Catalina 30



I'll start the blog out with a photo, and then a reply to my sister who ask if I had any amenities on my boat.

03/13/11
Bokeelia, FL

Audree,
Forgive me for taking so long to get back to you. Although the internet is my prime means of communication, I do not use it often. A couple of weeks ago you ask in regards to my boat, "What amenities does it have?!?" The weekend prior to your e-mail, my friend Captain Eddie spent the weekend on my boat helping me with some things I could not do alone. The advantages of amenities came up, and we had a lively and entertaining discussion that evening. Captain Eddie lives on a 40 ft. houseboat down in the Everglades. The "Seament Tammy" is docked at the Port Of The Islands Marina. In a nut shell it went as follows:

For entertainment Captain Eddie has three TVs installed on board his yacht, including a 40" flat screen TV.
I have none. For entertainment I have a nice library or if I have company we have an interesting conversation.

He has a washer and dryer on his boat.
I have none. I do mine in a 5 gallon bucket with biodegradable soap.

Captain Eddie has a dishwasher.
I have none. I don't even have one at home, I do it the old fashion way.

He has three air conditioners installed on board his yacht.
I have none. The silence would drive you nuts at night but for the sound of the waves kissing the hull and the wind softly singing through the rigging and the occasional "Woosh" of a Dolphin or Manatee expelling spent air.

Captain Eddie has cell phone service and wi-fi dockside.
I have none. My service does not work in this remote area of Pine Island. Some of us wonder how we ever lived without it, but I find it restfull. Kind of nice for a change.

He has luxurious carpeting on his floors.
I have none. My floors are dusted with sand from the beach, salt from the sea and footprints from a twenty two year old co-ed from FSU.

I can remember as a young boy traveling with my grandfather to his cabin in Batchawana Bay, Canada. I could not wait for school to end for the summer so the two of us could make the long trip in his old jeep to Lake Superior. The cabin had no electricity and an outhouse. To wash you had to pump ice cold water by hand from the well. My grandmother had a wood burning stove to cook on, and she made the best pancakes in the world on it. She kept and used the wood burning stove after electricity, gas range, plumbing and other amenities were installed. It was never the same after that, except for the pancakes.
By the way, that well had the best and coldest drinking water. We did not have or need bottled water.

Amenities? I have none! I spend my weekends in another time, another place called peace.

Sailing has its romantic times, quiet times and boring times. It can be soft and peaceful, fun, exciting and even terrifying at times! I would not trade it for another way of life!

Regards, your brother jim.