In our case it was just a sweat box. The kids did have some glow sticks though.
There is no first world drama worse than anchoring your yacht in a 95 degree swamp filled with bugs only to lose your air conditioning. Although I did manage to drop ten pounds overnight from sweat and an additional 5 pounds in blood loss to the local mosquito population. We arrived at our anchorage, exhausted from a couple of previous hectic days and having done 70 miles on the ICW, only to fire up the generator and have the gen pack not come up to voltage. Break out the fans. Open the hatches.
and proceed to sweat. I passed out, made it to about 3:00 am where I woke up in a pool and moved to the cockpit where there was a semblance of a breeze. I passed back out and let the Mosquitos feast. Ever been so tired that a large bug landed on you and you didn't care? It reminded me of Vietnam and I've never even been there. Have to add a new generator to the list. Then the anchor alarm went off about 4:30. I hit it like a snooze button and fell right back asleep. Bad captain. Mangroves are soft enough, right?
Anyway here we are swinging on the hook. We should be moving right now but everyone is still asleep. I don't have the heart to fire up the engine and disturb the peace. Well-rested kids equal happy kids equals happy mommy equals happy dad. I always have a plan. So for the moment I'll enjoy the sounds of nature and let everyone sleep. Charleston can wait.
Lieutenant Dan?
The walls are closing in but thats ok because Ive been waiting all week to feel this way and it feels so good, so good.
Im on top of the world the coolest kid in the neighbourhood."
Ouch on the bugs. Maybe do shifts swatting them bastards. Builds muscles and enhances reflexes.
ReplyDeleteThat was after Forrest saw Lt. Dan and jumped ship, but evidently before repairs were made.
ReplyDeleteYou're a good helmsman Kayden!
ReplyDeleteI don't know if you have one yet, but those big nylon windscoops you hang from a halyard and stick in a hatch work wonders with any breeze at all. Not too hard to make, I remember helping sew one up by hand. Incorporate bug netting where you can. We originally used velcro tape for all our mosquito nets on hatches but the adhesive melts and falls off in the tropics. So we would up using oversize nets with weighted borders to drape over hatches. Works pretty well.
ReplyDeleteI remember a few summers in the Bahamas when it was so hot and the bugs were so thick we just upped anchor and headed way out onto the banks or even into the Atlantic so we could sleep on deck.