When Nature Calls...Or Not

I love sailing for so many reasons, one of which is its connection to nature:  wind and rain; currents and tides; sun, stars, and moon; clouds and fog;  and marine life.  Nature is all around you, and in fact you depend on it for propulsion, direction, and in some cases survival.  The downside to this is we can’t always sail when and where we want to.  Sometimes we have to wait for Mother Nature to cooperate.   Crossing the South Pacific Ocean, we waited for days, even weeks, for the weather conditions to be favorable and safe.  Now, back in the Bay, I’m waiting again. 

My primary goal for 2017 is a yet-to-be-announced sailing activity that I need to be evaluated for, under certain wind-strength conditions.  This is what I’m waiting for.  Unfortunately, Mother Nature hasn’t cooperated yet, and my evaluation sail has been postponed several times due to light winds.   I’ve been riding an emotional rollercoaster as I psych myself up for the on-the-water test, but then have to put that excitement in check as the test gets postponed.    

(For those of you who might be wondering, the heavy rain we have had these last couple of weeks isn’t actually as big an issue when it comes to sailing.  We can and do sail in rain.)

So from the outside, I know it appears I'm not really doing anything, or going anywhere.  But this is the reality of sailing.  Sometimes you just have to wait it out for conditions to be right.    

That said, I haven't exactly been sitting idle.  I have made progress in other areas.

First, I researched and entertained a couple of opportunities to sail across the Pacific Ocean, from Mexico to Tahiti, in March/April.  In the end, I declined the offers, in favor of staying focused and committed to the evaluation noted above.  Why is this progress?  Because it gives me confidence that my sailing résumé (which I’ve posted online at various crew-finding websites) is gaining traction and visibility, now that I have over nearly 3,000 ocean miles under my belt.   It’s also available on my website here.

Second, I interviewed for a great volunteering opportunity at a horse- and dog-rescue operation in the Gilroy area (south of San Jose).  The owners were very friendly and offered me a one-bedroom apartment in exchange for my part-time help with facility upgrades and animal care.  It was a tempting offer, but I decided the location was too far away and the 80-hours per month commitment might be too restrictive on my travels.  I reluctantly declined, even though they specialized in my all-time favorite breed of dog:  Rhodesian Ridgebacks.

Third, I have racked up a lot of rewards points on my Hotels.com account (and less proudly, on my Chase credit card) as I have bounced around from hotel to hotel these last 4 weeks.  

Unfortunately, the other thing going on these last few weeks is I’ve been sick off and on with the cold/flu.  I’m guessing the cause (or at least a contributing cause) is the constant move from hotel room to hotel room.  I read somewhere that the hotel remote control is one of the dirtiest things ever.  Gross.  I now wipe it down before I touch it.  Admittedly, I’m guilty of going on a few rainy, cold sails too, which probably hasn’t helped either.

For the rest of February, I’ll be house-sitting for a couple of friends who have been nice enough to let me stay in their homes.   You know who you are -- Thanks!!

I'll be patiently waiting for Mother Nature to turn on her wind machine... while also working on some additional and/or alternative plans for 2017 depending on how things shake out.

 Enjoying a night sail... under a bridge, under a full moon, under a shooting star, and unfortunately, under the weather.  

The full moon was super bright.  

A highlight of my hotel stays:  The bed & breakfast at Point Montara lighthouse.  The signpost is a bit indicative of how I feel... so many directions and places I could go.  I'm doing my best to figure it out and get going!!