My mom in the day

Back when the family had a boat they used to go fishing in the Canadian San Juan Islands and even further north. Almost all that time I was in the Navy or living in California so never went with them. Today is Nancy's birthday and she's in a retirement home so no more fishing. 

Reliving Hawaii

I used to love Hawaii for short stretches. Stay too long and it feels more and more like an island. The surfing, snorkeling and hiking in a tropical setting is hard to beat. It's not cheap but I always found a way to do it on a shoestring.

The first couple visits were in the Navy in the early 1960's. It was a required stop when heading to the Western Pacific. Our first chance to wear our tropical white uniforms, drink beer on the beach and see some tourist sites. A buddy and I stuck our heads in a fancy beach bar and listened to 5 minutes of Don Ho.

The next trip was in the early 1980's when I bought a one way ticket and stayed 6 months. Rented a cheap place just off Waikiki, bought a bike and spent a lot of time on the beach. Snorkel fished with locals, boogie boarded off the Waikiki pier and took the cheap bus over to Sandy Beach and around the island. Even tried driving a Pedi-Cab from the International Market for awhile but those over weight mid-western tourists got the better of me.

Sometime in the early 1990's my sister and husband bought a condo in Hawaii Kai so didn't have to rent but stays were shorter and I was working in Seattle. Sandy Beach was only a 10 minute drive from their place so I was there often. Sandy's shore break is really pretty dangerous if you don't know what you are doing and can be even if you're experienced.  I saw a couple tourists pulled in for not paying attention. The waves can slam you into the sand if you don't bale out. When I first went in the lifeguard came to the edge of the beach checking me closely. After I surfed a couple he relaxed and went back to his tower. Very exhilarating but I'm way past trying anything like that including Skim Boarding here is Mexico. 

Sandy looking toward the Blow Hole

It breaks in shallow water

A photographer

Can get a little crowed

With and without boards

A real Tattoo has a story

I'm embarrassed by older retired folks coming to Mexico and feeling this sudden rush of minimal freedom and feel the need/urge to get a token tattoo on their ankle or small of their back.  What does it mean besides they had nothing better to do that day and no disapproving social or work environment.

I'm also completely baffled by the "body art" crowd that is so stylish in some circles along with piercing and what ever body disfigurement routine you can think of.

My two tattoo experiences were what I would classify as real world expressions. The first with a Navy buddy in the slums of Hong Kong in the early 1960's (Vietnam).  The second was my Grandfather who worked his way from Cabin Boy at age 14 to being a Captain and always on a sailing vessel where wind was the primary power source.

Hong Kong was an R&R (Rest and Recreation) port for ships working off the coast of Vietnam so we would spend from 10 days to two weeks there doing very little work and going into town early in the afternoon.  No over nights and the little water taxis would bring us back by 1AM.

My buddy Mike was a Bosun's Mate looking like he might make a career of it and he heard of a tattoo place that he wanted to check out. Problem was it was up in the rooftop slums and he wanted company.  We ascended 4-5 flights of stairs and found the little apartment/shack up top. The artist suggested we send out for a six-pack of beer to take the first bit of pain off. He broke out his cigar box of tools which consisted of needles wrapped in thread to be dipped in various colors. Mike was set on an Eagle across his chest. First day was the outline in blue/black ink.  The second day the color filling began.  I helped Mike into his third day and that was it for me.  It was needle pokes with colored ink from the thread.  Took 2 10 day periods in Hong Kong to complete.

Similar basic full chest tattoo

Roof top slums in Hong Kong

The story about my Grandfather is he had a few tattoo's but the best was the Hula Girl on his Popeye sized forearm. Hula girl was probably from Hawaii but who knows if from the early 1900's.  He could make her dance by flexing his muscle but he would rather tell sea stories about different ships and how he skied to school in Norway on barrel staves. Great story teller and had great books on Tall Ships.