"Wayne B" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 22 Aug 2011 11:12:34 -0400, "Wilbur Hubbard"
wrote:

We will leave from NC, head east till we pass Bermuda, then turn
right
to St Martin.


Good on you, Hanz. That's the real sailor's route. These motorhead types
in
this group take that stupid "Thorny Path". What a waste of time and fuel
that is. . .

=========

One of the nice things about *real* cruisers, like the ones you meet
at South Side Marina in the Turks and Caicos, is that they don't care
all that much about power versus sail. Just being there makes you
part of the brotherhood and everyone is welcome at the nightly
parties. Everyone has stories to tell, advice to offer, skills/tools
to lend, and any other help that is needed. I spent several hours
there last year helping a fellow cruiser get his SSB radio working,
accepting a cedar fishing plug in exchange. The manager of the marina
spent quite a lot of his own time driving me around, helping to get an
alternator fixed. Did I mention that it's a great place?




Proof of concept, I say. For you motor boaters it's all about socializing
here and there on land. Why? Because sitting at the helm and motoring is
just so BORING. No wonder you look forward to get togethers ashore someplace
where you can commiserate with your fellow bored.

For us real sailors we sail to get away from the crowds. We sail because
sailing, itself, is challenging and fulfilling. For us it's more about the
voyage and less about the destination. If our major concern was socializing
we would just save ourselves a lot of time and energy, stay home and go to
parties every night.

You motor boaters just do nothing other than turn all your meeting places
into a lubberly gathering.

Wilbur Hubbard