Morning Row with Chracter (How Life Can be so SIMPLE)
Sowell Family's Travels on Gijima
Skipper: Tim Sowell Admiral Tracy Crew Sean & Alex
Sat 24 Jul 2010 04:37
volcano to east, the tide was coming in with a bout a 2 knot flow at this
stage. I love this morning row, the family is still asleep, and there is
early activity on the dock, and the fish men on their pangas are heading
out, or coming in from a night fishing, today was really the first day the
fish men have been able to come back with fish after the significant rains
we had over last weekend, and beginning of the week.
I usually now row about 1/2 mile to the island circle around some of the
boats moorred and row back usually one way is against the current, and it is
about a 1/2 hour, and it is a good work out especially since it is 3 months
since I was rowing. It is peace, and to be out on the river, the birds of
the jungle singing, the water splashing by and the sun light reflecting off
the surface of the water, and it is cool the heat of the day has not set in.
Today as I approached the island I pulled over to where 3 fishing panags had
moored up on the shallow water after I had seem them come in from the sea,
and in my broken Spanish I looked at their catch and saw large red snapper,
sole, etc, the snapper were huge, asking price $2 a lb. This was of interest
as Tracy and I along with many of the other cruisers here are trying to
store lots of frozen food and eat local. We had prawns tonight caught in the
esturay with the fresh water they are on a run at the moment. After this I
went to some of anchored boats and we discussed the fish, and I dropped off
a part to get fixed at local repair shop on island where I also enquired
about where to buy the best fish. I was pointed to pensula to a little
resturant we know who also unknown to us also buys good fish from the
fishmen and cleans and sells to the the locals, so I rowed 1/2 mile to their
dock and went and investigated. Found good snapper, and the right size for
$6 a fish, which will be nice for barbequing when we have vegitables.
I continued back to dock after 1 1/2 out visiting different people and criss
crossing across the esturay, but it was fun, and rewarding, and I am feeling
better for the fresh air and exercise.
The family was just up on my return and it was Tracy's turn for a exercise
class put on by one of ladies off one of the boats, so she went off, and
also after that explored some of the local stores a cuple of blocks away
with one of the ladies to see what fresh food is avaialble.
I was able to get some good boat projects started, one of canoe supports to
hold the canoe on the side of Gijima had bent, that is now in for fixing,
and one of cockpit cover doors the zipper is just warn out, found someone
who can fix this, so that is underway, and I lined up people to wax the
outside of the boat, and clean the stainless, all positive moves.
Tracy is still moving through the cupboards but also using the opportunity
to clear out things we not using or have grown out of, so I took two big
bags of cloths, toys, and even cooking pots etc which we do not use to
island for distribution to the locals.
Many things we are just not using, and it is nice to see things leave the
boat, I suspect there will be more before early next week. Afternoon I spent
with another cruiser phoning customs in San Salavdor to sort out how we can
extend our tempoary import permit, we have many conflicts on how to do this,
and we are the first under the new laws, we are planning on going to San
Salavdor to deal with this Tuesday, good progres made but more tomorrow, and
Monday.
Busy day, just getting things done tomorrow we have market day up the river
and Tracy wants fresh vegies and fruit so we plan to race up trhough the
mangroves early tomorrow before the heat sets in.
Sta tuned.