Stanley

Stanley

The view of the town from Seaburban and a view back towards the harbour entrance and Navy Point.
Stanley has an interesting feel. It is a sort of push and pull. Of conflict and tension among nations and commerce. It is in marked contrast to Cape Horn where the sweep of time and history overwhelms.
Some of the landscape is vaguely familiar. A British exchange officer came to my regiment while I was with the Canadian SSF. He had fought in the Falklands and he gave a talk about tactics in open terrain. Bits and pieces of that talk flashed through my memory as the place names and landscapes came into focus.
I am not allowed off the boat as Customs considers my presence here as a matter of refuge. I don’t think I’ll test their kindness and show of good faith no matter how much I would like to walk the places that soldier fought at and later spoke of.
Making the harbour entrance, I passed two cruise ships and a beam trawler heading out to sea. I wondered how they would fare in the coming weather. Gaining the harbour itself and seeing the surprising calm I suddenly felt I had should not be here but beating my way north. Preparing for the inevitable storm. Making Seaburban safe.
I remembered these two things:
Firstly, I promised my loving and beautiful wife Nani that I would sail conservatively. I made the same promise to my father.
Secondly, my brother Jan is a pilot. He’s been flying privately for close to 50 years which is testament and evidence to his skill. He told me this: The superior pilot is that pilot who uses his superior judgement to avoid those situations that would require his superior skills.

Looking about at the calm, I can think of nothing more conservative. As to superior judgement, I’m not sure. In the end, it seemed obvious.

Follow my tracks in real-time:
https://bit.ly/svseaburban