room, Casa Viaja in Polanco.
You will feel immersed in Mexican culture, all rooms reflect Mexico's
muralists.
We got the sad news about Sheri's Dad, Jim Howard. He suffered a fatal
stroke.
Jim had been in failing health for the past few years, losing a leg below
the knee
a few years and a partial lung removal more recently. He also had been in
constant pain as a result of a “rear ender” accident more than 25 years ago
that resulted in 11 operations on his neck. From Scripps to Yale, there were
no answers..!!
,He endured his pain and agony with little notice to others, he kept on
smiling..!!
Flight restrictions force us to fly from Cusco to Lima and back to Ecuador
before going on to Houston and Los Angeles. It's a 36 hour ordeal with no
sleep.
The Memorial Service is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon in an Amphitheater
at a Children's Park that Jim helped build as a member of Kiwanis.
Jim, a Past President, was the longest serving member of the chapter.
More than 250 family and friends from all over the country come to
say “Good Bye” to Jim..!! Lora Lee asked me to give the Eulogy.
It's easy to talk about a man who played quarterback in the 1948 Cotton Bowl
as a Freshman at the University of Missouri, who went on to be the conference
record holder in the high jump..!! His biggest competition was Dennis Weaver,
from the University of Oklahoma. Remember Chester, Marshall Dillon’s Deputy
on Gunsmoke. I kidded Jim that it must have easy to beat a guy with such a
“bad leg.!”
( For the younger set, Chester’s character dragged one leg behind as he
walked..!! )
It's easy to talk about a man who cherished his wife Lora Lee,
for 53 years, a father to three daughters he was so proud of,
and he was “Poppy” to seven grandchildren.
Pastor Tom Long, who grew up next door to Sheri and her sisters, officiates.
He asks if anyone else has words to share about Jim. Many talk about
Jim's persistent smile and to his easy manner that made him everyone's
friend.
A friend since they were six years old, Bill Riley, now living in KY, flew in
for
the day. He says he never met a person who didn't like Jim “Sonny”
Howard...!!
A defining moment..!! Jim's 21 year old grandson, Brian Giesen, walks to the
podium.
Moved by the expressions of loss and joy shared by Jim's friends, Brian
finds
himself standing before the microphone, talking about the man he loved, his
Poppy..!!
For those of us, who are surrounded by our children and on an
everyday basis, we tend think of them as the “kids,” regardless of their age.
For Brian's family, we collectively watched Brian, in our eyes, become a man.
We're able to spend another few days with Sheri's Mother, Lora Lee.
It was a tragic loss, but we take comfort in knowing Jim's pain and suffering
had ended. We'll stop in Huntington Beach in June for a few more days with
Lora Lee when we return from Tahiti for a one month visit to Swanhurst and
Newport.
I'm looking forward to the trip back to Tahiti at the end of June.
We will be joined by my cousin and partner, Don Wignall and his wife Rose.
We sailed together on the Tree of Life this past summer in Nantucket.
Now we'll “really sail” in the South Pacific Islands for three weeks to Bora
Bora.
I'm trying to get Lesley her “Sea legs” and have her experience the “Joy of
Sailing.”
Another unexpected treat in California is lunch with Dan Talbot and Diane..!!
Dan, a long time friend from Costa Mesa has just entered into a licensing
agreement with Reebok to use his technology in their Professional NFL
and NBA Uniforms, and in their newly designed Sportswear lines.
They are in the process packing up and relocating to the Newport area.
It has been a long time coming..!!! No one deserves it more..!!
Dan is setting up his offices at the Airport Business Center in Warwick, RI.
Dan, a veteran sailor with very impressive credentials, has raced
across both oceans with the legends of the sailing world..!!
He and Diane will join us in New Zealand for the America's Cup.
Tonight, we're sailing towards the Galapagos Islands. According to the chart
plotter,
we have another 16 hours at 7.5 Kts before we reach the Santa Cruz Island.
We left Ecuador Tuesday for the 600 mile trip, averaging 7 Kts.
We look forward to seeing the “Evolution of Nature” as Darwin described it.
If all goes as planned, we'll spend a week here before making the 2,800 mile
trip
to Easter and Pitcairn Islands. Fletcher Christian's decedents still live on
the island.
It's 1:00 am. I'm “On Standby” in the Pilothouse with Laura. She's “On
Watch.”
I take regular watch with crew, two hours “On Watch” and two hours
On Standby.” With six of the crew rotating, I'm “On Watch” every day from
10:00 to 12:00 and “On Standby” from 12:00 to 2:00 both morning and night.
The moon is full tonight, the sea is calm and the temperature is in the mid
70’s.
We haven't seen another boat in three days. So, we've had a real easy time
tonight.
A Pilot Whale came along side earlier, just for a look I guess, he dove away.
It's Friday afternoon 29 March, we are approaching the Galapagos Islands.
A nice surprise, as we approach the anchorage, a VHF radio call from
Dave aboard “Tara,” I mentioned him earlier in this Update. He and his wife,
Carolyn see our masts on the horizon and give us a call. “What's kept
you...?”
They've been here for 21 days and leaving for the Marquises on Monday.
We will see them again in Tahiti and in New Zealand for the America's Cup
Race.
They're members of the New York Yacht Club and would love to see
Dennis Connor bring the Cup back home to Newport..!!!
Just a little about the Galapagos Islands. The Islands take their name from
the Spanish description of the Giant Tortoises’ shell, “Galapagos,” which
means saddle. The Giant Tortoises weigh in on average at 550 pounds.
We are 600 miles west of Ecuador right on the equator. The archipelago is
made up of thirteen main islands and six smaller ones.
The most famous visitor to the islands was Charles Darwin in 1835 at the age
of 26.
Darwin was surprised by the unique looking animals, and how different species
had adapted depending on their environment, producing variations of the
same species on different islands. That triggered his “Theory of Evolution,”
that all plants and animals evolved from common ascendants. He waited more
than 20 years to publish his theory that changed science and challenged
religion.
In his day, many were stunned and offended by his theories,
since they believed all species were created “divinely different.”
I will try to E-mail this tomorrow from Isla Santa Cruz, in time to wish Jeff
a
Happy Birthday
2 April
There's GREAT sailing from Bora Bora to Fiji in Mid July and all of August,
Jeff..!!
I Love You and I Miss You..!! LOOK at you schedule and we will make plans..!!
We will be in Isla Santa Cruz within the hour. This will be the last
opportunity
to send this off to you either by E-mail or CD-R by FedEx to Lesley for
distribution to you all. So, I’ll end this Update to our Ship's Log.
Our “Darwin Experience” will have to wait ‘till my next entry..!!
Love to you all from “The Tree” ...
Captain John &
First Mate