Sunday, February 8, 2009


My wife Pam and I have been living on our 31 foot sailboat for the last 20 years.  From 1996 to 2004 we wandered around the world in Pamda Bear, ending our circumnavigation where it started, in Washington state.  It was the trip of a lifetime, but about halfway around Pam began showing symptoms of Alzheimers disease.  She was determined to continue our cruising life and we did, but accelerated our pace to try to return home while she'd still be able to spend time with family.  Now, we're well into the course of the disease and I'm her full time caregiver.I just bought a 1957 Airstream Caravanner as a long term project of restoration.  It'll be a slow process as most of my time is taken, but I do have a great person who comes in a couple of days a month to give me some time off.  I'll use some of that time working on "Island Girl" and document the process here.She appeared in a Craigslist ad and after several emails, phone calls, and a trip to see her, I just had to have her.  Built in Airstream's Ohio plant, her first owner apparently moved from Illinois to retirement on Lopez Island in Washington's San Juans.  She had one other owner on Lopez before moving to adjacent San Juan Island about five years ago with the last owner before me.  It's very likely the trailer has been on those islands for around 35 years.A fellow liveaboard here in the marina, Darrell, offered to do the towing.  I'd seen old original split rims on the trailer when I looked at it before purchase, so we took new wheels and tires with us for the pickup.  A trouble free trip on the ferry and up I-5 to her new home was next.

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