Dickie fixed the radio: Hurricane Sandy is on its way to the Chesapeake Bay, with 4-5 feet waves which would be nothing in the ocean but choppy and dangerous here, gale type wind, rain, 30’s at night, 40’s during the day. So, we’ll stay in the boatyard until Tuesday–way cheaper than at the dock. In the boatyard, you get to walk among boats’ hulls and keels, usually hidden underwater. They have all kinds of designs, some of which clearly inspired by fish with their belly (the hull) and fins (the keel). An example:
Don’t you think this boat looks just like a shark? Now here is our Peregrine, with the same view of its stern:
Peregrine’s stern is round, instead of having a straight transom like the boat above (and most boats, really). Her hull has the fullness of, yes, the tummy of a whale. And indeed, sleeping inside Peregrine feels comfy. Now, that gives an interesting twist to the story of Jonas swallowed by a fish, but also the story of Pinnochio when he ends up in the belly of a whale: a wooden little boy inside a fleshy boat.
Dickie once said how some whales sink boats by running into them, as if they did it on purpose (too much room in the ocean for that kind of accident). He thought they might confuse a boat for a fish. Last night, we had fun imagining how a whale might see Peregrine, come to check her out and kindly send her signals. But you see, our Peregrine would not answer the signals, and Whaly would get mad at snobby Peregrine. After a while, Whaly might become so angry for Pere to not even acknowledge her basic existence that she’d attack her. At that point, Dickie wondered if it had been such a good idea to have changed the color of Peregrine’s hull from (invisible) light blue to (stand-offish) black. If we humans normally don’t see a boat’s underwater hull, it’s the opposite for fish–that’s all they get to see of a boat.
Meanwhile, the newly working radio is telling us again and again how cold we’ll be for the next few days—grateful for comfy Peregrine!
sv PEREGRINE 
You guys must be itching to go! I like the whale idea … hmm, maybe it’s like a kid kicking a stick along the road, just because it’s kind of fun.
I’m discovering how blogs work: dad has been the one receiving messages as he created the blog, and I’m just reading yours now. Thanks Ben for liking the whale thing–funny we just had a discussion on how metaphors used by a person tell so much about that person (like cycling…). Well, I’m discovering a whole new metaphorical world for Peregrine (actually, the whale would be a metonymy). With Sandy coming up, I’m afraid the next will be Noah’s ark.
oh, what a beautiful boat!
Yes, and I’m starting to call Peregrine a “she”. Who would have guessed?
Good looking boat! How about some more shots of the interior?
(Reply by 1st mate May for Skipper Spangler): Will do. Hmm, maybe when the inside is not so messy: we piled up outside gear inside in prevision of Sandy.
you are so funny, May. The boat is gorgeous!
Quelle expérience! Dormir dans un bateau sur la terre firme. . .j’espère que cette Sandy s’arrangera bientôt.
Bises,
Holly
J’espère juste que la terre restera ferme… Tout le monde parle de Sandy ici. Si tu en as l’occasion, va voir le cimetière: les travaux sont presque terminés. On a brûlé le cierge de Notre-Dame le 26 août, mais j’ai fini par emporter le petit moule en plastique qui allait disparaître. Merci Holly!
have been watching Sandy with you guys in mind.hang tough!
Batten down the hatches! Thinking about you guys and your beautiful boat!
Sweet, Marianne, and I hope your trip will go well!
May and Dick, Thinking of you guys with the messy weather. Hope all is well.
Thank you, Pat. I very often think of you guys–the four of you–with a full heart.