Category Archives: 2020 Voyaging

No person will be a sailor who has contrivance enough to get themself into a jail; for being in a ship is being in a jail, with the chance of being drowned… a person in a jail has more room, better food, and commonly better company.—Samuel Johnson Happy Mother’s Day everyone! Although I’m missing ColleenContinue reading “There and Back Again”

Those were the parting words from my good friend William when I made my 6:30 AM departure from Little Harbour yesterday. He, Kim and Rachel paddleboarded over to wish me safe passage. Ben cast off my shore lines. I weighed anchor (pulled up the anchor) and was off! They all had their conch trumpets withContinue reading “May Your Boat Sink in Warm and Shallow Waters”

OK…let’s have a quick, lightweight, fun post for a Sunday evening… Late last week, this BVI police boat hove into view around one of the headlands of Little Harbour. While all of us in the bay were pretty sure we were doing what we were supposed to be doing, given the communications and how thingsContinue reading “Uh Oh…Busted!”

I’m comin’ home,Made up my mind that’s what I’m gonna do.Can’t love nobody on the telephone,I’m comin’ home to you. —Robert Earl Keen (added to hjsailing playlist) Author’s Note: While I still have some hurdles to clear prior to my departure and our exact embarkation date is uncertain, once the curfew is lifted, things willContinue reading “I’m Comin’ Home”

Ah, she likes to travel around,She’ll love you and she’ll put you down.Now people let me put you wise,[Hazel] goes out with other guys. —Dion, Runaround Sue (#1 on the Billboard Charts, October 1961), added to hjsailing playlist That blog-post title and song reference goes out to T. McMahon (Terry). He’s my great friend andContinue reading “Runaround Hazel”

In reflection, that’s some ambitious title for this post—let’s hope the subsequent writing can deliver on the promise. I’m over 90 days straight of living on the boat and, given our lockdown, approaching 30 days at anchor in one place so I’ve certainly got the time to do it right. Here goes nothing… You’ve gotContinue reading “Zeitgeist, Collective Grief and The First-Mile Problem”

After that blog post that was a slow-song, tearjerker, I think we’re all in the mood for a dance number. Several weeks ago when I was in Gorda Sound on the Island of Virgin Gorda, BVI, I had a beautiful and photogenic beach walk on Prickly Pear Island. I find that when I get toContinue reading “Prickly Pear Island”

One foot in and one foot back, It don’t pay to live like that.So I cut the ties and jump the tracks,For never to return…. Three words that became hard to say,I and love and you. —The Avett Brothers, I And Love And You I played bass in a rock and pop band for aContinue reading “Mysteries, Sea Glass and Irrational Fears”

When I get to heaven, I’m gonna shake God’s hand,Thank him for more blessings than one man can stand.Then I’m gonna get a guitar and start a rock-n-roll band,Check into a swell hotel; ain’t the afterlife grand? And then I’m gonna get a cocktail: vodka and ginger ale,Yeah, I’m gonna smoke a cigarette that’s nineContinue reading “IrMaria”

A wonderful bird is the pelican,His bill will hold more than his belican,He can take in his beak,Enough food for a week,But I’m damned if I see how the helican!—Dixon Lanier Merritt Editor’s Note: As this terrible pandemic rages, I’ve heard of some particularly tone-deaf billionaires escaping to their luxury yachts and then flaunting theirContinue reading “Fauna”