AUGUST 1, 2011 -EAGLE ISLAND

Hello everyone!  I have been enjoying the Terrmar blog from an insider watching and reading.  As the “Terr” part of this team, I must give you my perspective on the events of this afternoon.  This has been an unprecedented anchor location with 5 nights a definite record.  Lovely Eagle Island, admittedly one of my top 5 favourite places in the whole world! 

EAGLE ISLAND SUNRISE

Mark and I were enjoying a lazy relaxing holiday Monday, trying to take in every moment of blessed peaceful beauty.  We were languishing on the swim platform when out of nowhere the lens in Mark’s glasses popped out and thank goodness he managed to find the screw for the frames in a crevice in the swim platform.  While searching for the glasses repair kit and spare glasses, Mark came across an ancient, already opened, pack of “wine and rum flavoured” Colt cigars.  “Hey look what I found” shouted Mark.  I advised him, not a good idea to indulge.  “Think I might take one more shot at the old fishing pole from the swim platform before supper” mumbled Mark.  As I began to organize our living quarters for the early departure the next morning, a familiar scent wafted through the air.  Quickly my brain recognized the odour as I glanced toward the swim platform and to my dismay, there was my husband, fishing pole in hand, cigar puffing from the corner of his mouth and a mischievous grin outlining the opposite corner.  I exclaimed, head shaking in disappointment, not a good idea – but my misgivings were being ignored.  In the meantime, I had wanted to “smudge” our boat.  Sidebar for those readers who do not know what “smudging” means, it is a ritual learned a few years ago when our sailboat Terrmar 3 was hit by lightning and we were stranded in Little Current for 6 days while all our electronics had to be replaced.   Also the thing that inspired us to name our beloved yorkie “Smudge”.   “Smudging” is a cleansing and protecting ritual traditionally performed by native Canadians in their culture to replace negative energy with positive using burning incense from cedar, sage, tobacco and sweet grass.  I had been saving one of the last of the incense sticks from that previous adventure.  Where are the lighters, I asked Mark.   “I don’t know, look above the microwave” he replied.  Well, what did you use to light that cigar?    “It is above the microwave” he replied again as he set the fishing pole aside, still puffing away at the cigar looking like a defiant little boy.  And then it happened!  I saw it as if in slow motion, the fishing pole slowly sliding off its perch, down, down, down into the water.   “Ah, Mark, your fishing pole….” as I pointed in the direction of its plunge.  The look on Mark’s face was classic, from    “I am going to smoke this cigar whether you like it or not”, slowly morphing into a look of surprise, “’Oh my gosh, what is happening to my fishing pole??  It took a few seconds before he made the decision and I could see his brain debating the choices he had – jump or not jump.  But as soon as he had decided, splash, overboard he went, cigar and all to rescue his beloved fishing pole.  I hurried over to see if I could be of any assistance and up he popped out of the churning water with his fishing pole in one hand and his glasses glued to his face with his other hand.  Sadly I watched as his favourite sandals and the stale cigar were being swept away by the brisk current, victims of circumstances.   “It was either the fishing pole or the sandals”, said Mark “and the pole does not float! “ 


MARK SAVED THE POLE

 Mark then managed to drag himself up the swim ladder with glasses and fishing pole as I started laughing hysterically.  One thing is for sure, the atmosphere was definitely positive and light-hearted as I set about “smudging” the boat, getting ready for our next adventure.

Until the next time -