Building Bridges

Earlier today, an egg escaped from its plastic nest, jumped out of the refrigerator, and landed on the port hull step. It cracked, and its innards oozed into the crevices of the emergency hatch below. It was a classic boat-passage disaster!

Besides the egg, squalls on the horizon, and a finicky spinnaker—day one of our journey from Puerto Rico to Panama is going well. We’re sailing at 11.6 knots in the slightly wrong direction, and all I have to do on my night watch is ensure we don’t crash into the Dominican Republic. Easy.

It’s quiet. I hear nothing but the rush of our wake and the wind. Gone are the Puerto Rican boom box boats. I never thought I’d miss them, but I do. We’ll have to go back someday—back to San Juan, Culebra, and Salinas, back to our favorite kite spots, back to the manatees, turtles, dolphins, and rays, and back to eat empanadas, arepas, bacalaitos, and those decadent fried jalapeño cheese balls. 

Of course, the people won’t be the same if we’re lucky enough to return, and we don’t take new friends for granted. The Yaucou Coffee Festival with Oxana, Markus, and Sandra was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

As were Sunday pancakes and Taco Tuesday with Mickey, Leslie, Esgi, and Robert. Guitar nights, like those on the dinghy dock with Eric, Nathalia, and the kids, don’t happen every day.

Neither do hikes into the rainforest with Cori, Chuck, Jo, and Jeff.

I wonder if Michael will ever get four people to dinghy foil again in Almodovar! Moments like these are exceptional. 

Our time in Puerto Rico reminded me why we’ve worked hard on Gerty and sacrificed things to live this sailing life. One of my favorite reasons is the chance to build human bridges. Now, there is a majestic one from New York to Puerto Rico, as well as from New York to Ukraine, Switzerland, Missouri, Turkey, Germany, Siberia, and Colorado. Still, there are so many more bridges to build.

Last Remarks:

• Thank you to Michael for traveling over water and road to get me to the airport! Visits to my Dad in Florida and my Mom in New York made all the difference to me.
• Thank you to Sandra Lugo-Camacho for hosting us in Yauco.
• Thank you to Oxana and Markus, SV Evergreen, for taking us on the most amazing adventures
• Thank you to Ramone, Lindsay, and the twins, SV calmer waters, for keeping us company and helping us with our gas tanks in San Juan
• Thank you to Cori and Jeff, SV Beatrix, Chuck and Jo, and SV Zen for stopping at the bakery for me!
• Thank you to Leslie, Mickey, Esgi, and Robert, SV Nazhoni for all the food and fun.
• Thank you, Eric, Nathalia, Alina, and Logan, SV Altair, for all the good times and for introducing us to the leading man on our next adventure – Juan José Boschetti, Shelter Bay Marina
• Thank you to Chrissie, John, Sam, and Ben, SV Flying Fish, Kris and Dean SV Charm, and our landlubber grocer fairy, Kathy. It was great to meet all of you in Almodovar.
• Old friends Wendy and Scott, SV Triple S, and Marie and Dietmar, SY Greyhound, it was great seeing you again.
• Last but not least, thanks to the Hammers for traveling over the Puerto Rican hills to Gerty. Here’s to a glorious day!

Puerto Rico Boat Projects

• Installation of new watermaker motor and voltage meter. (The previous motor overheated due to voltage drops. In reality, Jill killed it with her cooking.)
• Portable solar panel installation (providing additional 800 watts)
• Sealed thru-points in diesel locker, eliminating noxious odors into salon.
• Started ceiling vinyl renovation project.
• Sewed new sunshades.
• Finished security alarm system installation.