That morning started off this morning with a Navy ship, a yacht and a small speed boat all passing in the background of this beautiful ketch moored off of Shelter Island. Dawn never really rose that morning; black night and fog wearily melded into a fine gray mist which slowly burned away as the growing brightness painted the world in color — of course, when your day starts before dawn and you haven’t had any coffee, you notice these things.

That was how my morning started. Later that morning, and the reason why I was up at 4:30 AM: flying to Vancouver on Air Canada for work.

During the flight, penned the following:

We have reached our cruising altitude of 32,000 feet, traveling at Bob Seger’s 8 miles a minute. This trip is to Prince George in British Columbia…actually, this is week two of this project as I was there last week. This week’s schedule will be lighter as I only have to deliver one day of training and then provide technical support as needed. This is the week I use to conduct teleconferences, plan future trips and to set myself up for success for future training locations.

This is also the week that I use to plan repairs on the sailboat, which I am painfully behind on. Being my own worst enemy, I beret myself constantly like a good Catholic for all the things that I have not done, for the things I have done and of course, for things out of my control (if I were one…don’t really do religion). As a child, I went to Bible School, got baptized and thought of myself as a Baptists until I was thirty-something. Guess I didn’t pay too much attention in class, eh?

Anyway, before moving on I would like to clarify and espouse upon my religious beliefs as I feel that my little quip about religion might irk some…especially the girl I love with whom I have had the privilege to have dated for the last two years — who is, by the way, religious. Let me get to the heart of the matter right up front and answer the only question that matters; Do I believe in God? My honest answer is… I don’t know. It’s not that I believe or don’t believe, I just simply don’t know. They say there are no atheists in a foxhole, and I’ve seen plenty of evidence that points to the latter more than the former, but any example I give as to God not existing begins and ends with man. Of course, every time I see a gorgeous sunset, feel the caress of the wind with my face or the warmth of the sun I have no doubt that there is something more to this thing we call life than we can or ever will understand by living man. So, I try to keep an open mind and I search for my own answers. Answers without labels, without established dogma, and without preconceived attitudes. I truly believe in my heart that my religion is life. Those who embrace it and live are my brothers and sisters. Is that why I love the cruising life so much? Where people are living their dreams instead of dreaming their lives as Bob Bitchin of Latitudes & Attitudes fame so eloquently proclaims. Or, as Jimmy Buffet may have once said, sailing is the religion of wine and women, of wind and waves…

Okay, let’s get back to sailing!

With the weather getting warm in San Diego and my old cotton sheets beginning to show their age, my mind is shifting from my electric drive and rigging issues and to better sleeping conditions. My plan is to install two 12 volt fans in the V-berth area in addition to some of those new, hi-tech sheets that act like Under Armor and help cool you down on those hot, sultry nights. West Marine also sells a mattress topper that also help cool you instead of trapping warmth like memory foam — both products being made by Sheex.