The Satisfaction of Self Sufficiency and Independence
Sowell Family's Travels on Gijima
Skipper: Tim Sowell Admiral Tracy Crew Sean & Alex
Sat 4 Dec 2010 23:31
covered hill, with a partly cloud sky, the water laps on the cliffs behind
the boat, and birds make their final calls of the day, I marvel at the
feeling of independence and self sufficiency we have. This year has brought
much satisfaction in these areas we are able to travel with others, or we
can and we do take our own path. We sit here at the top end of the Gulf of
Dulce as the only cruising boat in 20 + miles, and enjoying the time with
the family as a functioning unit.
Through out the year we have grown in our abilities to handle different
situations, and it gives me much satisfaction to feel that we can go for 3
to 4 months on our own.
We make water when we need, or catch it, we capture solar for power, or
generate as needed, we catch fish and eat off the sea, trade with the locals
for fish and vegetables. We have learnt especially Tracy how to provision
the boat to last, we now have enough to last, and we get variety and
enjoyment. Educating the boys each day, and getting them excited with the environment and experiences around them.
We have dealt with break downs of equipment (confidence and
knowledge of the boat helps, but we don't feel like we will get stuck we can
work around or fix the issue) and constantly done maintenance and
improvements to boat to make it ever more reliable and suited to our way of
life. Like my friend Dan said at the beginning of the year you know when you
are relaxed and fitting the lifestyle when you can sit a talk to fellow
cruiser about anchoring for hours with confidence. Many people come to the
boat and look at things we have done, discuss ideas, and go away and
implement them, it is very rewarding to be helpful.
But most of all the pride in the family that we sit and discuss what we
think we want to do, and then do it, often not going by the book, or what
others do around us. This is both in the cruising down the coast, or when we
travelled overland for 3 months to South America, we are also ready to adapt
to new situations and change plans. (That took time for me).
We also don't need push ourselves and good example was here we talked about
moving on for a month on water, but on arriving here in Gulf of Dulce we
decided to mix it up, and we have been rewarded in seeing much more of
nature and the area around us.
But it is the independence and ability to be disconnected that we enjoy and
it gives us the opportunities like we are in now.
Recommend it to everyone.