Linda Sipos Aug.19th, 1968 - Aug. 1st 2007



My mom died when I was about one year old, my childhood years were not so good and I missed my mom often. So 38 years ago God picked a special Angel to come and be with me, she brought me incredible joy and love, her name was Linda...

As I sat down in Linda's garden yesterday to think of what to say to you all at her service, I was surrounded by all her beautiful creations. The Sun, the Breeze, the Fragrances... I could see her smiling face as she worked in her garden, she enveloped me completely! She loved her garden, she loved so many of you here. She loved our children , Johnathon and Christina, She loved me more than words can say.

Linda brought incredible Joy, Love and Tranquility to our family. Where I was Difficult she was Easy. Where I was Intense she was Calm. Where I was Hard she was Gentle and so Soft. She brought out the best in me., I was complete with her!

We had met one beautiful sunny spring day about 17 years ago at the YMCA she had started a summer job after her 3rd year at UVIC, where she was getting her teaching degree. I can see her smile ,her eyes, her hair, as if it was yesterday... Her Radiance captured my Heart Instantly! And there was such gentleness...
She was modest, humble and so down to earth! She never changed, everyone she knew and touched saw and recognized these quality's in Linda.

We started dating shortly after and one of our first trips together was to Napa Valley and the Sears Point Raceway for a race I was competing in. It was a magical four days , we fell in Love and I even got to bring the Trophy home. She was so excited and happy, I and my crew really tried to explain to her that it was not always so easy and routine. She just said " I never doubted you would do it for a moment " She never changed that outlook or her unconditional belief and support for what ever I, the children or all of us endeavored to do... You know when I think of Linda and our life together there is not a single sad memory I have of Linda. And as I thought of these words my heart and body felt enveloped in Love and Joy and it made me Smile.

Linda's illness first showed itself one year after Christina was born and over these past nine years she faced its ever growing presence with tremendous courage and determination, she never complained or looked for others pity. It was always a beautiful day and She embraced Life and lived Life with Abandon...

Linda's other passion was being in the junior school library. In many ways it truly represented her. A women with a great passion for Literature, Knowledge, Music, Peace and Quiet, Adventure and More, all that a library contains. Everything about it brought such great Joy to Her and it Sustained Her!

So Gardener, Librarian, Mom, Wife, Lover, how will I remember my Sweetheart?

As you all know we had decided a few years ago to embark on an Adventure of a Lifetime with our children aboard our Magic Ship Impossible. We wanted our children and ourselves to experience the wonders of the world we live in. Linda wanted our children to truly understand how blessed and fortunate we were to live such a privileged life and to never lose that understanding! Even though our trip was cut a little short I think she achieved her wishes. The children and I will never forget all the textures, fabrics, colors and diverse people we met along our travels, we are better for it. She will always be in our memories when we think back on our Fantastic Journey!

So how will I remember my Linda....
This one day we were sailing down the coast of Costa Rica, our day had started out as a beautiful sunny day , with a gentle breeze. Our destination was a protected bay a full day sail away. One thing led to another as we started to experience some minor difficulties with our engine, time was precious to us that day. Then we hit a adverse current and time slipped away, soon we counting every minute. The bay entrance was strewn with reefs and other dangers which made it necessary to enter in daylight only. In the meantime the weather was changing, huge thunderclouds were building around us, wind and darkness was slowly enveloping us. Oh we looked forward to dropping the anchor in the protected bay and to sit out the storm in our cozy Impossible. We were at the bay entrance, yards to go and Darkness seized us, the Sky's opened, Thunder, Lightning, Pounding Rain. We continued onwards for several more seconds and then looked at each other... we shook our heads and turned out to Sea. The seas were building fast, the Darkness was Suffocating , broken only by Thunder and Lightning all around us . I stood out in the cockpit and watched as the lightning started striking the water around us... What was Linda doing? Well she was getting dinner ready, Storm or no Storm... her shift at the helm started at 9pm and went to 3am . I slowed Impossible down as we went into the ever increasing wind and seas. Linda and Impossible embraced us, she put her harness on and said to me "Sweetheart get to bed 3am will come quickly" Boy did I sleep well and she let me sleep in... gently waking me about 3:20am. I awoke to partial clouds, stars ,moonlight and diminishing seas.

Linda was our Guardian Angel that night and she always will be.

So, Linda Sipos, Guardian Angel and Adventurer , She makes my Heart Sing!!!
I love you Sweetheart... God needed You More...

We have now been in Panama City for almost 6 weeks. All of our Spanish is getting much better. I can now have half conversations and understand them almost perfectly. Its very hot here and lately its been raining lots, yesterday it rained almost all day. One amazing thing is when a 500 foot freighter passes you 300 feet away. We are on a mooring buoy thats right by the Panama canal channel. I can see every detail. I have seen all types of freighters and even 4 battle ships one nuclear powered and yesterday a submarine. 2 days ago I saw a huge military hospital vessel, it was bigger then a car freighter but just like it. It was huge and had a crew of 2000 men and women! We went to Mira Flores locks and saw a freighter go through, it was a long process, the museum was nice but small. There was lots of info and I learned a lot, they even had a section on the expansion of the canal. On one floor you could drive a freighter through the locks, that was cool. The locks are big, the gates are also huge. Without tug boats the freighters could not get through. At slow sppeds they are not very munuvrable. Just sitting on the boat you see lots of interesting ships. Some old Some new. I got to now the local Panamainan fleet preety well.
When we first got here we went to old town, its on a point overlooking the city, the buildings where very nice, they looked Spanish. There where some beautiful restored buildings and many more to be done. There was a nice museum and there are lots of churches. Its very nice to walk through, with all the streets being cobblestone.
Panama city is nice, and clean. Although the traffic can get bad. Its a very congested city.
I am looking forward to coming home in two days. Tonight is our last night on the boat. When we first arrived i thought the city strerts where very confusing for they are all curvy and none of them are straight, now after 5 weeks I am getting use to it. I have greatly enjoyed this trip and look forward to finishing it in the near future.
My favorite place was in Mexico where I made some friends and learned how to surf, in Barra De Navidad and Tenicatita. That was the only place whee we met cruisors with kids, one was 12 and the other 9. Just like us! We all miss home and cant wait to be back, even though our trip will be ending.

Here are some photos taken in the past 6 weeks, it's hard to believe that we have already been in Panama city for 5 weeks!
The photo above is of two boys we met in Bahia Honda, I gave them some candy but what they really desired was some fishing line and hooks. Johnathon raided his tackle box and they were so happy, they also asked for english magazines which really surprised me but we were happy to give them some of Christina's kid's magazines that we brought from home. They look shy in this photo but when they left they gave us a big smile.

I've just uploaded some pictures that we took in Costa Rica. Panama ones are to follow.
The story of the iguana is this: we were on the beach in Miguel San Antonio Park eating our lunch when I spotted this iguana coming around the rock that I was sitting on. He never took his eyes off me (or my sandwhich), when he got really close and didn't look like he was going away I jumped up and moved out of the way. Moments later this same iguana plus another one were stalking Johnathon and his sandwich. Johnathon had a long walking stick for protection and thought the whole thing was funny. I did not and was happy to leave that beach.
The picture above is of the church steeple in Golfito. This is perhaps the most unusual steeple I've ever seen. It is made out of corrugated metal boxes stacked one on top of the other is a diagonal sort of way.
Golfito looks much nicer from the water than it does from on land.