Tuesday, November 22, 2011

A very large part of cruising is the social interactions you have with other cruisers. Of course, there are a few crazies…a few who are trying to escape from the world in general (and the world thanks them), but as social creatures designed to interact with each other, most of the people you meet are interesting, fun and you have a lot in common. While there will always be discussions of the benefits between Monohulls vs Catamarans, or sail boaters vs (gasp) Power boaters, most of the ribbing is good natured, good spirited and downright fun. Fortunately, there is a boat for every kind of person, type of adventure, and … budget.
For example, there was a guy in the boatyard last week with a similar sized catamaran of a different manufacture trying to tell us he was a knot and a half faster than our bout because of design….yeah right, Jim is saying…see you out there and we’ll see who’s faster.

Here at Port Louis we have met some lovely people, who we are having a great time with. Generally everyone meets up at the pool between 4 and 5 for swim time and happy hour. Occasionally a dinner group spins off from it, but generally it is just a bunch of boaters hanging around talking about what they did that day, when they are leaving, where they are going, etc, etc. There is Richard & Lucy, who we know from last year, of course, he is the unofficial Mayor of Port Louis. They have sold their boat and will be moving off her the end of this month, but fortunately not going far, only to the small apartments right on the marina road. There‘s Doug and Wendy, who bought a Leopard catamaran out of charter 2 years ago, their first boat, and are having the time of their lives..with great stories to share. Sonny & John, an absolutely delightful couple whose company we are also so enjoying. It is hard to explain how close you can become to people who you have known mere days or weeks, and already be planning on when you can see them next. It could be the in depth discussions about repairing the failed head, (UUCK!), it could be the helpful shopping tips and coaching on where to find this or that or the fact that we are all helping rearrange space in the shopping bus, or the extra hand, or tool when you need it, I really don’t know, but with some you go from acquaintance to friend in 60 seconds. This is both great fun, but also a little sad as ‘when are you leaving’ is a frequent question and topic of conversation. Some of us head north and sail the chain of islands, others head west into more complicated and distant passages, to the eastern Caribbean, or beyond to Panama and the Pacific.

Monday was Sonny’s birthday and we had a lovely happy hour by the pool, then all went into the restaurant for pizza and just had a ton of laughs. It really is a wonderful way to live.