Solomons Island

A wet and drizzly start to our day today. Back Creek is quiet now, the skies a patchwork of grey clouds trying to hide the morning light. A dinghy or two passes by. Their bleary eyed drivers taking man's best friend for a walk. A few mariners have left the scene already, sneaking away quietly in the still water, their decks covered in morning dew.

While I enjoy the coolness of the morning and the warmth of a cup of tea I think about what Debra told me yesterday as we picked up the mooring. "You know we haven't set foot on land for over a week now!". I never really thought of it but it's true. It doesn't seem like a big deal to me really. I could go another week or month and not plant my soles on terra firma, but it is significant in our ever changing lives as cruisers.
 
We will fully investigate the Solomons over the next few days while getting reaquainted with soil, concrete and asphalt. Oh and cars. Can't forget cars. A short bike ride today was already fraught with danger. The area is not as large and interesting as previously thought, based on our early scouting trip by loaner bicycle. My bike was baby blue with a nice basket on the handlebars. All I needed was a beret on my head and a baguette in my basket. And maybe a pencil thin mustache. About two miles into our ride Deb had a blowout and she had to walk the bike back to the marina while I circled her in the pretty blue bike eating fromage and trying not to spill my wine.
Actually, I offered to walk the bike back but she refused. So stubborn.

So far our jaunt up north to The Bay has been totally worth it. Getting the sails raised was such a rush, and so long overdue. We put the old gal on fast reach down the Rappahannock. Close hauled ass on the Piankatank and had a scary downwind run up the Bay in four footers and fifteen knots of wind. It's really been great sailing for a change. I personally vow to do more of it from here on out. We really hate the drone of the diesel for hours on end. The joy of being on a boat rushing through the water on wind power alone is something to be experienced as much as possible in this internally combustible world of ours.

Cheers!

Oh. One more thing. I won a major award!

No, not that one, this one:

Thank you to the crew of SV Galapagos over at Little Cunning Plan

I will explain it all in the next post, after I finish answering all these damn questions :)
PJJB :}