A Birthday Present from Mother Nature

Right on cue Mother Nature has delivered. The morning of my 23 birthday dawned with our first traces of wind in a couple days, and before 1000 we were under sail, conserving our precious diesel and feeling somehow much closer to home. With the arrival of our first pod of dolphins in a week I knew the wind would stick around for a while, after all these splendid creatures seem to always be harbingers of good conditions and happy days. With the wind the clouds have rolled in, but I'll trade you clouds for wind any day of the week. With our 7 to 10 knot northerly breeze we're making 5 knots on a peaceful beam reach. The sea gently slides past the hull and from the cabin it feels as if we're sitting motionless.
The 4th passed windless, sunny and warm and saw us catch a pair of small albacore to supplement our diet. As usual, the fish bookended the day, and when the second struck just after sunset as I was finishing up my last bites of the morning's catch I reached for the pole and reeled in my first of the trip. Somehow the allure of fishing for me isn't in the sport of doing the actual catching. It's enough for be a witness and take credit for the catch as skipper; but with this being the most prolific fishing trip of my life I would be remiss if I didn't land at least one. Once the fish was filleted and put in the reefer (one benefit of motoring) the sunset began to fade into another spectacular star-filled night, starting with the first appearance of the moon in days, a thin crescent sliver low in the western sky, and ending with the Big Dipper sinking into the sea on the northern horizon.

So this marks my third straight birthday spent in different countries (or lack thereof in this case), surrounded by three different languages, in three distinct climates. It is the first in that stretch in which I haven't been able to catch a couple waves; but with San Diego drawing me inexorably closer this is of little consequence. Besides, if I can't be surfing there isn't much I'd rather do than spend the day sailing before a gentle breeze in the deep blue Pacific along with my dear friends, the dolphins, and with my father along for company. 23 years, 17 countries, and nearly 30,000 sea miles. I can only hope the next 23 bring me such good fortune.

July 5-1300.
33.56N by 128.18W

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