Musings about the ocean...

If there's one thing
In my life that's missing
It's the time that I spend alone
Sailing on the cool
And bright clear water

Lots of those friendly people
They're showing me ways to go
And I never want to
Lose their inspiration

Time for a cool change
I know that it's time for a cool change
Now that my life is so prearranged
I know that it's time for a cool change

Well, I was born in the sign of water
And it's there that I feel my best
The albatross and the whales
They are my brothers

It's kind of a special feeling
When you're out on the sea alone
Staring at the full moon like a lover

Time for a cool change
I know that it's time for a cool change
Now that my life is so prearranged
I know that it's time for a cool change

I've never been romantic
And sometimes, I don't care
I know it may sound selfish
But let me breathe the air

Yeah, yeah
Let me breathe the air

If there's one thing
In my life that's missing
It's the time that I spend alone
Sailing on the cool
And bright clear water

It's kind of a special feeling
Out on the sea alone
Staring at the full moon
Like a lover

Time for a cool change
I know that it's time for a cool change
Now that my life is so prearranged
I know that it's time for a cool change

(Time for a cool change)
It's time, it's time
It's time, it's time
For a cool, cool change
(Time for a cool change)
I know it's time for a cool change
(Time for a cool change)
Now that my life is so prearranged
Well, I know, I know
I know, I know
(Time for a cool change)
It's time for a cool change
Yes, it is, yes, it is yes, it is
You know it's time for a cool change

This Little River Band song was stuck in my head the past couple of days while I was out on the sea.  Being on and in the water has always come naturally to me - but that's fresh water.  Salt water is a whole 'nother deal.  Here, I use my experience to do my thing, and I probably do better than the average lower 48 greenhorn - but I still have so much to learn. It's obvious that I really don't know what I'm doing. I don't know good fishing spots. I don't catch much. And that's kind of hard for me to accept :-)

I spent the past 36 hours in my boat driving, fishing, hunting, eating, sleeping, and sight seeing.  People keep telling me that bad stuff can happen when you go out into the Pacific in a small craft.  Winds can come up fast. Tides change. Current happens. Rogue waves come out of nowhere. People die.

I've watched it now for two weeks. A weather pattern has set in; it's the same thing every day - and there's really no change to be expected anytime in the near future. Late nights and early mornings are calm.  Winds come up in the afternoon almost every day.  So at 3am, I saddled up and drove out to Pogi point - which is the last point of Katchemak Bay before you get out into the Pacific. It took me over an hour going full bore on calm seas.

Speaking of the "special feeling when you're out on the sea alone"  - I just got the creeps out there.  The water was 42 degrees. There wasn't a soul in sight, and I have binoculars. Locals say that the currents coming around from the south are the strongest in the world, and when the tide is coming back from Katchemak Bay toward the ocean, weird currents happen. I could feel them tugging on the boat and twirling me around.  It would have been more fun if I had company, or if there were other boats around (or, if the fish were biting) - but I had this deep lonely feeling out there that was unlike anything I've felt in the most remote places I've been (Ontario, Manitoba, Minnesota).  Out on the Pacific, a person knows that if one thing goes wrong, you're dead meat.  You got five minutes in that cold water, and you can barely swim 100 yards in five minutes. I know, cuz I've tried it.  All this made me want to head back to civilization.  

This is going to take some getting used to, and I will wait for some seasoned veterans with a bigger boat to teach me the ways of the sea. And that's about all I have to say about that...

Oh yeah. I need a marine band radio too. Just in case I need the coast guard to come out there and save my ass someday...

Spending time alone, and breathing the air? I think I've got that part down. Always have...