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Lexington - 5/31/2017. Leg to Tonga



We left Niue at about 13:00 today. We have had an excellent day of sailing again using our twin headsails. In the first 12 hours we did 80+ miles. That is real good for a sail boat and for us.
So we have been at this for 5 months now. For someone who had never taken more than two weeks vacation at a time it has been an adjustment. It is hard to say what kind of adjustment. I never was one to party much and eat out much and we do a lot more of that. The heat has been a little annoying at times. I hate to be sweaty. Sweaty and trying to sleep is a challenge. I did get a good fan that has helped a lot. With the rolling seas it is hard to read and study. A lot of the time I am sitting in the cockpit like an old fart sitting on his front porch watching the world go by. I often feel I should have read and studied more about where we are going. I wonder what we are missing. I see why people take years to do this. I see why people who do the best at cruising start before they are 60 years old and have a spouse who can go with them. I can not say the boat feels like my home yet. It is just a mobile tent that we stay in. To long term cruisers the boat becomes their home. I am not there yet. I have gotten to where I do not count the days on a leg. I just put my mind in neutral and cruise on until we get there.
I have been humbled on this trip. I am sure we are seeing a select group but it sure seems that there are a lot of people we are meeting who are much more traveled than me. Scuba dive instructors are a prime example. They work in beautiful areas. They are skilled. Most that I have met have worked in several countries around the world. They get a little bored, look online for a job and then fly all over the world working with tourists in exotic places. The World ARC participants are also impressive. Most are not from the USA. Most speak English well even though it is not their native language. Most have had real varied and important positions. One person named off 3-4 things he had done in his life, any one of which would have been adequate to be called a successful professional. I am too much of an old farm boy. I would just as soon be at home in my garden killing weeds and bugs. That is not very worldly. You can not take the farm out of the farm boy!
May fair winds fill your sails with adventure and the will to leave comfort zones!  Bob

 




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