Norwalk CT

Stingray's underside. A cute face!        a Cat hiding from it's owner, "you can't see me!

Yesterday when we sailed in to Norwalk it was a bit hairy cuz it was so shallow and we were not prepared to come into harbor.  Normally when captaining I look ahead hours before we get somewhere and scope out the places of possible anchoring due to the wind direction and the depth.  Since I was working in the cabin all day and Ben was captaining I did not know how close we were to our destination until he yelled down we are here.   It is a good exercise for me to “let go” of control sometimes. Like when other people drive a car it is hard for me to “let go” of their kind of driving cuz I’ve been in 3 car accidents with others driving so I’m the worst back seat driver and this I know. So Ben is totally capable of everything and even captaining I know this.  He would rather not be responsible for our safety since he likes to just show up to life and it happen around him.  Which I am so eager and willing to learn and which I have learned a lot in the last 5 years from him. We all could use a little of living in the moment. So yesterday when we came into the harbor I just had to keep saying to myself, he’s doing fine… The reason I was stressed (I hope he did not notice my stressness cuz I tried to hide it because it was my stress and uneasiness not anything he was doing.) was because I had not studied where we were going nor looked at the charts nor did I follow our path during the day. (pretty good letting go – I’d say!) so when we were coming in and the depths were shallow and Ben wanted to sail as long as possible (which the wind was a good direction for us to come into the harbor’s angle) still I was not sure if he had looked at anything. Which he had not cuz you don’t NEED to it is just a good idea. Probably a safety thing for Pam since I don’t know how others sail. It was windy and nothing looked like a good anchorage. There were many boats and so I just suggested we anchor so we can sit and look at the charts to figure it out.  So we did. I just looked where we saw boats anchored and said lets try there. I did not realize it was a mooring field.  I already told you about the depths. It all worked out.  So to make a long story short tonight we sat together and looked at our destination together and looked at all the possible anchorages in the thimbles. A bunch of tiny islands with plenty of depth for such a big boat as cricket! I feel ready for tomorrow now! I think Ben does too.

Now today, I woke up to a megaphone (which reminded me of Annapolis where the newly enlisted were doing their calisthenics) this morning a guy was yelling “welcome to the 7^th annual Mosh-pit triathalon.!”” Over and over again. It was just like a rivalry at 6:30 in the morning. He yelled, “OK 7-10 year olds line up between the buoys…” I had to get out of bed to watch this cute event. It was way over on the shore but with binoculars I could make out all the parents lined on the beach, freezing little kids in the water waiting for him to start the race. Finally the race started, then the next heat of kids and the next. It was over by 11am. Ben and I mosey-ed to town by way of a stiff kayak into the wind for about a mile. (seemed like 3) Then we walked 3 to town to the aquarium which was totally fun. Then walked back only 2.5 miles or so, then kayaked with the wind at our back and the current flowing in.

And now we have looked at the tides charts to see the timing for tomorrow. We need to leave at high tide! And it would be nice to leave when the long island sound (that is called “the race” many miles of sea between block island and new york. It looks like a half of lake superior size) when the current is at our backs pushing us along. Here are some cute aquarium pictures Ben took.  He is the most amazing photographer I know! And I am the most patient partner to wait while he finds the perfect picture. Love you all. Pam (Jesus loves you best.)