Friday, July 14, 2017

Evanston: more Walter Anderson; shipping; a nice story


        Above is Walter Anderson’s ‘Self-portrait while rowing.’   All great artists create self-portraits.  I came across it in another interesting article about Walter Anderson in the oddly named GARDEN AND GUN.  I thank Bob for the link.
        Not perceiving a natural connection between gardens and guns—I own neither—I googled and learned that the magazine is named after a 70s disco in Charleston, SC.
        I really like Anderson’s watercolors and plan to buy some prints when I return after the upcoming stint on GANNET.  
        
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        Bob also asked how I am getting the updates to GANNET.
        Those items that are not likely to be damaged by airline baggage handlers are going with me in a duffle bag.
        They include foul weather gear, genoa track cars, new main and jib sheets, Dr. Sails epoxy, Torqeedo charging cord, stainless steel toggles for the spray hood, spare Jet Boil stove, electrical wire crimp tool, clamp for Icom handheld VHF, headlamps, rechargeable AAA batteries, and a wind scoop for the forward hatch.
        The Velocitek and GoPro Hero 5 Black will be in my carryon messenger bag.
        The three tiller pilots and masthead wind unit repaired—I hope.  I have no way of knowing until I am on GANNET—by Raymarine I will ship via UPS to myself at Marathon Marina in the same box in which Raymarine returned them to me.  Also included in that box will be a portable solar iPhone charger.
        The two new solar panels and the two new Sport-a-Seats will be shipped from Ocean Planet Energy and Sport-a-Seat directly to Marathon Marina.  I’ve already placed and paid for the orders.
        Hopefully we will all arrive in Marathon unbroken and at about the same time.

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        I know that many of you are at least as passionate about sailing as I am.  I admire that living more normal lives than I have, with jobs and families, you squeeze in sailing whenever you can, on weekends, an hour here and there.  Recently Steve Earley has left SPARTINA in the water at Norfolk, Virginia, and has sailed before work in the morning and again after work in the evening.  Yesterday he wrote me:

A very nice sail at dawn today.  Coming back to the dock three elderly women out for their morning walk stopped to thank me for my morning sails this week, telling me that watching Spartina riding the wind was the perfect way to start the day.  How nice.

      I assume that by ‘elderly’ he means the ladies are my age, and I agree that it is a charming story.  A small boat and a sailor bringing pleasure even to those who are not sailing.  
     I thank Steve for permitting me to share it with you.

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     Happy Bastille Day.