Tethered Nomads - Sailing vs the Ancestral Pueblo People

Go to Heaven for the climate,

Hell for the company.

Mark Twain 

Mesa Verde Ancient Pueblo People

From the book House of Rain by Craig Childs, we feel that the above expression best describes our way of life.  In his well researched manuscript, Childs refers to the Anasazi People (now called the Ancestral Pueblo People, Anasazi is somewhat a pejorative term) when he spoke of tethered nomads.  

We feel it appropriately describes how we live when sailing since we move to follow better food provisions, weather conditions, exchange knowledge or culture, or explore and discover.  We too come back to home base, whatever that may be, but perhaps more often than they did.  They, as a community, didn’t return for 200+ years at times. 

So, after being in the US and Canada (home bases) for a few months, we are now returning to our nomadic part of travels leaving for the clear blue waters of the South Pacific.  We have received many cheerful wishes of ‘useful’ winds for our journey and thank everyone for their good thoughts.

Before departing, we wanted to clarify a few questions our readers asked: 

1. We did not sell nor intend selling Déjàlà.  She is in a dry yard (outside the water) in Rocky Point, Mexico, only 60 miles from the Arizona border.  She is safe and sound while we do the Pacific Puddle Jump in spring 2014.
2. We will be crossing the Pacific aboard a different boat, Music.  She is a beautiful 41.5’ sturdy Island Packet that will get us there very safely.  We will be crewing with Wayne, a Canadian.
3. The current plan, when we return from down-under, is to take Déjàlà to the waters after we complete a few fixes and upgrades.  As for destination we do not yet know although it will probably be to sail down the coast of Mexico to Central America and Panama over time.
4. We are NOT installing a fossil fuel engine.  We are simply changing our electric outboard to an inboard motor for safety and ease of maneuvering.  We have proven the technology can work for us so it’s time to make it more permanent.

Come along with us on this journey where, and, since we now have a motor, we hope to be a little faster than the butterflies.

Our land vessel for a while...  Good old 1988 Ford!

Small motel in our town - kind of eccentric

Night view of Space Age Lobby and Restaurant

Owl nest in saguaro - didn't know they nested in the open

One of the beautiful roses in our yard  

Hole in the Rock, Papago Park, Phoenix

Papago Park pink roundish rocks

Papago Park lake - great for waterfowls