Last Log Entry
26⁰55’46” N – 082⁰03’54” W
We made it “Somedayers”. We are in Punta Gorda, Florida at Fisherman’s Village. I’m sorry that I haven’t posted a log for a few days; I’ve been kind of dreading this one. This Log entry is the last one that will be written by me as a crew member of the sailing vessel Banana Winds. We have left the boat to her new owner. You read that right “Somedayers”, Capt. Greg sold the Banana Winds. The new owner is a man who is planning to charter her out of Fisherman’s Village. Capt. Greg and I spend the last two days making her ready for her new owner. We took all of his “Stuff” off of her and cleaned her up a bit. Plus we had to do a little more work on her transmission just to make sure that it was ok after our problem the other night. This is the first log that I have written from someplace other than the nav-station in the pilot house on the Miss Banana. I have to admit, it seems a little weird. So, let’s recap what has transpired up to this point. If you remember almost two whole months ago, we were in Port Clinton, Ohio and we were making final plans to depart for Florida. We left on September 10, 2009 with four people on board. We had Capt. Greg and me as the professional crew, and we had Perry Martin and Jim Bryant as novice crew. After crossing Lake Erie in three days Steve Cheimets joined the crew as the only other member beside Capt. Greg who had ever transited the Erie Canal. And then, two thirds of the way through the canal we were joined by our final crew member, Tony Lacko. We started out as strangers and quickly became friends. One of my favorite authors, Richard Bach, said in one of his books, “You’ll know your friends better in the first ten minutes you meet, than you’ll know your acquaintances in a lifetime”. I can tell you that I truly count each and every one of the crew of this trip as one of my friends, and will do so for the rest of my life. And breaking one of my own rules, I’m going to speak for the rest of the crew and say that they feel the same way. So, let’s look back at the journey it’s self, our trip took us through eleven states and 2327 nautical miles. We saw endless wildernesses and thousands of birds, we encountered enough wildlife to rival the greatest zoos in the world and were visited by dolphins on a daily basis once we made it past Virginia (I for one have loved the dolphins). We have met fellow boaters from all over the world. Some of them have had lavish vessels that I can’t even estimate the value of, and we met some (like Mikey) who sailed modest little vessels that many would see as derelicts. But all of us are basically the same; we’re all Travelers, Gypsies, Pirates and dreamers. And yes “Somedayers”, this trip is over, but as long as any one of us, Capt. Greg, Cookie, LT, Gaffman or me Jimmy, are still walking on this beautiful earth our journey will go on. For we each carry a part of each other with us as we go on. So don’t feel sad for us as new “Somedayers” ourselves, because we have never felt sad for you. With every ending, comes a new beginning. I for one can’t wait to see what happens next. So “Somedayers”, this is Banana Winds wishing you fair winds and calm seas and signing off… Clear.
One last thing “Somedayers”:
I can’t tell you all how much it has pleased me to know how many of you have enjoyed reading my logs. I volunteered to be the log author for the trip, mainly because I was planning on keeping a log myself and also because I just enjoy writing. Many of you as “Somedayers” have sent replies and I have read them all and I want you to know that your praise has made it easy for me to continue. I have decided that I want to have a hard copy of the entire thing that I will be having spiraled bound and edited and published at a print shop. All the daily logs will be included as well as every photo in full page and full color renderings. I’m also going to write a special introduction and a prolog. The crew has told me that they all want to have a copy as well. They made the suggestion that some of you “Somedayers” might want a copy. If that is the case I would be flattered and honored to make that possible. If you want one please send me a note to my personal E-Mail capt.jim.southward@gmail.com and I will be happy to let you know how to get one from me. Having not yet put one together I’m not sure what my cost will be, (I’m thinking less than $30, but I don’t know) but I will only be charging you what my costs are. I worked only for tips on the way down, and if you choose to include a tip for my time and efforts I can promise you one thing, I will squander it on my future sailing adventures. Or if you wish I will post it to my favorite charity… “BUY JIMMY A BOAT OF HIS OWN” which as of now it is still a not for profit organization. For me I can tell you that writing this log over the past 59 days has been a reward of its own. Thank you all so much for reading it.
Captain Jim Southward
First Mate Banana Winds Sailing Charters
