Saturday 4 February 2017

Ever notice how nobody says Feb-roo-ary, but rather Feb-you-ary? Why not lose the "r" just as Webster chucked the "u" in harbour and "i" in aluminium - entirely superfluous letters, among others, foisted upon the colonies by an overly baroque British. He drew a line at wimmen and tung and didn't make a dent in Gaelic spellings, but that's OK as he gave us skunk and chowder on opposite ends of the esthetic scale. Thanks Noah. Take that you snooty Brits! Actually I love our cultural progenitors. Besides English (a personal favorite nonetheless) they gave the world Isaac Newton, the industrial revolution, scotch and Kate Beckinsale... also spotted dick, cricket and Prince Charles? - they're not perfect.

Sunday

This operation is installed in Darwin (Charles: another Limey) due a precipitous change of plans as crew, discovering the joy of not pounding against wind and current 2000 NM to Johor, Malaysia, turned left for a 550 mile detour. Having gotten into the habit, yet another modification is being contemplated. Someone noticed that we had sailed most of Indonesia, Malaysia and Western Thailand over the last couple of years and that, not having an overwhelming desire to see Sri Lanka and the Maldives which must be approached from Thailand earlier in the year, crossing the Indian Ocean via Christmas Island and Cocos Keeling could be accomplished beginning in May. We might just be in South Africa by December. The proposition is under advisement.

Above plot will require having all major boat projects completed before end of February if we wish to ski in March, visit Indochina afterward then depart Darwin in April. This retirement thing isn't as relaxing as it's cracked up to be.

Jack