is easier said than done. These past three weeks has been a nice respite from the duty and responsibilities of Master and Commander of Dauntless.
The last 10 days in Italy, at the house of my friends for 40 years, eating, drinking, sleeping, eating, drinking, sleeping, ad infinitum, lulls one in into a stupor sweeter than any chemically induced experiment.
It’s a good life and it’s obvious why it has attracted me all these years. But it’s also just as obvious, even more so, that I have structured my life in such a way that when I am in Italy, I am truly on vacation. Sure I am still like the oldest son of the family, but other than some chauffeuring duties, which I enjoy immensely, it’s just eat, drink Prosecco, nap, from morning to late night.
But all good things must come to an and, so I find myself stealing glances at the Atlantic charts. And in that incessant way that can be both annoying and gratifying, clicking on strange links.
Indirectly it also answers my questions that I had asked so many in Europe, about the seemingly overabundance of jelly fish in both the eastern Baltic and now also this year in the rivers of Lisbon in particular. Seems to be related to salinity. Oh, now I remember that the Baltic is only half as salty as the ocean. Probably much like the Chesapeake.
In 7 days, we push off from the European Continent and head for darkest Africa, OK, only Morocco, not so dark, in fact, pretty f…ing bright, but allow me some editorial license.
In less than 30 days, we then push off of Africa for the Caribbean. No embellishment needed here.
Ok, got to go, I have a delicacy or two to snack on.
A Cornucopia of delicaciesdessert – ChestnutsA Favorite SpotA Great Spot of Italian Snacks at Affordable PricesCrostini di ProsciuttoCrostini di LardoA Morning Snack
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
2 thoughts on “Getting My Head Back in the Game”
Those photos are cruel! 🙂 Sitting here working late and hungry. Plenty of walnuts, cashews, almonds and dried fruits to eat but that Custini has my mouth watering! 🙂
Jelly fish and less salty water is interesting. Years ago I was in the keys on the inside and we had anchored. I was about to dive over the side to cool off when I noticed there was a gazillion little jelly fish in the water. Unreal how many where floating around. We all wanted to go swimming but we decided that swimming with jelly fish might not be a good idea no matter how hot we were. 🙂 Never seen that many jelly fish before or since. We very well could have been in less salty water due to the fresh water flow from the Everglades.
I’m sorry I can’t make up for those not so great meals in Scotland. Italy, Spain, Portugal and if course France, live up to their very well deserved reputations.
The next 18 months will be interesting if nothing culinary to rave about.
Dauntless at Sea 
Those photos are cruel! 🙂 Sitting here working late and hungry. Plenty of walnuts, cashews, almonds and dried fruits to eat but that Custini has my mouth watering! 🙂
Jelly fish and less salty water is interesting. Years ago I was in the keys on the inside and we had anchored. I was about to dive over the side to cool off when I noticed there was a gazillion little jelly fish in the water. Unreal how many where floating around. We all wanted to go swimming but we decided that swimming with jelly fish might not be a good idea no matter how hot we were. 🙂 Never seen that many jelly fish before or since. We very well could have been in less salty water due to the fresh water flow from the Everglades.
Later,
Dan
I’m sorry I can’t make up for those not so great meals in Scotland. Italy, Spain, Portugal and if course France, live up to their very well deserved reputations.
The next 18 months will be interesting if nothing culinary to rave about.