Launching Kalisha my 1913 wooden boat

"Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed.  Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude." Denis Waitley 

I arrived to Nanaimo after two days of traveling from St. Lucia via St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. Just a quick five days in Nanaimo to finish the work on Kalisha and launch her back into the water after being on the hard for the winter.  Kalisha is our 97 year old 34 foot wooden power boat built in 1913 by Wessel in Vancouver, BC, Canada.  We have owned her for the last 5 years using her each summer as our floating cottage. 

Kalisha has been on the hard since the beginning of October. Normally, we would never do this because it would dry the boat out to much.  We hired Fred Amor and his son Duncan a wooden boat expert from Gabriola Island to replace some ribs and re-cork the bottom.  We put Kalisha in dry dock so they could work on her over the winter. We also purchased and are installing a new motor.  My travels took me away for five months and during the planning phase I arranged to be back in Nanaimo for the five days before launch so I could assist in the final preparation for the boat launch.  The weather this winter in Nanaimo was not to much to write home about...snow, snow and more snow.  It is amazing that our guys got the job done. We had to have Kalisha back in the water by March 15th as the boat yard required her space for their spring season.  Our guys did an amazing job. Bravo!

I brought the sunshine because we had awesome weather to finish the final touches.  

Well, sunshine almost every day.  

On our last day before launching we had more snow.  I guess I needed this just to remind me that I love going to Mexico and other warm places in the winter.  Here is my husband Clayton working hard.  Needless to say I only got out of the car to take the photo.  

Kalisha went back into the water on time and is now waiting for us at the dock for our return in June. Once the weather gets more warm and dry we will repaint the outside and complete the installation of the new motor.  I am very excited to see our girl under her own steam.  What a beauty she is.   I hope you agree!

I am off to my home in Las Playitas, Baja Mexico.

Hasta la pasta!

Kite Surfing Adventure in St. Lucia

"The best way to prepare for life is to begin to live." 

Elbert Hubbard

Have you made your Bucket List yet?

Where is Valma now?  

Kite surfing in  St. Lucia! Can you believe it?

Flying High on Life

Yes, I am still alive, well and continuing the adventure.  The journey from India to Canada, on to sail in the Virgin Islands to finally making my way to St. Lucia has been awe inspiring, fun, exotic, creative and full of laughter and new friendships. The days have been so much fun that I have not created the space to catch up on the blog.  I will fill you in on St. Lucia first and then work backwards to catch up on my final stay in India and sailing adventures in the Virgin Islands. Therefore, make sure you tune in again and check out the blog updates for the last part of India, travels to Canada and sailing in the Virgin Islands. Thanks for being patient.  Every day in every way I continue to actualize and manifest so much abundance in my life.  There is so much to share.  

Ever since I saw a beautiful painting of the Piton mountains and lush St. Lucia backdrops during a Caribbean art show last year and now some of my friends are living and sailing in this area it has been in my mind's eye that I would come here.  Everything has been leading me in this direction. Friends of ours built a 65-foot Catamaran sailboat and it is now in St. Lucia. Originally my hubby and I would meet here to sail with them.  In the end I had the days booked and my hubby did not....so here I am. What I focus on expands.  Just before I picked up my sailboat in the British Virgin Islands at the first part of February I met a young couple that were heading to St Lucia to stay on the beach and kite surf.  The location sounded right up my alley....St. Lucia, right on the beach, price is good, kite surfing, ability to check out a new sailing destination and meeting friends along the way. It all felt right and everything fell into place. 

I left St. Thomas on March 1st and flew to St. Lucia.  The Liat flight I took landed in the north of St. Lucia near Rodney Bay just as the sun was setting...apparently, this is the area that is built up on the island and where all the action is.  I took a taxi with Theresa, a local gal and drove 1.5 hours south to Anse de Sable Beach. This part of the island is more exposed to the Atlantic ocean, the trade winds and is more tranquil and quiet.  Here at "The Reef" is a cool, quaint, very simple Caribbean windsurfing, kitesurfing location located on the National Trust Park Land.  I arrived later in the evening to a warm salty sea breeze with the sound of the ocean waves crashing against the beach.

At the moment  I am staying at The Reef Kite and Surf - it has a litte cafe with open air dining right on the beach a small kite and surf shop with rentals and lessons. Just four simple rooms in the back area of which I have room number three.  A beautiful and simple set up.

My lessons started the next day and I have been kite surfing since. Mostly learning how to handle the kite, body drag and I even got up on the board a few times before the wind has gone down.  I have to say the most fun for me was when the instructor told me to take the power of the kite and body drag and really go for it.  "I want to see leaps and white water trailing behind you." Frank, my instructor told me with a twinkle in his French eye.  This was right up my alley since I naturally wanted to man handle the kite from the beginning....he wanted me to be gentle. A great practice to BE present and very much in the moment. When I was free to use the power I was delighted.  I laughed so hard and even felt like cat women, leaping everywhere. I can see why people get hooked on this sport.  Of course it is a continual process and the learning goes on.  Good thing for a Qigong and yoga practice in the day to stabilize joints, elongate muscles and create flexiblity.  The wind has gone down now, so alas.....my time is split between yoga on the beach, walking, writing, visiting with new friends and enjoying the beauty of this small tranquil Carribbean place.  Tomorrow I head north along the west coast road to sight see and meet my sailing friends.

Ok, it is time for lunch, a piton beer, swimming and a lounge on the beach.

I leave you with this thought.

"A ship is safe in harbour, but that's not what ships are for."   

William Shedd