After a great 2008 with many ups and a few downs and a sensational exit out of it, 2009 has come to hit me in the face. It feels like getting fired on a Monday after a particular festive weekend. There are many reasons for this, chief amongst them that Lauren and I split up. We’re still great friends, but she needs to put her university degree to use and start a career, while I want to circumnavigate. Life goes on, but it does take some of the vibrant colors temporarily out of your life when you go through a break-up, even if it is a friendly one. So now I’m sailing solo again in a very literal sense.
On top of this the boat is giving me some grief. I split the mainsail sailing from Bequia to St. Lucia, so I had to get it repaired. I got it back this morning, but carrying the damned 74sqm sail alone is tough, not to mention lifting it in and out of the dinghy and onto the boat. I’m going to try to mount it when the wind subsides, but I think it will be a Hellish job all alone.
Added to this is a 30 point long list of things I need to work on, from leaks and bilge pumps, to laundry and shopping. I’ll have my hands more than full up until my next charter starts on January 21st. Oh … I also need to sail single-handed from Martinique to Antigua, which should be fun. I actually think it will be. It’ll be a bit hard in the beginning, but once I get the anchoring down I’ll be all good!
So right now I’m doing the only appropriate thing to do when you’ve just broken up with a girl you like and you have a shit-load of things you need to do and a long way to sail: I’m having a beer!
Things will sort themselves out in due time, so why stress out about them?
