Week 1 done - Batten down the hatches

Well, week one is done - big sigh, I'm caught up on things, actually a bit ahead and pretty much done the readings for week two. Sitting at Ganges, on Salt Spring Island waiting out an expected storm. We are expecting 25-30 knot winds today and rain. For those of you who deal in 'land' measurements that's probably 45-50 km/hr winds - not ones we want to be out in. Had a beautiful trip over yesterday - sunshine and blue sky - chilly, but that's what survival suits, fully lined sailing boots, and gloves are for.  Finding that the forced slow down and no distractions has been wonderful for reflecting on the course so far -- for reading and rereading the posts to date, for thinking ahead, and for being able to take a bit of a sigh, let the shoulders drop, and look around. Ganges is a neat place - I'm not a fan during the summer as it's insane with boats/people, and we're not 'dock' people - would much rather be anchored somewhere .... but this time of year it's quiet and peaceful. There's a shop that hopefully will be open today that had a beautiful necklace/earring set in the window and there's an amazing kitchen store on the island that I want to wander through. .... Along with that I'm watching the birds, the seals and the otters, and enjoying a lab/pit bull cross puppy that wanders over from another boat looking to be petted. Being here helps to force that slow down a bit, to think about things, to raise my head from the screen and take a longer look around, to appreciate nature in all its forms - whether sunny, mild and calm, or blowing like a banshee and howling. I'm thankful for the heater aboard :), and for the quiet .....