March 15

Crews flying the Pacific referred to Japan as the land of no plan "B". No problem here as we ran out of letters while down-locking. Advisors were conferring, debating and communicating on their UHF radios as plans changed literally by the minute. Three ship, two ship, center lock, tied to a tug. We twice attached to lock walls awaiting a ship and its tug, onto which, as it then moved ahead, we tied one side then the other. Fortunately, crew on other boat was less lackadaisical than day before.

Upon arrival at La Playita, Whoosh made a pass by Anthem to which, with cat-like grace, I leapt to re-discover the apparent after-effects of a tornado in her saloon. After contemplating that catastrophe for awhile and attempting to reconfigure Airmail from failed transmission attempt with Jack T's SSB, retired to his boat to retrieve stuff, swill rum and fail miserably, but with great pleasure, to reconcile my political philosophy with his experienced reality.

Tuesday will end in success with disappearance of all provisions, awash below decks, into, under or behind some form of restraint from which it can eventually be recovered in much the same condition as last seen. Initial assessment of likelihood is discouraging, but will, to quote Chief Dan George in "The Outlaw Josie Wales", "endeavor to persevere".

Jack