Impressions of the first dream
October 1991
….. On Thursday we spent the morning doing our laundry. In total it took us about six hours to do our three loads. Much of it was spent on walking 3 miles to the Laundromat. We were warned that sometimes it can take all day. That’s ok, we treated ourselves to an ice-cream cone at Thrift’s drugstore – only 45 cents … what a deal! Small joys of a lifestyle in change…..…. It is 19.30, hundreds of fish are jumping – we cab hear ‘em but we cant’t see ‘em. Phosphorescence trails them. The chill moist air mask their identity. A chance experience…..
…… For us, joy has been the delight of sailing through phosphorescence, watching dolphins and artic loons off Half Moon Bay, sighting a school of fish leaping in the evening fog, smelling a warm soup as it simmers, finding the perfect purple streaked sand dollar, standing among the changing wave patterns on the beach as the tide rolls in / out and in / out or feeling no nausea as the boat rocks, side to side, side to side…..
… We are loosing track of the days. We have to buy newspaper to track the date. John has adjusted. He says he feels that in the last four days he has crossed the line. He no longer stares off in wonder that we are in fact doing this trip. He isn’t expected to be at a regular job. He has begun to accept the lifestyle as norm…..
May 1992
….. The water was clear to the sandy bottom. We could see our anchor rode and the colorful fish. We would listen to the water as it road up to shore, the raindrop like rhythm over the fist size rocks or the gurgles is the water passed over the gaudy beaches and crab holes. We listened to the silence. In silence we watched the dawn and the sunset. Wim and John snorkeled in the cove to the east. Sighting numerous colorful fish, parrot, puffer, damsels and more. John was able to dive for scallops and we had ‘em for lunch. We had arrived in paradise. …..
…. Dawn, June 12th, Wim and John still lie in dreamland. The sun shines low and warm. Sometimes, when I am feeling impatient and disoriented, I need only watch the sunrise and listen to the surroundings to be better. I rowed to shore and strolled, only watched by a lone vulture who proudly sat on a deserted palapa. The shore was full of baking scallop and broken conch shells. A lagoon for mosquitoes waited for our exploration. The hillside were vibrant and rich, mustard yellows, orchid purple pinks, cool gray greens and Irish lime. The hillside was a mix of scrub, cactus and bunch grasses. If I painted this would be a great spot to spend a week; watching the colors turn.