September 6, 2009
1010 hours
We have become familiar with the mooring buoy at Montague. If we don’t leave soon, we shall have to name it as we have become quite attached. Tonight will be our fourth and last night swinging from our ring-topped friend. The harbour filled up quickly after our arrival here on Friday and with limited prospects for space in other bays on this holiday weekend and the added challenge of inclement weather, we have remained comfortably at Montague. Unfortunately, we have lacked cell reception and internet access and consequently contact with the world outside. How expectations have changed. Camping experiences used to be all about unplugging and now technology has become so integrated into our everyday lives that strong habits have created equally strong expectations. Some new habits seem harder to break than the old ones.

September 4,2009
0730 hours
No blogging, no emails and no texting. I’m feeling short of breath. My computer’s dark screen stares back at me. I glance over at the equally dark screen of the cell phone. My mind temporarily reruns the same question, “Is there really no access?” I blink a few times like my internal hard drive is working unsuccessfully on processing the information. Abort the program. Move on. But yes there is fishing, reading, writing and hiking. Ok, there you go. And besides, we will reconnect in a few days. I reached in the starboard stowage locker for the old orange tackle box wondering when habits become addictions. In a way, aren’t addictions just unhealthy habits? Is communication unhealthy? No. But what about when someone just can’t stop talking or is confusing themselves and others. Is that unhealthy? No, it’s just a bother. I stared at the colorful lures of many shapes, the bright spinners and sturdy leaders, swivel snaps and various sized hooks. A few items looked a little rusty, a couple swivels had seized up much like their fisherman’s back. I leaned in a bit closer and was uncomfortably aware of the familiar twinge in my right hip. I went to work polishing, sharpening and replacing parts. Eventually selecting the best for today’s task I installed new leaders and wrapped each lure to be snap-on ready. We loaded the dinghy and headed for Collinson Point at Active Pass to fish the hour on each side of the tidal turn. Local knowledge would say this is the time when bait fish spread out and predators freely feed. Despite being so well equipped with hardware and software, we were unable to raise the elusive quarry. Back on Ohana, we scrabbled together some lunch and were again off, this time to shore to circumambulate the peninsula of the Montague Marine Park where we would encounter a sturdy wooden bench with a most memorable dedication.