Tuesday, July 08, 2008

IT'S NOT NICE TO FOOL MOTHER NATURE...

So I'm told the hurricane passed by 400 miles on the other side of the Big Island and ran out of steam...

This is what happens when you have all the weather up in the sky at the same time.
10:30 pm and 85 degrees (75 degrees in ORION'S comfortable air conditioning)
Friends arrived from New Zealand by way of Tahiti on Sunday.
Here's their catamaran. Caprice.
They are leaving for Kauai on Friday and then on to Sitka, Alaska. They asked if I wanted to crew to Nawiliwili and I said........YES!!!!
I'll have to hop a flight back to Oahu but it's worth it. Passages are the best. There's something about being out in the middle of the ocean out of sight of land to make you feel small and inconsequential. I think that's why I like to include sailing in my novels. It creates authenticity and I'm a big one for authenticity.
And now...Time out for baby fish. It's that time of year.
They are SO cute!
Touloose is figuring out how to get him some of those babyfish. He's scheming and plotting. He's planning. Conniving.
I haven't broken the news to him that he'd have to get wet.
He'll find that out soon enough.
The only problem is he needs a new PFD. He's grown out of his old one. It's a DOG size!!!! He doesn't know that either. I don't want to embarrass him.
The babyfish are safe until he figures out how to handle the net without those nifty opposable thumbs...

9 comments:

Holly Kennedy said...

So you're going with these people on this boat? On purpose? AND yoĆ¹'re excited about being in the middle of the ocean (gulp) where a person is so small and you are soooo at mercy to the weather, etc.???

How much have you been drinking, girl?! That is NOT a fun way to spend a weekend.

Joanne said...

Sometimes writing feels like being out in the middle of the ocean, out of sight of land. You're so far removed from reality, with the story's forces at work. (Is that stormy sky photo from the harbor where Orion is docked? omg, I hope it passed without incident!)

Travis Erwin said...

Your existence is so differnet from mine, which is just one of the many reason I enjoy your blog.

ORION said...

I get ya Joanne.
Very true and yes the photo is taken from the aft deck of ORION.
Holly it only takes about 16 hours to get to Kauai.
I'll be back by Saturday night or Sunday morning...

Lisa said...

I'd go with you to Kauai in a heartbeat...I LOVE sailing and haven't got to do it very much lately. Something tells me that Touloose could probably figure out how to get those baby fish...protect them!

laughingwolf said...

wow! grats on that, pat!

i know the feeling of insignificance, happened the time i looked at the rockies, first year university!

took nine months before i felt at ease, again... still find them awesome :)

enjoy the cruise!

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Sandra Cormier said...

Have a fun and safe trip, Pat.

That storm looks like the one I almost beat home at lunchtime yesterday. The rain got there before me and I was afraid to get out of the car.

Holly had some dicey weather near Calgary, too. It seems a tornado touched down in one of the national parks.

BClark said...

My family has been around the sea for years, and I love it, from the shore. My Great Grandfather was a whaling captain and they were at sea for years. He was even in your neighborhood. Going to sea in ships that size would have scared me green. Enjoy your trip, think it is wonderful you can do what you love. Best to you, Barbara