Determined & Confident = Dauntless

So I am sitting in my little B&B in New Ross, County Wexford, Ireland, watching a Korean Drama called “Marriage, Not Dating”.  An apt title for a cutesy drama.

Korean Dramas are my one reliable escape; giving my brain a rest from the planning of tomorrow and the reflection of yesterday.

There is still much to do on Dauntless, and while the bigger jobs are getting done, I do the small things that have been on the to do list for too long, such as:

• the installation of a new set of “driving” lights,
• adding USB and 12v receptacles in the pilot house and cabins, so I don’t have to lug the different chargers from place to place.
• Remarking the anchor chain and cleaning out the chain locker,
• Replacing a float switch for the forward bilge pump as well as its check valve,
• Finish the installation of the Wallas heater, yes, that heater I told you I finished years ago!
• Getting the salt water pump, though new, has never worked. I think it’s not connected in the electrical panel in the engine room.

We should be back in the water mid-May, then I will mosey on down to Waterford before heading north to Scotland at the end of the month.

Then, returning to Waterford in mid-June for a couple of weeks, as I have a quick trip to NYC, before leaving Ireland for good in early July.

I’ll miss Ireland; for such a well-travelled person, I am still amazed that for all the years I have been coming to Europe, 30 plus years at that, I only found the gem that Ireland is just recently.  A really shame, considering the amount of time I have spent wondering where I would live if I could live anyplace.  Italy and the Netherlands were always near the top of that list, then Korea jumped up in the last 10 years and even Spain has interest.  But for an English speaker, Ireland is just like Spain or Italy, except I’m fluent in the language.  And maybe because it is such a small country, like Latvia, Ireland is full of wonderful, helpful, friendly people.

The fact that they talk like New Yorkers just makes me feel even more like home.  Now I can also see why the Italians and Irish of NY did not always get along so well.  They are virtually identical and we all know that similarity breeds contempt.

With Dauntless entering my life, I no longer have to decide where to live.  Dauntless has given me the ability to live the life of a gypsy.  Don’t like this town, go to the next one. Don’t like this country, go to the next one.

I’m not a negative person.  In my life I have fought for those who cannot fight for themselves, kids, students, old folks in particular, but for myself, not much. I don’t like conflict.  I’d rather move on.  Just another aspect of living on a boat that at least for me makes life easier, not harder.

Seeing the world, being immersed in nature, whether you like it or not, are all benefits of being on a boat and crossing oceans.

Some of you may remember the long term plan was to do to Northeast Asia, Japan & Korea, after my time in Europe was up.  That time is finally almost here.  Earlier I had thought to spend another year in Europe, in Spain, but now realize it’s time to move on. Life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Corny, but true, much like many of the Korean dramas I watch.

Therefore, I’m excited that in just weeks’ time, we’ll be back in the water, looking a bit different and living up to the name Dauntless.

And with the end of summer will also signal the end of Europe for us for a long time.  Oh, I’ll still fly here to see both new and old friends, but Dauntless is heading to places only dreamed about.

I can’t wait.

Author: Richard on Dauntless

I’m an eclectic person, who grew up in New York, lived overseas for many years and have a boat, Dauntless, a 42 foot Kadey Krogen trawler yacht. Dauntless enables me to not only live in many different parts of the world, but to do it in a way that is interesting, affordable, with the added spice of a challenge. Dauntless also allows me to be in touch with nature. As the boat glides through the ocean, you have a sense of being part of a living organism. When dolphins come to frolic, they stay longer if you are out there talking to them, watching them. Birds come by, sometimes looking for a handout; sometimes grateful to find a respite from their long journey. I grew up on the New York waterfront, in the West Village, when everything west of Hudson St. was related to shipping and cargo from around the world. For a kid, it was an exciting place of warehouses, trucks, and working boats of all kinds: tugs and the barges and ships, cargo and passenger, they were pushing around. My father was an electrical engineer, my mother an intellectual, I fell in between. I have always been attracted to Earth’s natural processes, the physical sciences. I was in 8th grade when I decided to be a Meteorologist. After my career in meteorology, my natural interest in earth sciences: geology, astronomy, geography, earth history, made it a natural for me to become a science teacher in New York City, when I moved back to the Big Apple. Teaching led to becoming a high school principal to have the power to truly help kids learn and to be successful not only in school but in life. Dauntless is in western Europe now. In May and June, I will be wrapping up the last two years in northern Europe, heading south to spend the rest of the year in Spain & Portugal. Long term, I’m planning on returning to North American in the fall of 2017 and from there continuing to head west until we’re in Northeast Asia, Japan and South Korea, where we will settle for a bit. But now, my future lies not in NY or even Europe, but back to the water, where at night, when the winds die down, there is no noise, only the silence of the universe. I feel like I am at home, finally. View all posts by Richard on Dauntless