November 9. Robb Pike gave us a nautical dictionary as a present. Today Libby invented a new term for it. I was remarking about the bits of mud that gather in the bow after we raise the anchor. The mud is brought up by the chain and the anchor. We wash it away but it seems that for hours and days after that new bits of mud continuously appear on the foredeck. I remarked that they must be reproducing under the bowsprit. Libby said, “They are Mud Bunnies.” That’s our contribution to the nautical dictionary.
This morning we heard a very strange sound. It sounded like a Gaia Burp. A loud and low pitched vibration sound lasting about a second. It surprised us because we were more than 6 miles away from any land or any vessel. The sounded repeated once, then we heard a boom like an explosion. A study of the charts shows a prohibited zone about 12 miles away from us, ringed by numerous warning buoys. There is also a Marine air station nearby. Putting two and two together, I thing the sounds were those of a Vulcan Gatling Gun burst. I have new respect for notations on a nautical chart that says “prohibited.”
The Gaia burp reminds me of my first time ever on a sailboat was on Fräs, the boat of Karl Gnospelius, in Trösa Sweden. Karl and his family took me to an island where we walked around. We found a big sign on the shore. It said, “Forbidden. Military Bombing Target Area.” Karl laughed it off, saying that it was nothing serious. Luckily he was right, at least about that day. I had such a nice time that day, I resolved to get a boat and sail myself. The rest is history.
We arrived in Oriental and rented a slip at the Oriental Marina. 15 minutes later, Moon Song with our friends Alan and Laura pulled in behind us. They were smarter than us. They tied up at the free city dock.
I biked up the road and got the package that Jenny sent to us general delivery. It worked. Thank you Jenny. That’s the first mail we got while cruising.
Oriental is a very nice place. I’ll write more about it later.
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Saying "we heard a strange sound like a GAIA BURP" would be sort of like saying "we tasted an unusual food like Lake Manitoba Snails...."
ReplyDeleteUsually I'd expect the "like part" of a comparison would be something familiar!
Sounds like you're having fun there.