November 2, 2009
S/V Silver Moon
Red Hook, St Thomas, USVI
Thank you. No, no….Thank you
I’m back in the islands preparing for the new charter season here in the islands in hopes that world economic issues do not impact business in as drastic a fashion as they did last year. With the upcoming season comes the unending list of projects to bring the boat, Silver Moon, into charter-ready condition which is no small task let me tell you.
“But,” you may gasp, “Cap’n Bob, it has been so very long since we last heard a peep out of you…. what in the world has been going on with you?” I thought you’d never ask…. and perhaps you never would have, but when has your disinterest ever deterred me from speaking my piece in one of these infrequent missives?
The past charter season wrapped up for me in late August. It had been a good first effort for Silver Moon and, all in all, we came out of things feeling pretty positive about the boat and our ability to deliver an excellent product at a very competitive rate. This next season, no longer the new kid in the neighborhood, we go up on those rates by a nice chunk, which hopefully will translate to a more attractive business for the owners. After securing Silver Moon in a protected marina on Tortola I headed to Texas for some much needed R&R.
As we approached San Antonio for landing, the dry and parched scene below shocked me. On the taxi ride to town I got to feeling like I was in Arizona what with dead grass, cracked dirt where grass used to grow, dying or dead shrubbery, livestock that preferred to just lay around rather than eat that dried out crap….geez, did I get off in the wrong city? I had certainly expected dry, but it was much worse than I had pictured.
Some of you may not have known that I have been suffering a bit from arthritis in my hips over the past year. I doubt many of you didn’t know because I’m a disgusting whiner and have taken all opportunity to expunge sympathy from everybody I’m in contact with. I am not a good sick person…not a good employee either, but that’s another story. Hey, the cartilage in my hips has long gone and I’m bone on bone and that my friends is not how it is supposed to go down. Sorry, I digress in self-aggrandizement. The short story is that I chose to fly down to Costa Rica where I had the ball and socket joint on my port side removed and replaced with titanium hardware The entire adventure was a success and I’m now walking upright without a cane like a modern man rather some Neanderthal beast of burden. That was a big part of what I’ve been up to over the past two and a half months. Post surgery I spent with my wonderfully supportive parents at the lake house on Canyon Lake and about ten days with my marvelous daughter and her crew in Keller just north of Fort Worth. Being surrounded by loving arms was huge in the healing process.
And then there was rain. I left dry and parched central Texas to arrive in the throes of the rainy season in San Jose, Costa Rica…. and I was not disappointed…. rain it did. Most days were replete with hours of steady, cool, wet, soothing rain. I was moved to do a quick music video during one such rain and those of you who dare expose yourselves to my musicality may do so at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgO4CVnOHh0
While you’re there check out other new vids featuring friend Ben Johnson. Upon my return to Texas, well what do you know, it started raining and we had some really wonderful afternoon showers with my dad’s rain gauge showing 5 inches after one two day period. Lo and behold, the parched earth came to life with long hidden wild flowers poking their noses up to grab some sun, livestock got up during the day to graze on green, succulent grasses and everything responded like you wouldn’t believe. Green… verde…verdant. Oh it was nice.
But after ten weeks stateside it was good to be back in the tropics, on the water, in the wind. Thankfully no drastic weather came through these hills while I was gone and Silver Moon was in fine fiddle when I arrived except for the gnarly growth of mildew and mold throughout the interior and a dinghy that was flat as a flitter (am I the only one who uses that term?…and what the heck is a flitter?). I’ve spent the past week addressing those issues and now it’s time to get her Bristol for the upcoming yacht show where charter brokers from around the globe come for meet and greet time with boats and crews. My best island friend and buddy Mary will be joining me as chef/mate on all charters this season so no more single handed gigs where I sail, cook, wine and dine ‘em all by my lonesome. We do well as a team and I’m confident that it will translate to increased business and profitability for all.
As I write this I’m sitting in the main salon, the western horizon has risen to hide the sun leaving the sky is ablaze in color, the 5:30 pm ferry to St. John just left the dock with three long somber blasts of his horn and a gentle breeze is coming in through the open hatch. Beans and rice for dinner, I’ll be in bed by 9. I do like it out on the water folks.
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While in the states I’m always taken aback when sales clerks, waiters and folks on the federal payroll at the post office smile as they provide assistance and thank me for my business. It just sets me back a bit. “Why?” you might ask. Here in the islands, the U.S. and British Virgin Islands anyway, one is almost never thanked for one’s business patronage. We get in the habit of thanking them…. to which they respond with a “you’re welcome.” I don’t know if it peeves others around here like it does me - I’ve not really brought this subject up with others - but get this...I’m here to hand over to you my very hard-earned dinero, to support this business, your job and your family, to put food in your dog’s dish…and I’m thanking you? And you have the nerve to, without so much as a smile or often even eye contact, to tell me I’m welcome? I know this sounds like such a petty issue to those of you who live in a world of retail, of consumerism, of stuff, a world of competitive struggle, but it has become a big deal with me. The BVI office of tourism spends hundreds of thousands of dollars on consulting studies of how to improve their image, how to grow their economy and I can save them some of that money with this simple concept….learn to say thank you to those who make your job your livelihood.
I’ve decided…. no more thank you’s from the ole capitan when the stream should be running down hill if you get my drift.
But to those of you who have been supportive of my craziness through the years, who have offered a place to stay to a wayward sailor running from the storm, who put up with my cigars for so many years, who prayed for me when I was laid up in a Spanish- speaking hospital with a heart that had decided to go wicky wacky, who smile and tap their foot to my sometimes not-so-steady beat…. you know who you are…to you I just want to say a heart felt “thank you.” No, no…. thank you!
Fair Winds To You,
Cap’n Bob
www.silvermoonsailing.com
340-513-3174
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