Floating Bridge Amove

November 30

Last day of wimpy hurricane season. Disappointment at lack of excitement is subdued.

Renting, at lowest possible cost, what promises to be a junker from 1400 tomorrow until same time Wednesday to collect crew on 2050 flight from MIA, then for transportation to immigration next morning, is fewer guilders than one-way shuttle from airport and half that of taxi. Although unable to enjoy sport of having them find their way cross-island at night to within hailing distance of dinghy dock at Fisheries Harbor, avoiding mutinous rabble on boat for succeeding month precludes that option.

Was struck by fact that while floating bridge spanning entrance to Curacao Harbor motors itself aside to allow boats to enter, pedestrians, unaccountably assumed, unlike in US, to have the odd brain cell, continue to walk across without falling off open end. Curacao has apparently escaped infestation of ambulance chasing barristers (no offense intended toward England where that term may still carry some honorable connotation).

While possible to drill and tap all of boom bits to each other and to mast, had decided to have expert, Tys (name unpronounceable in English) at Curacao Marina, rivet (reportedly included with 'kit') biggest chunks to avoid internal rough edges where reefing and outhaul lines traverse. As happens, Inspiration Lady possesses big honking tool, now borrowed, for job allowing circumvention of this additional complication. Confidence, flying in face of sensible probability, remains high.

Jack