July 13th, 2012

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Friday the thirteenth of July, Malta

Friday, July 13th, 2012

I left Syracuse around 3 p.m. When I checked to see the time, to make a note in the log book, I did not have my watch on. I sped back to the marina but in the less than an hour lapsed when I hung it in the shower dressing room, it was gone. And apparently no one had turned it in to the marina office, right next door. My daughters in Tacoma gave it to me last Christmas. I loved that watch. But I shall buy a $ 25 Casio with a velcro band. This way I will become credible again when I tell people that I just live on Social Security. Their eyes would go to my watch and they’d have trouble controlling their smirks. I also lost my favorite Polaroid sunglasses, I bought in Durban in  2006. I may need to get a job. Because I am spending fortunes on moorage. I wrote about the 46 Euroes I had to pay in Syracuse. That was a bargain. I just paid 64 Euroes ( nearly $90…..) here in Valetta at the Grand Harbour Marina. I checked some of the other marinas but they were having a regatta weekend at the Royal Malta YC and the other one was under reconstruction. But I’ll have to say that it is one of the best marinas I have visited. The showers are like something you’d find at the Ritz. No comparison with the junky place in Syracuse.

I sailed most of the way, until this morning when the seas were so incredibly confused that the little wind was just slapped right out of the sails. It is again very hot. It evaporates the energy I’d like to have to do chores and go exploring. It is now close to 8 p.m. and finally getting some relief. Malta is an incredible place. I need a week to see all the sights but with this kind of moorage charges I may have to cut it short. I’ll see about an anchorage. I’d like to go to mass on Sunday here in the St.  John’s cathedral. The Maltese language is a mixture of Arabic, Italian

I’ll add the pictures tomorrow, weak internet. I am hungry and tired. I slept very little at all during the night because the wind kept changing strenght and directions constantly. There were lots of tankers/freighters but never in my way. Visibility has been poor. A haze, because of all the forest fires.