An older man travels over sea and land in quest of new adventures
Unfinished Business
My time in Shearwater is coming to an end. This may be the last blog I post from here. By mid-December old ‘Seafire’ and I will be making our way south to whatever lays ahead. Of course I’m waiting for some really heavy weather to make the trip. There’s little drama with fair weather. I may still not be home to Ladysmith for Christmas if I flounder into a typical winter weather system. In my tugboat days, I’ve waited in one spot for up to two weeks. I’m sure the trip southward will provide some interesting material for a future blog, one way or the other.
Things just haven’t worked out for me here. I didn’t amass the funds I had hoped to; in fact I’m further behind financially than when I arrived. I can’t say that I’ve discovered any other good reason for having come here, perhaps that will be revealed in the future. Life is like that. A rear view is often very clear but for the moment I have a sense of unfinished business. I don’t know what it is.That aside, recently the weather has turned cold, clear, and calm. There’s been no rain for a week! If a stormy winter night is an adventure, a dead-calm darkness of nearly fifteen hours is an ordeal. Staying warm is a challenge and condensation inside the boat is an eternal battle.
Certainly, the notion of leaving a job to go into a situation with no money and no prospects seems suicidal and it will be a challenging time. I’m not expecting any warmth or fuzziness for a while. These thoughts are punctuated by photos emailed by friends in Mexico.
. I recently read that the pursuit of happiness should be secondary to the happiness of pursuit. We’ll see. Certainly it is up to me whether my life is an ordeal or an adventure. There is not much to write about when life is a daily grind of dreary work and long, lonely evenings. The boat is ready to go, I just need a couple more pay cheques before I can untie and sail away. This is the same country which had me spellbound during the summer months but there is something about winter which brings on a profound loneliness and depression. Certainly there are some folks left here who have not already gone south. They live their lives one way or the other. I am not prepared to socialize in the local pub and so here I sit poking away at my laptop alone in the night. Stay tuned, more to come.
“I won’t belong to any organization that would have me as a member.”
Fred is a slightly-past middle age sailor / writer / photographer with plenty of eclectic hands-on skills and experiences. Some would describe him as the old hippy who doesn't know the war is over. He is certainly reluctant to grow up and readily admits to being the eternal dreamer.
He has written several books including two novels, 'The Keeper' and 'Storm Ecstasy,' as well as 'The Water Rushing By', 'Sins Of The Fathers', 'The Magic Stick', as well as an extensive inventory of poetry, essays, short stories, anecdotes and photographs.
His first passion is the ocean, sailboats, voyaging and all those people who are similarly drawn to the sea. He lives aboard 'Seafire' the boat he is refitting to go voyaging, exploring new horizons both inner and outer. This blog is about that voyage and the preparations for it. In spite of the odds against it, the plan is to sail away this fall and lay a course southward. If you follow this blog your interest may provide some of the energy that helps fuel the journey.
Namaste
Contact him at svpaxboat@gmail.com
View all posts by Fred Bailey
7 thoughts on “Unfinished Business”
Good luck on the voyage south! I’m going to miss all the great photos from the area – brings back great memories.
Let me know when you get back home. I’m itching to get over to the Island for a visit if I get a long enough layover in YVR.
Fair winds!
Chuck;
Nope, that’s it. How she ended up here and who owns her now is a mystery to me.
Seems odd, doesn’t it? If I find anything out, I’ll put it up in a blog.
Best, Fred
Wishing you a safe and pleasurable cruise south, Fred – hope whatever weather adventures you run into, they’re more fun than furious. Love that crow photo and the Denny swamp images.
Good luck on the voyage south! I’m going to miss all the great photos from the area – brings back great memories.
Let me know when you get back home. I’m itching to get over to the Island for a visit if I get a long enough layover in YVR.
Fair winds!
Bernie! Yo!
Here’s to south.
Fred
May you have as many adventures as there are coves on the coast. Sail safe.
Tony:
Yo! Due south.
Fred
hi
noticed your shot of Whiskey Cove and the CHARLES CATES
any other photos or information on her?
good luck on your journey south
Chuck
Chuck;
Nope, that’s it. How she ended up here and who owns her now is a mystery to me.
Seems odd, doesn’t it? If I find anything out, I’ll put it up in a blog.
Best, Fred
Wishing you a safe and pleasurable cruise south, Fred – hope whatever weather adventures you run into, they’re more fun than furious. Love that crow photo and the Denny swamp images.