the first real winter storm came on with a vengeance sunday night and monday. from what the weather geeks are saying, it set a new record for snowfall on that date. for sure, things went to hell in a handbasket with this one. the boat was just a floating snow pile. at least until i was finally able to get her cleared. with a cutting board. yup. you know the kind. see, my fancy big-ass broom was plum ‘froze to the deck of the boat. my efforts paid off, though, and she was shipshape again in short order. and the broom is now stowed in the cabin, along with a plastic snow shovel i came up with while out and about with my good friend jack. seems all the snow wasn’t good enough as those taku winds kicked in yet again and howled at around 50mph all night long. we just can’t seem to get enough of this horrible weather around here so tonight we are down to single-digits and taking an occasional whiz off the back of the boat ain’t so appealing, as it now bears the additional potential risks of frostbite and falling overboard. the sun finally broke out earlier today and the moon in the mornings has been really special. here is a cobbled-together panorama of the view from the office. the sun was trying its best to come through those clouds and the horizon had a bruised, purple look to it, and back to my right the moon hung there over douglas island, the snow and ice capping everything.
this was the view from where i go and drink, ummm, milk shakes once in a while. its a real nice place to visit and the people are always happy. except the other day when this one girl didn’t like the, ummm, milk shake maker dude and she swore at him. for some reason the cops all came busting in and away she went faster than you can say hoosegow. we all got a free round of, ummm, ice cream on the house. the view was made for me: most of the rigs you see here in this end of the harbor are commercial fishing setups, further down are the motorsailers and yachts, the breakwater further out and lined with all manner of bird life, the water a cold steel black that goes perfectly with the long, dark nights here, the contrasts of the folds and ridges along and across douglas island. quite nice.
this small space aboard this sailboat gives me things that could not have been anticipated. going to sleep every night floating and rocking, waking up each day to the sounds of the wind and the rain and of water slapping the hull, my own simple rhythms sliding so easily into synch with those of the relentless tides, the darkness of winter now so closely wrapped around everything, the snow covered mountains above me standing out in marked, glowing, white no matter the hour of night. i have been overwhelmed with the blessings of this place. sail on, my friends, sail on.
