Well, I’m sorry to linger on the subject, but this has been all of my focus lately, getting Pesto ready for the upcoming season. This was again a rather intense week (the one just past). I’m practically done in the engine room, which is excellent. Also on deck only a few jobs remain. I should have tackled them today, but was feeling lazy and allowed myself to indulge into something less physical instead. Browsing the To-Do list, something quickly appealed – to download Nautical Charts.
Populating our off-season To-Do list every year, we normally download refreshes to our existing charts as well as new charts to the areas we are supposed to cruise in the upcoming season.
In the bandwidth-deprived environs that we dwell, this activity often takes a good part of a day. Rather than finding it a drag, I actually look forward to it. Not only does it offer a respite from the otherwise physically-intensive projects on the list, but it is also a rather “romantic” moment. As the data drips slowly through the thin pipes of internet linking these pieces of paradise to the digital world, the charts appear on screen gradually, revealing the places that we may or may not be visiting within a few months time.
Doing the download today brought me a vivid memory of last years’ when, a few days preceding our departure, sitting at a hotel’s lobby in Barra de Navidad, I watched as the French and Polynesian names of the places started to pop up on the screen, of places so far away from us then, the nearest one requiring a non-stop 3,000 mile passage. I was filled with a mix of anxiety and curiosity as I looked at those places, as if it wasn’t really true that we would soon cruise them.
And we did – as vastly documented on this blog !
Today, there is far less anxiety involved. We ARE already here, and most passages this year shall be significantly shorter – between 3 and 6 days each, on average. And with less anxiety, I can enjoy more the curiosity aspect of it. How will the reception be in the Cook Islands, given that Pesto is flagged there? Will we see the whales in Niue? How will the culture be in the kingdom of Tonga? The endless paradisiac islets and bays of Fiji. Will we have the opportunity/ time to cruise Vanuatu? Will New Caledonia be a suitable place for the upcoming off-season?
Downloading and Refreshing our charts today has been a worthwhile warm up exercise, to remind me that these projects will soon end, that they serve a purpose, to get us out there, to fulfill our wanderlust, our plan, to proceed with our Journey.
And now I have less of an excuse to finish up the work on the deck tomorrow 🙂
Have a great week !
Oh those jobs! Today I did my second provisioning Trip to Sams Club and Walmart while Phil rebedded windows. We had a modification made to our davits and they are now back on board. So I feel the weight on our shoulders as well. We have a great fleet this year with many boats you will be familiar with. Keep up the great jobs.
Hi Debra – the days leading to departure are very intense, and I don’t think it can be any different. You guys have been preparing thoroughly and will have a good time out there.
Keep up the good work as well 🙂
Fair Winds.
Alex