*GO* while you still can. Someone mentioned the number of retirees who
buy a boat to 'go cruising' with varied results. I've seen countless
big bucks boats that were tricked out for cruising, and the owner was
waiting for retirement and the pension, but died first. Heck, my
brother-in-law recently died at the ripe old age of 57.
Even if you live long enough to retire, you might not be physically
capable to handling the lifestyle. A few years ago I heard some woman
screaming "HELP ME HELP ME" (apparently she didn't know how to use the
radio) so I jumped in the dink and went full throttle. Her husband had
dislocated his hip stepping into the dinghy from the beach. That was a
big deal, and the Mexican I
Normal cruising adventures can be challenging. Getting from the dinghy
to the boat in 20 knots with a good chop can be a challenge. I'm
something of an expert at timing, and can wait for the perfect moment to
step on the side of the dinghy and do a 1/2 flip to end up on my butt on
deck, and also can find the handrail without thinking. It's good to
know your boat. But it's getting harder, and I'm only 56 years old.
Think about doing that while tossing groceries or Jerry cans on deck.
Done it. Oh, my back.
Speaking of Jerry cans, imagine needing to fuel up and the nearest place
is two miles away in the desert. It's easy to hike two miles in 105F
heat with eight empty Jerry cans -- you just take a spare piece of rope
and toss them over your back. But getting the full Jerry cans back is a
challenge. Yes, I have trudged back and forth for a full 14 miles in
105F heat, carrying a six gallon jug of fuel in each hand for each
return trip. And I won't do it again. (Tip: Take a sail tie and wrap
it through the handle, and lash a rolling hitch on your upper forearm.
Thus the weight is borne by your shoulders, and your hands can be used
to maintain control without cramping.)
Yeah, yeah, yeah. To be perfectly honest, the 2008 debacle left me in
bad shape, and I took a good look at the big picture and knew that I
should forget my dreams and go back to work. Then I said 'EFF IT.'
We are not voyagers. We are sources of revenue.
Hey, dinner is ready. I could shoot my mouth off on this topic forever,
but I need to eat.
Wal
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