July 12, 2009
Day 811
Running Back Stay Blocks
Wind S, 30 to 5 knots, Course NW, Speed 3 to .5 knots, Position, 9*22n by 17*36w

For over 40 days since I dropped the main sail and jib we have been maneuvering in the widest area of the East Equatorial Doldrums. We have stayed out of shipping lanes, filled our water tanks with fresh water and caught plenty of fish for fresh food. Slowing down even more and enjoying and observing the sea and nature has been a soulful experience. Putting ourselves at the mercy of the winds and currents, I was not sure exactly where we would go or what we would experience. I had some guidelines I wanted to stay with in and though we may appear close to the coast, it is still wide open empty ocean and the winds and currents on the pilot charts show that the dominant forces take us further offshore…In the meantime life goes on here on the Love Boat with its regular routine. I still work every day as I have for years and years. In the future some people may find a way to go to sea for 100's of days and not have to work so hard, but it has eluded me. My hands, wrists and fore arms have become very sore and tuff like the steel tools and ropes I manipulate. A lot of determination, prayer and self healing has made it possible for me to go on happily…Mung beans are the only sprouts that are still sprouting for me and only about half geminate. My day begins with a sprout separation and rinsing. I find it very healing to move my hands through the growing greens to separate the good from the bad. I have to be very gentle not to break the soft white shoots. If  I break one, I nibble it and it tastes like the drop of juice on the stem of freshly pulled grass. I savor the green energy and enjoy the life force the sprouts give me… Both of the running back stay blocks seized up during the 40 days rest I gave them. It takes quite a few tools to get them apart, cleaned up, oiled and back together again. The pilot house floor between the two tool boxes is a good place to work… The squalls keep coming day and night, often with a lot of wind… I can still see the Southern Cross and the Big Dipper in the northern sky, but there have been too many clouds for me to see the North star.

REID STOWE

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HELLO REID!!!

GREAT STORIES..

LOOK!

OPENED AT RANDOM

THE BOOK POINTED

TO THIS PAGE...150

OF "THE WHEEL OF TIME"...

 

 

THERE IS NO WAY TO GET RID

OF SELF-PITY FOR GOOD;

IT HAS A DEFINITE PLACE

AND CHARACTER IN OUR LIVES,

A DEFINITE FACADE

WHICH IS RECOGNIZABLE.
THUS,EVERY TIME

THE OCCASSION ARISES,

THE FACADE OF SELF-PITY

BECOMES ACTIVE.

IT HAS A HISTORY.

BUT IF ONE CHANGES THE FACADE,

 ONE SHIFTS ITS PLACE OF PROMINENCE.

 

ONE CHANGES FACADES

 BY SHIFTING THE COMPONENT ELEMENTS

 OF THE FACADE ITSELF.

SELF-PITY IS USEFUL TO THE USER

 BECAUSE HE FEELS IMPORTANT

AND DESERVING OF BETTER CONDITIONS,

BETTER TREATMENT,

OR BECAUSE HE IS UNWILLING

TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY

FOR THE ACTS THAT BROUGHT HIM

TO THE STATE THAT

 ELICITED SELF-PITY.

 

 

'THE WHEEL OF TIME'

BY 'CARLOS CASTANEDA'

PAGE 150

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KEEP ON TRACKING...REID!

I SAW THE FUTURE OF WATER TRAVEL

AND WATER LIVING

AS I WAS READING YOUR COMMENTARIES

ABOUT THOSE ISSUES..

AND THE TIME IS SOOOO CLOSE

TO APPEAR.

AS I FELT IT!

AND YET.......... YOU ARE ............

IN A XIX CENTURY BOAT

"BACK TO THE FUTURE" STYLE

SHOWING THE WAY

TO THE FUTURE!

HOW TO AVOID SCURVY

 AND HAVE FRESH VEGGIES DAILY

A LIVING FLOATING LABORATORY

 ABOUT SURVIVAL AT SEA

NO, NOT ONLY SURVIVAL,

 BUT REALLY LIVING AT SEA!!!

WHY DO NOT YOU PAY A VISIT

TO THE SARGASSO SEA

IT WOULD BE FITTING

WITH SUCH BOAT

HOW  THE SEA HAS CHANGE

 SINCE A SCHOONER SUCH AS ANNE IS

PAID A VISIT TO THE SARGASSO SEA???

AND SOME EVEN GOT STUCK IN THE SEA!!

MORE THAN A CENTURY HAS PASSED...

I AM SURE...

SALUDOS

SAL ROSILLO