LOG: Friday, July 2 (11:00) to Sunday July 4, 2010 (17:30). Sailboat: Bébé (41’ Beneteau). Winds: E, NE 9-18 Knots. Seas 2-5 ft. Weather: High 70’s low 80’s, extremely hazy (Sahara dust). Bluish skies through the haze, at times mixed with cumulus clouds, with an opaque sun shining through.
We planned for Culebra but the wind was against us. So, we sailed with the wind abeam, south, to Vieques. We anchored at Punta Arenas, western Vieques at about 17:00, facing Monte Pirata (988 ft). I had the Beatles’ collection in my iPod (226 songs), which played chronologically until just before the Abbey Road album, where we stopped the music to anchor. We sailed only a few nautical miles from the east coast of Puerto Rico, but we might as well have sailed through waves of joy, across the universe, as in the Beatles’ song by that name. There were 5 souls in Bébé (41’ Beneteau) and 4 souls in Bébé II (32’ Beneteau). We rafted for an evening of swimming, eating, drinking, talking and witnessing the haziest most spectacular sunset. I later named the sunset after the Italian operatic song, Il mare calmo della sera (the calm evening sea). The Beatles echoed: Images of broken light which / dance before me like a million eyes / that call me on and on across the universe …
Saturday was a peaceful day in the company of friends who love sailing. We motored in our dinghy along the coast, snorkeled, scraped the boat bottom, and floated on noodles around the boats. We had visitors from another Beneteau, who joined us with their black dog, Rocco. The sun was shining through the haze. The Beatles’ song continued: Sounds of laughter shades of life / are ringing through my open ears / exciting and inviting me …
Sunday awoke with a hazy sunrise over Monte Pirata as we readied ourselves for the sail back. We sailed with country and western music by Kenny Chesney; no shoes, no shirt, no problems. The Beatles echoed: Limitless undying love which / shines around me like a million suns / It calls me on and on across the universe …
