Saturday

I love working with Linux. So glad I dumped Microsquash. Just downloaded a celestial map with full labeling and azimuth info, as well as current location editing. Now all I need is a sextant to begin re-learning celestial navigation. It's been a lot of years since I was a Boy Scout. My learned paranoia tells me that the GPS system can't always be counted on. Learn the sky, keep a good clock and compass along with accurate charts and I should be able to get really lost in style.

Sailed the dinghy for a while yesterday with one of my neighbors. He just got a sailing dink and wanted to race. This guy is all about speed. He has yet to learn where all the shallow places are. Poor guy tore up his rudder in the shallows while impatiently looking for wind. Lots of condos around the bay.

Sculling with the rudder is OK, but it can get you into trouble. So, while he bitched and moaned about the luck he was having I sailed around him and helped him get back to the marina. He did think ahead enough to have a trolling motor aboard. He did keep his sense of humor through it all. I'm sure we'll do it again soon. It's kind of fun making the rich boys in their floating condos change course. Some of their wakes are many times my freeboard. Whoopee!

Time to do some breakfast and then get to sanding on the project boat we have going. We hope to have it done in time to sail it to the Keys in the last few days of May. Looking forward doing that. Leave Tampa Bay and head out until we can't see land and then head South. Way cool.

Life is good.

No one gets out of here alive, so live it like ya mean it.