"Jo Beth" has served us more as a floating hotel and office than an ocean voyaging yacht for the past several weeks. And for the next two or three weeks, that's not going to change.
Most of you know that I earn my living as a marine surveyor. I also work as a photographer and do some writing; hobbies that have some small income earning potential. However, my primary income is from marine surveying. That means day in and day out, I'm dealing with boats of all sorts, owners and crews of all sorts, and boat related problems of all sorts.
It also means that my good fortune is born of the misfortunes of others. When bad things happen to good yachtsmen and women, and they're insured by one of the insurance companies that use my services, it's a good day for me. For example, there's the couple who had a sudden engine fire aboard their motor yacht while underway in the Intracoastal Waterway near Fernandina Beach, Florida; there's the father and son returning to New England from the Bahamas, caught in an Atlantic storm east of Savannah, resulting in substantial damage to the rigging and sails of their 60' sailing yacht. Those are just a couple of the cases I'm working now. Memorial day is coming, and these summer holidays are always good for business. Inexperienced people are out on the water, running into things and each other. I love it, I have to say.
Having said that, here's a simple fact: if you own a boat, and see me coming, it generally means you've had a bad day aboard.
It also means my time aboard "Jo Beth" is limited. When you're self-employed, if you don't work, you don't get paid. There are no sick or personal days either. As much as I would love to be beam-reaching outbound in St. Simons Channel this weekend, sails full and drawing, I can't be.
We're hoping to escape for a few days over Memorial day. Until then, things are going to be a bit quiet.
