The recent ‘cold’ front that dropped temperatures to an unbearable 60ºF/15.5ºC in South Florida got me thinking about what places in the world have climates where I would like to live.
Although I may end up living there, the South is not one of them. Hilton Head Island like the Florida Keys is fine for the seven months from about October through April, but far too hot in the summer. For me the ideal is a location where it never, or almost never, freezes and the summers stay mostly in the 70sF/low to mid-20sC.
Although I may end up living there, the South is not one of them. Hilton Head Island like the Florida Keys is fine for the seven months from about October through April, but far too hot in the summer. For me the ideal is a location where it never, or almost never, freezes and the summers stay mostly in the 70sF/low to mid-20sC.
Anyone who has been reading this journal a while knows that New Zealand’s Bay of Islands tops the list of places I would like to live.
San Diego, California, which has the best climate of any major city in the world, is second, so long as you can live near the ocean. A few miles inland and you are in the desert and might as well be in Yuma, Arizona.
All of the California coast from San Diego to San Francisco.
Sydney, Australia and the southeast coast of Australia.
Cape Town and the southwest coast of South Africa.
Unfortunately for one reason or another, I can’t live permanently in any of them.
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I have transited the Panama Canal three times: in 1984 and 1990 in RESURGAM and in 2009 in THE HAWKE OF TUONELA.
The fees for the 36’ RESURGAM both times were about $125. For the 37’ HAWKE in 2009 I think the fee was about $500.
In searching the Internet I came across a summary dated this year that shows the basic fee for all boats less than 50’/15.24 meters is now $800, but there are several additional fees that will drive the total cost of a transit to around $2,000.
As I probably have said here before, going through the canal the first time is interesting. It is one of the great human engineering achievements. But after the first time, it is just a period to be endured when your boat and your life are no longer in your control.
I have been thinking about how to get GANNET across the isthmus, but won’t know until I am there.
I am looking forward to next year, but I am not looking forward to Panama.
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I thank Matt for https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UW2e8M3nzvE
Go to the 1:30 mark and then keep your eyes on the screen.
