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A new dawn

Hi Mom and Friends,

I can see Turks and Caicos, the Island of Provedencia, and all's well. It seems as though the end of an era, even when arriving in a new country. Ryan is flying in this evening for all-you-can-eat Sushi, and to sail with me to the Bahamas.

I received several emails from friends wishing me Hap-B-Day, and thanks to all, glad you enjoyed the read, it was a real treat to get those 'well wishes' in the middle of nowhere, they made my birthday real.

After my 'singular day', the entire world turned monochrome as steel-grey skis became a smooth carpet of dead homogenous cloud cover, and not so much as a seagull stopped by. It was grey on graw sky/ocean, not even whitecaps, as boring an off shore day as can be imagined, the winds were gentle but enough, and Gypsy Soul needed no coaxing as she was running early to make the pass into Providencia, and we would need to wait till dawn as there are no channel lights. The seas were uncanny flat and calm, the wind caressing and gentle, it was like an Oceanic Sunday, and Neptune took the day off, or at the least looked after some other sailors well-being elsewhere on the globe, where it was probably Monday. I could not fish because the fridge is full, and I read Bills book some more, but I was not bored whatsoever, as it was the last single-handing day of my trip and I would have had it last forever. Last night the sky cleared and a near fullmoon made night crisper and with more depth than the day, I could see into the Galaxies instead of just a few miles above my head, a perfect sailing night but shit I was tired. We were sailing in the lee of a long reef, just 5 miles to windward, the breezes were shifting and urging the Ole Soul up toward shore. Every 15 min, when the timer-alarm went off for me to scan the horizon, I had also to make sail adjustments, so it was not the usual 5-sec scan and back to my dreams.

A new day, it's now 8am and as we sail toward the pass, once again we are visited, Gypsy Soul had frollicking dolhpins under her bow, welcoming us to Providencia.

11:AM. The anchorage in Providencia is nice and peaceful; I cannot in good conscience use my well worn lines to describe its beauty. The anchorage is pretty, the sun is sunny, the water's wet, and this new day has shaken off yesterdays grey peaceful blanket. (New lines, but boring) I'm going to sleep, for some hours continuouse now. I wish everyone an occasional life so rough, truly I do. When in some months I'm in a rut back home, please slap me and remind me of what I once wrote...slap me hard...

with love,

ben