Day before yesterday my friend Bob, who is from Chula Vista, CA - lives here in EO for 6 months, CA for the other six months... asked me if I would like to come with him yesterday to meet up friends who are on their way back up the coast to the United States on their sailboats. They planned to anchor in the bay of Herradura near the Marriott - Los Suenos Resort and Marina - a very swanky place for just a day or so before continuing the voyage north.
Shortly after we arrived on the beach - here came Greg and Blake in a dingy.
Greg is Bob's friend of many years. Until about 5 1/2 years ago they both lived on boats in a marina in Chula Vista. The others I met, Bob also knew, but are recent acquaintances by way of Greg.
Greg's story is amazing. I wish I had more time to talk with him but what little I did learn is somewhere along the line Greg made the decision to buy a sailboat and see the world. I have no idea just how long he had the boat before he set out on the current 5 year plus adventure that will end in a few months, but what I did learn was he was not very experienced when he began the trip. Five years later - he has been thru more than I can imagine and more than most of us would ever want to encounter - on the other hand - he has lived his dream so far, has lived his life to the fullest on his own terms! Maybe someday there will be a book by this remarkable man that will make the rest of us wish we were as brave and driven as Greg is to just go for it.
Blake owns the catamaran and is from Seattle. His wife sails with him part time. He is similar to Greg in that he has only been doing this for 7 years. Another interesting man I did not have near enough time with.
And then there was Danny and Paula - a truly amazing couple, married for many years and still very much in love. They currently live in Santa Cruz, CA when they are not sailing the world. Amazingly Danny grew up in the same town I lived in CA - Arroyo Grande. It was awesome to meet someone from the one place I have lived most my life.
The dingy did not have a motor and with a good size swell coming in it was too dangerous for 4 of us to paddle out to the boats - so we all sat on the beach drinking beers, sharing chips, stories, laughing a lot. Danny and Paula arrived on the beach by kayak.
These are those people who are from that very small percentage of people in the world who had a dream and made it happen. These are the people the vast majority of the world wish they had the courage and determination to be like.
Thank you Bob for taking me with you and making it possible to be in the presence of these amazing and inspiring people.
Pura Vida
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