On Saturday night Miang and I joined friends Linda and Stephen on their converted catamaran home moored at the Seaview Marina. The boat was previously a ferry carrying people to the "hole in the rock" at the Bay of Islands. Sadly we didn't take pictures then, probably being too distracted by the exciting Easter Egg hunt organised by Stephen's daughter Goldie. By strange coincidence, a photograph from another boat-living friend emerged this week. This picture shows the then home of Joe Trodahl, third from the left, near the entrance hatch of his yacht moored in Chaffers Marina. Next to Joe is Margaret Brown, then Miang and me. On Joe's right is Sophia, daughter of Pablo Etchegoin, who stands precariously against the railing. Julian, Pablo's son, is sitting to my left at the back. Joe tells me the picture was taken (and clearly by his wife Margaret) on December 2 2006.
I sometimes look at such photos of myself in those days of blissful ignorance before my medical adventures, and with the wisdom of hindsight I think, "Silly fellow. You may look and feel well but don't you know what's growing inside you? Don't you realise that you need to book in for a colonoscopy?" I wonder if Pablo has similar feelings?
Kazuo Ishiguro wrote of "The artist of the floating world". Joe's 2006 life was that of "The scientist of the floating world". This is how life really can be in Wellington: rent free, no rates, and seagulls to keep you company. Personally, I prefer the landlubber's life.
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