Sunset from Heaven
Sowell Family's Travels on Gijima
Skipper: Tim Sowell Admiral Tracy Crew Sean & Alex
Fri 30 Jul 2010 01:47
is the blue fading volcano over the top of mangroves about 1/2 mile away
across a running out tide of about 5 knots. As I sit on the wooden panks of
the dock, the gentle swaying as it negotiates the outgoing tide, I feel at
peace and very content. The sun is setting in the distance behind some
thunder clouds more like great mounds of cotton, but now glowing in a shine
around the outline, and background is blue, purple, and yellow. The boats at
anchored and on the moorings sway and the two fishing dug out canoes are
making there way across paddling and poling as a black figures in this
light. Far off in the south direction the thunder drums rumble but tonight
around here we will probably be free. But what a setting it is what was on
the poster when you read about cruising a remote place, with a different
culture and peace. I am sitting here in shorts, no shoes or shirt, a gentle
breeze rides the outgoing tides and keeps the bugs away, and my glass of
wine ripples with dock movement.
It is times like this that the bustle of city and the deadlines of a
business seam so far away, yet in so much focus as you can see the world for
what it means to you.
I can hear the boys in the tub in a bath after swimming and washing the
birthday cake for Alex off (green turtle, a late cake), all the people close
to me are on this dock, all my issues in life are here as well, and in
control.
When they say relaxed I suspect I am coming close, I enjoyed some good
discussion with work on a call today, but then could contribute and walk
away to do some work on the boat, and then time with the family. Sean and I
went up the river to Jan's house (the Canadian teacher on the island for the
last 10years) to drop off some more toys and school things we not using. It
was nice to drop off things but as Jan and I chatted on her front porch, the
locals came to us with avocados as they walked to island village to sell
them, 3 for a dollar, and then Sean joined a friend to go and see his goats,
and hens. She has a simple house, a dock her boat off the dock for the last
9 years, and a great lawn, and guest house she is looking to build a new
house, and make the existing one into a school for here classes.
I enjoy this life if next no cloths, if it rains you get wet but not cold,
we swap items instead of money as I row past the panga fishmen they all wave
and call out to me with their catch. I drop the laundry off two piers down,
and will try to buy veggies tomorrow there. And our life is very satisfying
and yet very simple.
The boat jobs go on, finished the maintenance on batteries and redid the
indicator on the hydraulic steering, and fixed some new leaks on a port hole
I put in, all nice to have jobs, and we had happy hour with other cruisers
in the pool, drinking rum.
So life in California seems so far away.
Stay tuned as the sun has now set, and my batteries are running low Good
night!!!
Tim, Tracy, Sean, Alex Sowell
S/V Gijima