Herb's advice, and he doesn't want to hear our troubles. From his point of view, we better darn-well be ready when he says go. If you want to enjoy the planning process, you can go to www.passageweather.com to see prediction simulations on our proposed track. You can see wind, waves, and Gulf Stream simulations for 6 days in advance. I note that the 5th and 6th day forecasts change a lot before they become today's weather.
We're not doing well making new friends here at East Greenwich. Not the fault of the locals - they're all working and showing up only to get boats hauled. It could be we're not trying as hard. We've been to the Club bar, but just didn't get into the right clique, I guess.
We have enjoyed the company of some nice people earlier on our voyage. In Portland, the next slip was soon occupied by a sloop from Lubec, Maine, with a couple about our age. He had worked at numerous jobs and she was a former Llama farmer. They were getting the boat ready for a trip down the ICW and ultimately to Belize. We shared our ICW experience with them, and enjoyed a nice cocktail party with them and members of their extended family in Cat Tales' salon. It was very nice. He was excited
about a large and distinct statue of Jesus in the downtown. Apparently, "By The Jesus" is a common statement in Lubec (as in most places), and he discovered many ways to use the statement in Portland: "I'll be downtown having lunch, and you should meet me there "by the Jesus"; or By the Jesus, there's a great bookstore in Portland.
We also enjoyed the company of a 70-year old black Sociology Professor (still teaching), the son of a Methodist Minister, at the public laundromat in Onset. He had lived both in Halifax and in Louisiana. He had many amazing stories. A favourite is when his 97-year-old mother was showing how to cook something last summer, when the Professor spilled coffee on his shirt. Without thinking, he said 'Oh shit', and was immediately slapped in the face. Still a mother-son relationship. His great grandfather
was white, and when he died, the hospital wouldn't release the white man's body to a black family, so it was buried in a paupers' graveyard by the officials. Many other stories talked about his own history as a learned black man, and of college class discussions on sociology. It seemed our laundry didn't take long enough!
Well, all for now - back to chores - before the "Herb" show, I intend to get some complete engine and battery checks behind me.
Laurie (& Dawn)
