So here we are again, a second goodbye to Sidewinder, but this time it cannot be reversed since we are now an ocean away as David and Suzi press on in the Pacific to Ecuador and the South Seas.
For ten months we have hopscotched and leap-frogged south from San Diego, our paths crossing, initially by accident but later by design. What started out as a mutual hand holding of greenhorn newbies in Baja developed into friendships we can cherish for all time. And this bears a little examination.
Whereas it is quite possible that on "dry land" Virginia and Suzi may well have found a friendship, perhaps through yoga or such like, I think David would be the first to agree that he and I would have been poles apart. Introduced at a party, as soon as he mentioned his quarter-back past, or his love of beach volley ball or for sure if he started to strut his alpha maleness, I would have said nice to meet you and see you later. No doubt he would have reacted likewise to me. But thrown together in the sometimes raw and intense crucible of learning to be cruisers we have seen things in each other we would never have appreciated shore-side and nurtured a friendship neither could have predicted that will last well beyond this farewell.
So godspeed to Sidewinder, we have reveled in your company and look forward to more Friday night tequila nights when our respective adventures are over and we reconnect down the line.