Well, just finished a great week of sailing in the Bay of Islands. Now I'm waiting to catch the plane to Tonga. While I was in Bay of Islands, the owners of the charter company offered me a job managing the charter company for them during the peak season , which just happens to coincide with the time I'm off the ice. Very tempting! They just sweeten the deal by setting me up to stay in Tonga for a week longer and then crewing on a boat back to New Zealand. Opportunity is pounding on my door. What to do? If this was offered next year there would be no question.

The sailing was great. 6 days of great weather. Even the last day when it started raining it was still good. The Bay of Island is a place you could sail around for a long time before you saw every thing there is to see. It's very tropical looking with out the heat. Reminded me of Hawaii. Beautiful place.

Well, off to Tonga. Hope all is well in your world.

Peace, Love and Coconuts
W


I MUST go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,
And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,
And a gray mist on the sea's face, and a gray dawn breaking.

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.

I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull's way and the whale's way, where the wind's like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over.

Unknown poet/sailor