What was supposed to be a two week sailing trip from Wilmington, North Cakalacky to Saint Martin turned into three weeks at sea with stops in The Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, and Puerto Rico. The purpose of the trip was to deliver a 38 Leopard Catamaran for a wealthy British fellow. It was rather arduous, but a great adventure.
THE UNPLEASANT: Not being home on Christmas Day. Trying to sleep when it sounds like your boat will tear apart at any second. Pounding into 15 foot seas for four days straight. Puking my guts out. Breaking every coffee cup on the boat. Cruise ships. Feeling completely wet, greasy, and salty and not being able to get dry because everything else is wet, greasy, and salty. Being completely exhausted simply from the never ending work of keeping yourself from falling over. Feeling really small.
THE ENJOYABLE: Catching 10 Mahi-Mahi. Getting paid to be on the water. Seeing some of the most beautiful water in the world. Putting a reef in the Main in 35 knots of wind. Seeing four new islands. Practicing my Spanish with pretty Puerto Rican girls. Diving for Conch. Fresh Conch salad. Lobster. Empanadas and Medalla's. Playing dominoes with the locals. Seeing every star in the sky. Feeling really small.
The open road it calls my name It's not fortune, or power, nor is it fame But blacktop and freedom and some new place The open road it calls my name
My good gal she is left behind At times I think I've lost my mind To leave a girl as fair as she But the open road can be unkind
The open road it calls my name My heart it cannot yet be tamed For the unknown and unseen haunt me still The open road it calls my name
My addiction is not to whiskey or dice About hookers and cocaine I don't think twice Just waves and cultures and people I'll meet The open road it is my vice
And I'll travel this road until I die And then I'll go up into the sky And when I pass through those pearly gates Down that open road I will fly
I went to New York to see Matt play at the Fillmore. Sadly, I don't have any pictures from that event. However, I was able to document the rest of my week in the living, breathing organism that is New York.
Brooklyn Bridge.
My bicycle at the Brooklyn Banks (a famous skate spot).
American Museum of Natural History.
A Rothko piece at the Museum of Modern Art. Probably my favorite thing that I did. The Van Gogh exhibit was awesome. Not to mention Picasso, Pollock, Gustav Klimt, Max Beckman, Andrew Wyeth, and many others.
Trinity Episcopal.
The Financial District was a little uneasy. I came upon a protest of the bailout on Wall Street.
I'm not one for big cities, but NYC is different. It is huge. I like huge cities. I had a blast.