Learning via new friends

Wow, I just read the my last blog entry and apologize for all the misspelled words. I did that on my iPad and don't know how to spellcheck on that and I was writing while sitting in the sun on the bow so I could see all that well. I'll do better.

Since being in Sarasota, we've met so many new boat friends. Jean and Bill from Cincinatti OH, Steph and Paddy from Ontario near the 1000 Lakes area, Robert and Cathy from Toronto and off course Steve and Lynn from St. Paul MN.

It's been said before that when you live on a boat, you develop friendships fast. Indeed. We all have a love of water, the boating lifestyle and the sense of freedom that living aboard offers. Of course, part of that freedom is being retired BUT, when you live on a boat there are just a few things that dictate;
What time you ea, what time you go to bed, what time you get up, when you do chores, etc. That the dictates is the weather and your own sense of whats important.

Is it more important for me to do the dishes or sit on the bow with my husband and watch the sun go down? Is it more important for me to get those emails caught up or release the lines and get underway?

We met some really cool people yesterday. Robert and Cathy. They are sailboaters and they shared a story about, I believe when they were in New England and they had watched the weather reports and he told his wife....we've gotta leave by 9:30 a.m. to beat this system thats coming in. She said, no, I've gotta email the kids, etc. first. So they pulled up anchor and left at 12:00. They got a good ways out and saw this huge wall of water pouring down from the sky and they were headed right for it. The winds were laying them down on their side and obviously they turned back and got back to port safely. Soaking wet, standing safe and exhausted, she said, "next time, we leave when you say". Robert and Cathy, if you're reading this, I apologize for the lack of exact facts. Your story taught me a good lesson thought; I thank you for sharing.

Steve was telling us about some of his ventures while in St. Thomas as he was going over some of his charts that he gave us. These stories may save us from a mishap. Thank you Steve for sharing.

Steph and Paddy were sharing about their adventures as a Canadian flagged vessel and the fact that when they got into the New York harbor they were boarded by the Coast Guard and the Department of Homeland Security. Steph spent a few hours showing records and documentation to the DHS to their satisfaction but still for the next several days until they reached Canada, she had to call in to a 1-800 number to "report in", to which everyone she spoke to gave her a different story as to what she had to do. Typical government, hugh?

Then one evening, Paddy and Steph gave us a historyy lesson about Canada. WOW, I never knew all that. Steph and Paddy, thanks for sharing bits about your life with us.

One of my favorite sayings that I learned from my old friend Willis Adams, Sr. is:

"We are a part of all whom we have met".

Blessings and peace, Lisa
From aboard Great Mates II in Sarasota FL, H dock