Marina Winter Blues
Merry Christmas everyone. I went to the marina the other weekend to see how my boat fared those winter storms we had recently. She was all right. My little AfterBlue was still nicely wrapped up, resting on her cradle in Port Credit waiting for better days. It was really quiet in the marina. No visitors, nobody doing any work, nobody even driving around. Hundreds of immobile boats just rigidly stand there in the snow. Empty docks are covered in snow and bird waste and are cracking under the pressure from piling ice. The piercing cold wind punished my curiosity and forced me to retreat very quickly but I still had a glimpse of a handful of boats riding out the winter together with their owners under shrink-wraps and bubblers agitating the water enough to prevent it from freezing around the boat. I can easily understand how a boat can became your home, but making a choice to spend the winter on one, in Canada, in Toronto, still amazes me. I met few of those hard core liveaboards and they don’t see it as a big deal. I guess I just have to remember nobody is staying on flush-deck-twenty-five footer, but still…
I somehow lost the taste for the cold weather and find myself looking at my desk globe and dreaming about nicer places than a neighborhood of rental town homes and apartments by the Toronto airport. Sometime I am thinking if I’ll ever find anyone adventurous, compatible and crazy enough to think of doing some sailing stint with me again. It still amazes me, however, when I check my site logs, how many people from afar and exotic places are coming to this simple site just to share the adventure, so maybe chances are than when I really decide to go sailing again that I may actually find some friendly soul to share the new journey.
Right now I am back into doing a responsible thing again, making a living and wondering how to meet people. I enjoy time spent by myself, but it kind of gets boring after awhile. Just to make my life a little bit more interesting I took some drawing classes and keep my co-workers amused with the transparency of my conflicted personality. These are good days. I really can’t complain. I just hope it ain’t over. That the sun will shine again and I’ll make some new exploits on this beautiful Earth. Some friend suggested I just need holidays. It may be the truth. I hope it is. My thrill-seeking attitude to life raises questions about my financial future, you know. It makes me nervous.
December 21st, 2005 at 3:12 pm
Well, well, my dear friend Maciek! How I miss you so…here in the sunny isles of south florida! I’m afraid it is a bit chilly here today…something in the area of 67 degrees or so. People are wearing parkas! I could only dream of such an adventure as you speak of. I would leave this insanity I call life for a jaunt across the Atlantic anytime…..BUT I dont think Will and Rachel would approve. We love you and miss you very much. I would love to have you come and visit again, anytime! Kelley is here now for Christmas. Come join the party! Please also send our love to Tobi and Johannes. kj
January 29th, 2006 at 8:53 am
Hi Maciek,
I’ve taken a couple of detours… Spent a couple of weeks in Bangui, Central African Republic. That really put things in perspective for me. Somehow, the dream of the sailboat dimmed a little next to possibility of wells and orphan care centers. The dreams still there, just a little more submitted I guess. It still wakes me up in the middle of the night.
Greetings! I have to disagree that you just need holidays.
I think there are some who crave freedom, the unknown, never having to return to the rat race unless you choose to. A holiday may get you through, but it won’t satisfy that.
Still working toward the vessel, myself .. and getting closer.
If God leads, He will provide.
God bless you, Tobi and Johannes. Let me know how you guys are doing!
March 5th, 2006 at 4:18 pm
December 18th…………that was so long ago that the sailor spoke………………I wonder when the “marina winter blues” will be over??????
Love your stories & can’t wait for more……assuming there are more?!
April 14th, 2006 at 10:04 pm
Czesc Maciek.
Pozdrowienia od polaka, zeglaza i tez website nerda… Wybieram sie na podroz za 2 tygonie zaglowka O’Day 34′ z Detroit MI do Milwaukee, WI. Mozesz poczytac o tym na moim blogu http://www.megaBlueWave.com/blog. Any suggestions and recommendations welcomed. Daj znac jak chcesz. Go to http://megabluewave.com/contact.php.
You have great blogs!
Ahoy,
Marek
April 29th, 2006 at 2:38 pm
heya sport, i dont know if you remember but i used to write your site alot. its been a while since ive been here as the last thing i remember was you talking about going out on a shake down cruise.
anyway, if your just looking for people to sail with on another adventure, i can think of a few people that would be interested. namely myself and my fellow gypse traveler, Melanie. presently, we are in southern texas (last time i wrote you, i think i was in colorado) and have no plans to be anywhere untill burning man festivel in augest. thats out side of reno nevada incase you were wondering.
we know all about small places being as how we live in a van: ) we are true minimalist cruisers. so minimal, we dont even have a boat yet, but we travel the country in search of adventure and often, without so much as a car. ours is a simple life and we love meeting new friends. we would be happy to cram ourselves into a hanging locker for a chance to experience the afterblues travles.
anyhow, i’ll get back to you with a usable Email and at least i can keep you cybercompany till you sail off again. i love public library computers.
T.T.F.N.
daniel
May 1st, 2006 at 1:41 pm
here is a usable email for ya. look forward to hearing from you.
ciao,
daniel
May 2nd, 2006 at 6:38 pm
tick tock, tick tock……….how long now til she sees the water again??? ahhhhhhhhh – wish we could be there for the immersion…………hopefully there will be more summer ventures aboard.
August 1st, 2006 at 6:11 pm
sooooooo, have you abandoned ship? (a.ka. – this blog?!)