Space Cowboy

Did you ever "Google" yourself? Of course you have.

If you are the average Joe like me, not much remarkable comes up. Kind of sad really.

Well, we met a very likable couple recently...Drew and Lily Gaffney. They just purchased a 53 foot yacht, named Revelation. Here any sailing boat is called a yacht, so it does not carry the same definition as in the US and A. Saying that, these guys sure have a nice big sailboat, with spacious sleeping quarters, 2 bathrooms, ample galley. They live on it when then are not travelling back to America or places like Stockholm, Sweden and Cambridge, England.

I have always believed it is much better to know someone with a boat than own one myself so meeting up with these fine people was quite a score for such a mooch as I.

Drew did not brag a lot on himself. We learned he was a doctor (heart) who spent some time in New Mexico, Houston, and Nashville. He seemed very, very smart. So I Googled him when I got home.

I'll save you the trouble

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F._Drew_Gaffney

Over the months, our friendship has grown. Kimberly and Lily have developed a strong kinship and Drew has totally convinced me to stay on the Lipitor, which is called Lipex here.

This Easter weekend, they invited us to sail to and overnight on Adele Island in Abel Tasman National Park. Since the weather was to be hot and sunny and the sea like glass, we cleared our busy schedule and geared up for the grueling 3 hour tour. We knew it would be gut wrenching and feared we might see dolphins, but I liked the cut of Gaffney's jib and we decided to go for the gusto.

If you know us by now, you know we had a great time, eating and drinking and laughing. Drew is a high IQ witty type who is one of the few earthlings who have been to space on the Columbia shuttle. I had many questions, most relating to poop.

Dr. Gaffney did not disappoint with his detailed responses.

He also knew Christa Mcauliffe. He said the Challenger tragedy delayed his flight for 2 years. In addition, he told me that the crew did not die by burning up; they were alive and actually were killed by the impact. The government allowed the myth to continue rather than explain why there was no parachute on the capsule that contained humans.

Ever since that all the capsules have chutes.



On the island, we hunted down the elusive greed lipped mussel which were cleaned and prepared with a sushi dinner.





Eating mussels is like chewing on a condom (I presume). I could not stomach any of it and chose to abstain.




Kimberly dug in to it all and seemed to enjoy the rubbery goodness. There was also a lot of seaweed.


I strongly advised her not to put Mussels or sushi on our meal rotation. Or at least give me an advance warning, so I could make a tuna sandwich.

The cabin was comfortable as we were rocked to sleep by the gentle swaying of the water. The environment was extremely quiet. The only sound was the chorus of tuis and bellbirds in the morning to gently awaken us.

By mid morning, our anchorage was filling up with other yachts wanting to spend Easter weekend. We took the dinghy to visit one called El Kareem, a 2 million dollar extravaganza built for an Arab prince, now owned by an Australian woman. Very ornate and gaudy, it looked like a floating brothel.

We also spent some time with Bill, captain of Exodus. He lives on his yacht also and tries to eke out a living on 100 dollars a week. We probably won't be mooching off Bill.

Currently, the Gaffneys live in Nashville, Tennessee as he is employed at Vanderbilt. He was the doctor of Al Gore's mother, so he knows them very well. Drew and Lilly are for Obama, but after I explained how McCain will win, he agreed the possibility was there due to the divisiveness of the Democratic party and the sheer strength of Sean Hannity. We all shared the fact that Bush is the worst President in USA history.

After a wonderful lunch completely devoid of rubber, we raised the sails for home. The only downer during the trip was the bizzare sighting of a bloated dead sheep floating out to sea on his way to Vietnam. Who knows, he may still be of some use to a hungry family.

We rode the wind and sunset until touch down brought us round to the traffic and clamor of Nelson.

We can't all be Rocketman and lots of times, we are sheep. But every once in a while, life is pretty good for average Joe right here on Earth.