43 Days Ago

For Greg and Kris, by special request.

43 days ago today was Thursday December 10, and my wife and I were in the middle of our vacation at the Bitter End Yacht Club in the British Virgin Islands. It was a pretty typical day at BEYC... if any day can be typical when every day is different.

Breakfast: Mimosas, tropical fruit and callaloo omelet. Yum. I have this almost every day. I'm in a rut.

Morning: Sailed a Laser on my own all morning over into Gun Creek and Leverick Bay. Practiced lots of tacks and gybes, and reaching at all angles to the wind. Began to appreciate the Classic Laser.

Lunch time: Lost Tillerwoman. Walked past the restaurant back to the room (where I always met her every other day at this time.) She wasn't there. I showered. I waited. I drank rum. I waited some more. I drank some more rum. At 12:45 I left a note in the room saying where I was going and went to look for her. Walked past the restaurant and to the pool where she usually hangs out in the mornings. No Tillerwoman. Asked around and somebody said they had seen her there an hour ago. Walked to restaurant. She was there. She said she had been waiting there for me, and then gone to room to look for me. We must have crossed paths somewhere along the way, maybe even twice? I was feeling mellow (probably because of Laser sailing and/or rum) and didn't shout at her for changing her routine and causing me to walk a couple of miles in the heat of the tropics looking for her on an empty stomach when I could have been chilling out in the restaurant drinking rum grog.

Lunch: They were playing Xmas songs in the background in the restaurant. I joined in with a rousing chorus of "O come let us adore him!" in my best off-key tenor with a British accent. What can I say? I was feeling mellow and was in the Xmas mood. Big old fat American at the next table said to his wife, "Jesus was so nice they nailed him to a tree." He said it loud enough so I could hear. I think it was a rebuke because he thought I was mocking his religion with my awful singing. Considered making loud remark to my wife that they didn't nail Jesus to a tree because he was "nice" but because they thought he was spouting radical ideas that would upset the status quo... Mister Rogers was "nice"... they didn't nail him to a tree. But thought better of it. Had some swordfish and lots of rum grog for lunch. Feeling very mellow.

After lunch: took a nap in a hammock.

Afternoon: went down to the sailing center. The watersports director was hanging Xmas lights everywhere. Took out a Hobie Wave by myself way down the bay. Worked out how to use the hiking straps and was flying a hull. Practiced layline judgment and windward mark roundings. There was something called "Beer Can Racing" on the program for Friday and I wanted to be in form for that.

Pre dinner: went back to room and drank several Dark and Stormies. There was still a helluva lot of rum left. Feeling even more mellow.

Dinner: Rack of lamb, Merlot. Got involved in long conversation with interesting group of people at the next table that degenerated into another of those macho "my thingie's longer than your thingie" stand-offs. Sailors are weird.

And so to bed.

I hope you like it Greg and Kris.