December 24, 2003
Great Bahama Bank

Here we are. During the terrible crossing and a rough anchorage the night before we developed an combustible happiness which had lead us to the following, lifechanging event. X-MAS on the boat, the first such for both of us. To prepare our bodies for this happening, we got out the snorkeling gear and took a dive in the crystal clear, rather cool and refreshing sea. Then, nicely dressed, we prepared our Christmas dinner. We really searched the corners of the boat for the best stuff we had. We came up with shrimps, crab meat and... pork. Even some medium fresh tomato lingered in the fridge and was being consumed rapidly. We even had a bottle of wine although we didn't make the precaution to take with us a cork bottle opener. Nonetheless, thanks to my martial arts with knives we managed to mess it out somehow.

You get the picture. A nice table out of a crate covered with our only tissue. Some candles. NO land in sight. And so we celebrated Christmas 2003. The sun had been setting and given us a beautiful orange-warm light, reflecting on the water and so, giving us the most stunning present of the day. Romantic we are. Charming we are.

It is a wonderful day never to forget.

Surely, we missed all our friends and families. Be sure we thought of you in that moment. It comes to my mind: sailors probably don't die because of the dangers of the sea. They might die of lack of chocolate or affection, the loneliness. But this hardship will teach them how to live their lives after they prevailed. And the hope for the future is endless.

(J) Johannes