CURRENT LOCATION: Anchored in Ensenada Honda, near town on Culebra
18 18.326' N, 065 17.979' W

Sheryl says I am no longer allowed to look at our financial accounts online. It is really a shame when you work so hard to save money, only to watch it slip away day after day after day. Looking at our poor kitty vs. our budget, we have lost more money over the past week than we have spent in a year. And, I don't even want to consider our retirement savings (it sends chills down my spine).

It is likely that many if not most of you reading this are experiencing similar woes. We don't follow much in the way of news here on the boat, but I do like to listen to an NPR station which is broadcast out of the Virgin Islands when I can tune it in (which is about 50% of the time). Lately, I wince whenever I hear the status of the DJIA. I can only imagine what the 24/7 cable news coverage of this crisis must be like.

Early on in our cruising education, we read a book which indicated that cruisers are generally people who tend toward taking risks. Measured, informed, perhaps even calculated risks; nevertheless, they frequently engage in behavior which is considerably influenced by chance. Arguably, one is safer sitting at home on a sofa in the Midwest compared to reclining on the setee of a sailboat anchored in the middle of the hurricane belt. The book suggested that financial investment (especially when one is trying to derive some income from interest) is just another risky endeavor.

So we knew getting into this that there would be some aspect of 'risk' which applied to our kitty dollars. However, with a name like Prudence we are simply not allowed to push that, or any, risk too far. Therefore, we took a measured response and diversified into a variety of investments, some designed to generate modest short-term income and others intended to merely safeguard at least some of our principal. The former have been disappointing, to say the least, and the latter have shown to be a wise precaution. At times like these, though, a worrier like myself can only seem to focus on those formerly assigned assets as they circle round and round the drain. (Hence the ban from online access to our accounts)

Of course, wouldn't you know it, these hard fiscal times are juxtaposed with some big expenditures for Team Prudence. We just ordered a replacement laptop for my recently deceased ThinkPad, and the investment in a new dinghy outboard motor is just around the corner. Both contribute to accelerated blood loss from the already battered and bruised kitty.

We can only toss out a wish and a hope to the fickle winds of fate and finance that the pain will soon end. The healing cannot commence soon enough for this cruising couple in Culebra trying to live off their rapidly dwindling life savings. At least that's the way this anxiety-prone author sees it (often until late into the night).