Today was our fourth straight day off the grid and on the water; all water we brought along, all electricity we generated ourselves. I've found living aboard the last 18 months that living a simplified lifestyle brings a lot of clarity to self and surroundings. That is definitely taken up a notch moving past uninhabited stretches completely disconnected from modern things as basic as a water and electrical system. And Avalon didn't fit that feel.

After a quick and nice breakfast at Jack's, we headed back towards the Isthmus area early. It was the warmest day yet, and we got to enjoy being up on deck without being completely bundled up. Before long we were approaching the Isthmus, and passing the spot on the island where we anchored our first night to complete the circumnavigation before heading for an empty Fourth of July Cove for the evening. It is really a beautiful little place, surrounded by cliffs and tucked in behind several points and other coves that give it great protection from prevailing westerly winds and swells. The quiet isolation of it felt much more in line with our mood.

We spent the day taking the dinghy around the little coves, walking around the quieter parts of the island, finally finding a tree we could climb into and enjoy some poetry while the sun set. It was a quiet, reflective and really quite magical day. But the lights of Los Angeles were 24 miles across the ocean, and tomorrow would draw us back to what the locals of the little village of Two Harbors refer to as "America." More than ever before, I understood the sentiment.