Oh Buddy! Can You Spare Some Time?

A call in good timing that I've waited on for years came Wednesday morning. Oh, I'd been asked before but it was never the right time, one way or another. But this morning opportunity knocked and the door was thrown open. Buddy John was going sailing and I was going too.

Buddy John is called Buddy John because we have too many John's around here to just call them all John. Buddy is the name of his self-made trimaran, so he is Buddy John. There is Lucy John, who lives in the states now, named for his dog Lucy, Shoebox John, because his boat looks like a shoebox, Computer John who used to be Balloon John, Johnny, who the other Johns just call John, but the women call him Johnny...

Back to Buddy John. I've taken and shared many photos of his beautiful boat from afar when out at Dakity and had been on it once for a look-see, but this time we would get to fly and photos would be from a whole different perspective. Another live aboard friend, Paul, came along. At first I was just thankful because I'm pretty worthless for much line work now. Then I was thankful because he was a boon companion along the way. Sailors make great story tellers, especially if they are true stories.

On my way to the boat launch place to be picked up, I noticed I have a new neigh-bor.  Brand new.

I can't see you so you can't see me. 

Still being a little shy

Ok, then take a look. And I've got a blaze too! Yes, I'm adorable.

And on to the main event.

The pirate ship is back!

"I've met the most interesting people while flying or on a boat. These methods of travel seem to attract the kind of people I want to be with." Hedy Lamarr

It could have been a more perfect day but I'm not sure how.

Ship-shape definition

Everything looks even more beautiful from the water.

And we're off.

Heading toward town for a runabout through the anchorage

The above is fake (I have to confess!), since the autopilot was on, but John wanted one photo of me on the wheel. I really did steer for awhile. though not for long. Buddy moves fast and responds beautifully but I found myself without much confidence in my old, long unused abilities. Not a great discovery particularly, somewhere between 'Oh! I want to do this more and more and more until I'm dancing with the deck again!' and 'Just enjoy the ride, MJ, take this right now joy of it.' Joy won. 

Out toward and beyond Culebrita until it was time to turn around and head back to Dakity.

Coming in for a perfect mooring ball pick up. 

After winding down with a drink at Dinghy Dock, the boys (even in their 6th and 7th decades, they are boys to me) headed back to their boats and it was time to head home. My face is still carrying sunshine, a little bit of ache from smiling for hours and deep thankfulness that rests well within and without. Call anytime, Buddy John. Maybe next time will be Pearson time, Paul. Who now, of course, becomes to me Pearson Paul. 

I love this time of year!

Have a tastefreedom Thursday. Do something totally, timelessly tactical.