An island called holy spirit is probably an auspicious place to spend Christmas. (Though, if you're more secular, Kim offers his own translation: spirit of Santa island). It lies just over ten miles from La Paz, but it feels a world away. The water is so clear you can see all the way down to the anchor. Pufferfish flutter lazily along the hull; brilliant blue King Angelfish poke around coral heads and where the water shallows over bone white sand, pelicans and terns hover over tinsel rivers of schooling mullet.
The land is vivid: red, ochre, chocolate brown; dry and crumbling, studded with thorny shrubs and cardon cacti.
Circadia, filled to the brim with people, food, and drink, wallowed gently from anchorage to anchorage. Along with Kim and I, Lindsay and Sophie, we had our good friend Trudy on board as well as old friends from Portland Oregon. An especially wonderful part of the holiday was having the children (Heather, Claire, and Hannah) of these friends along (who we have known since they were babies). It is one of the under-rated delights of this stage of life--we get to discover the adults all the kids have turned into. Along with Stuart, Sophie's friend, they were superb companions: curious, intelligent, thoughtful and a lot of fun.
Trudy
On Christmas Day, Trudy, a friend Derek, Heather and our family hiked to a ridge top to watch the sunset. We celebrated New Years (with the Portland gang) with a bioluminescent swim under a brilliant starry sky.
The days melted away as we drifted between swims and snorkels, beach walks, kayaking, and swinging in the hammock.
Hannah and Claire
Sophie
And now the journeys home begin. The flight back to Portland left yesterday. We just put Sophie in a taxi for the airport, (a tough one, as we won't see her now until summer). Lindsay just finished his degree, so we get to keep him for awhile. He heads back to Victoria in late January.
The land is vivid: red, ochre, chocolate brown; dry and crumbling, studded with thorny shrubs and cardon cacti.
Circadia, filled to the brim with people, food, and drink, wallowed gently from anchorage to anchorage. Along with Kim and I, Lindsay and Sophie, we had our good friend Trudy on board as well as old friends from Portland Oregon. An especially wonderful part of the holiday was having the children (Heather, Claire, and Hannah) of these friends along (who we have known since they were babies). It is one of the under-rated delights of this stage of life--we get to discover the adults all the kids have turned into. Along with Stuart, Sophie's friend, they were superb companions: curious, intelligent, thoughtful and a lot of fun.
Trudy
On Christmas Day, Trudy, a friend Derek, Heather and our family hiked to a ridge top to watch the sunset. We celebrated New Years (with the Portland gang) with a bioluminescent swim under a brilliant starry sky.
The days melted away as we drifted between swims and snorkels, beach walks, kayaking, and swinging in the hammock.
Hannah and Claire
SophieAnd now the journeys home begin. The flight back to Portland left yesterday. We just put Sophie in a taxi for the airport, (a tough one, as we won't see her now until summer). Lindsay just finished his degree, so we get to keep him for awhile. He heads back to Victoria in late January.
It was a Christmas season we will remember for a long time, though we never forget, in the midst of these exotic waters, that our hearts' home is on our (snowbound!) island, and among the friends we won't see for many months. We wish all good things to you in the year to come...Alison
Kim, Stuart, Sophie, Alison, Lindsay, Charlie, Claire, Hannah, Terri
Kim, Stuart, Sophie, Alison, Lindsay, Charlie, Claire, Hannah, Terri
3 comments:
What an incredible Christmas. I am sure that you will never forget this Christmas or any of your adventures. Beautiful post.
La Belette Rouge
sounds like you're having a memoraable Christmas too. Lily is totally adorable.
I must say, you do all clean up rather nicely!
Miss seeing Sophie & Lindsay as I generally get to 'round now -- they look great!
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