Field Notes - Dispatch 24 – The Bridge, USS
Subaru
Monday September 21nd, 2015
Greetings Fellow Adventurers!
As I write this ship's log entry, I am sitting on a
cliff-top near a cape discovered by Captain Cook. As I look down
into the pounding surf and beyond across the white capped waves there
stands nothing between me and the Japans but blue ocean. It makes
an old salt such as myself want to throw it all over and sign up as
first mate on a clipper ship. Ah,to leave all my troubles behind and
set sail for high adventure on the open seas. The only thing that
holds me back is the lack of bakeries and coffee shops out there
among the waves. When I told MR what was holding me back she jumped
up and packed me a picnic basket, a thermos of coffee and handed me a
sexton. “Bon Voyage, My Captain, Oh Captain,” she sang with true
hope in her voice. “Well, let's not get too excited,” I told
her. Maybe I will look in the basket and think it over. I never like
to set sail on an empty stomach. The poor kid spent the next hour
walking down the beach throwing rocks a seabirds.
We have had a wonderful couple of weeks out here in
the salt air of the Oregon coast -- light houses to explore, beaches
to walk and seals to poke with long sticks. What a great time. I
have eaten so much clam chowder my back teeth are floating and I
don't even want to think about the quantities of marianberry cobbler
with ice cream that have gone down the hatch. Ah, the life of a
sailor in port. Spending my doubloons like there is no tomorrow!
Yesterday the Little Mate and I toured a lighthouse
which, if you don't know, is a large tower with a light on top and a
house attached. Apparently the light would let sailing ships know
where the best restaurants were located. Why they did not simply ask
Google remains a mystery. Anyway, we each paid a doubloon and went
on the tour. Little did I know that I would have to climb up a
roundish staircase to the top of the rickety tower to look at a lamp.
All that work to look at a lamp! I say bring the lamp down and save
everyone a lot of work. Has this never occurred to anyone? And to
top it off it is just a electric bulb. So big deal!After venting a
few minutes using some of my newly acquired sailor expletives I tried
to get my money back. No luck there, those pirates still have my
gold. The Little Mate was not very supportive. She had wandered off
to blend in with a tour group who were looking for whales. So much
for sticking with the Captain and going down with the ship.
Well, as you can see we are having a lot of
adventures but we miss old Idaho and all our pals. We shall set sail
for home port in a few bells. Whatever that means. Why don't these
people use their phones to tell time like normal people?
Over and out, me hearties!
