Gone

Well, finally, this is it for us and Alameda. For the last week we've been at the Encinal Yacht Club, where we first tied up when arriving in Alameda more than a month ago. We had no idea at the time that we'd be here so long, but it's been a good base for us to get necessary work done on the boat. And now we're ready to be done with that pragmatic approach to cruising, and ready for some fun, maybe even a little of that old romantic life afloat sort of thing. (Our friend Elie says, "Romantic? Our boats are too complicated, we don't have time for anything romantic." Sounds great in his French accent.)

The weather forecast is great for the next few days, north winds 15-25 knots. We plan to fuel up and anchor the night off Sausalito, then head out the Golden Gate tomorrow morning.

Reading "Lucky Jim", by Kingsley Amis. Brilliant written comedy, great depiction of individual pathos in the early modern age. Also a great contrast with Evelyn Waugh's "Sword of Honour" trilogy in terms of the development of English society through and after World War II.

Came across a passage in there that very well illustrates the Once in a Lifetime theme:

"...here he was, quite able to fufil his role, and, as with other roles, the longer you played it the better the chance you had of playing it again. Doing what you wanted to do was the only training, and the only preliminary, needed for doing more of what you wanted to do."