Wednesday 24 February 2010

Peace and harmony.

I don't know where the time has gone this week, it's simply flown past. Probably because we are feeling good about the boat and have been enjoying the wonderful weather and the idyllic anchorage that we are in.

We have altered our habits somewhat as well and are feeling great for it! Getting up before sunrise, that's 5am, gives us a good run at working whilst the weather is at it's coolest. The kettle goes on as soon as I clamber out of my berth. It's copper sides glint in the light of the parafin lamp and I wait for it to boil whilst I rub the sleep from my eyes!

TBH appears a little later, once the tea is made and whatever is for breakfast on the way to the table. Calling him does no good you have to rattle a pan or two in order to get any response. Then he's like a rat down the hole! Still asleep but dribbling at the smell of food....

By 7.30 we have eaten, made the bed, tidied the boat, downloaded the weather and emails. Time to listen to the various cruisers nets and then on with the day. We have motored through the tasks on the list and are now mostly held up by a lack of materials to effect the remaining repairs. By 10.30 it's really hot so over the side we go for a swim.

I love this time of day. We have a couple of mangrove swallows that seem to have adopted the boat. They sit chattering on the guard rail, peering in through the portlights and crapping all over the deck! I think they are young fledglings and you can see by the look on their faces that they cannot comprehend what on earth these giant creatures are getting in to the water. They dive bomb us as we swim around the boat and cluck worriedly to encourage us to get out asap! Bless them.

The water is flat calm, like a mill pond and there is a deeply meditative quality to gliding slowly and rhythmically through the water, well that is until a turtle pokes its head up next to me when I have a tendency to panic! First time it happened I thought it was a snake, boy did I move fast! Now I just keep swimming, a gentle breaststroke making no sound. I can hear the insects buzzing past, watch a tiny dragonfly with brilliant turquoise tail land on the anchor chain, watch a great white egret dive for a fish and be surprised by a cormorant rising out of the water nearby. The sound of a paddle splashing alerts me to a cayuco going past and I wave to the occupants. That usually makes me sink like a stone, not very elegant!

We read and write. I cook, my bread has improved immeasurably. Must be to do with the peace that we are both feeling right now. Still will probably have all changed by tomorrow when a cold front will have passed through and we will be feeling decidedly chilly!

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