Dana Point and Learning How to Ask…

When you travel, remember that a foreign country 

Is not designed to make you comfortable.

It is designed to make its own people comfortable.

Clifton Fadiman 

Phone booth by Banksy

Since we cancelled our cell phones it was hard to call the Dana Point Marina office after hours. Mike walked around for a while, found a pay phone, and lost 3 quarters trying to dial out unsuccessfully.

He finally gave up and found a jazzercise class about to begin and asked someone to borrow their cell phone. One lady was inclined to do just that. It’s amazing how friendly and willing people are when you take the time to ask or talk to them. Later at a grocery store, the grocery bill would have been nearly $8 more if not for the help of the lady behind Mike in line who offered him to use her card for discount at the grocery store. She then asked about our boat and that perhaps she’d come by to visit it… Amazing what simply being open to ask can bring you.

Once the business end of settling in the marina were settled we took Nikki for a really needed puppy walk where she could read all the “puppy tweets” left from her fellow canines. She happily replied to many of them before remembering dinner was awaiting.

A good night’s sleep later we are exploring the vicinity of the marina. Fellow Canadian boat Prairie Rose docks next to us. They are also from BC (Pender Island, a sister to the Island we are from, Mayne)… such a small world.

We have a few things to fix/upgrade while docked. They are calling for a storm over the next couple of days so this is a good time to attend to these: Repair spreader boot on starboard side, reconfigure the preventer (a little too long and difficult to operate as-is), add missing reefing ties, re-screw/reinforce the electric motor mount, and tweak the new lazy jack.

Visited the Oceanic Institute. Mostly intended to teach our youth about the ocean and environment but worth checking out. Dana Point seems truly involved with environmental studies.

Perspectives

Mike’s: The big one can now hit S California since we are now out… Thank god for crystallized ginger to settle the stomach.

Marie’s: I’m the supposed cold blooded one since I’m from Canada but I have 5 layers on and I’m still cold, Mike is barefooted. Go figure!

Nikki’s: What’s this now? I have to learn to go number 1 and 2 on MY boat!!! Wait a minute, I didn’t sign up for that. Can we reconsider?