Back to Work
As we all head back to the grind for the first week of 2017, I thought I’d share my own labours as I get ready to launch my latest adventure. If you’re sitting in a cubicle in the snowy north, “fuck you Russ,” probably just ran through your head, but I assure you that stocking a steel-hull sailboat in the baking heat of the midday Miami sun is no cakewalk. Even the beers were perspiring.
I flew down here early this week to meet David Alvarez, captain of the S.V. Gaia, to help him sail his new baby through the Caribbean this spring. I had been introduced to David through a friend, and we’ve been discussing a sail journey over the course of the past year. With my experience in the Pacific, he thought I might not be totally useless as First Mate for the maiden sea-voyage of Gaia. That has yet to be determined, but another perspective is always welcome and we’ve been working to get her prepped for her blue-water adventures.
Gaia is a well-preserved old gal; born in North Carolina in 1990, she’s a custom-built 44′ steel hull cutter with a centre-cockpit design and two-cabin layout (which means I get the vee!). She’s only had two previous owners, neither of whom took her out for much open-water sailing. David has been adding safety and navigational equipment to get her ready for this big step, and all we have left to do is some minor tweaks and to stock her pantry… and fill her full of beer, of course.
Other than a second set of eyes, my role on board is as official chronicler. David wants to document his circumnavigation and figured a proficient wordsmith would be the best way to accomplish this while he’s busy sailing the boat. Not being able to find one, he turned to me and I agreed to help. I’ll be writing and blogging over at Gaia Sailing, so be sure to add it to your bookmarks. There’s some preliminary posts up now, so git on over and have a look.
For now, it seems that we’ll be stuck in Miami for at least another week. I’ve been learning more about the Gulf Stream – the eponymous geographical feature of my favourite book and tattoo, and often-subject of my favourite painter – and despite the complications it has caused in getting the hell out of Miami, I’ve enjoyed the sail-planning exercise. The Gulf Stream is a fast-moving current running northwards from the Caribbean, up along the North American coast. When a strong wind blows from the north, air and water currents collide and the 50-mile passage between Florida and the Bahamas becomes a frothy mess, like me on Margarita Mondays. There’s a cold front sending stiff winds down from more frigid latitudes right now, and crossing the Stream (hehehe) is out of the question.
Miami is David’s hometown, and while he’s been at sea for the past five years his friends have been busy opening bars and being successful at real-world stuff, which means we’re being treated like gold. His birthday is next week as well, so this weekend promises to be a shitshow. If you don’t hear from me for a while, it’s not due to internet problems; it’s due to severe, rum-based hangovers. Wish me luck!
