The inspiration for today’s entry comes from one of our favorite Panama blogs, In Da Campo, which a few days ago posted some musings about the Jimmy Buffet song Changes in Latitudes. If there’s one thing many of us expats have in common, it’s a love of travel and new experiences – and I think that’s why Jimmy Buffet’s music resonates with a lot of us.
So now it’s our turn! During our cruising days aboard our 42-foot sailboat Compania, Susan and I had a ritual. Every time we dropped the anchor in a new anchorage or tied up in a new harbor we’d break out the cocktails and blast Jimmy Buffett’s song One Particular Harbor. And now, every time we hear it we harken back to those carefree days when the rum was rich, the salt air was bracing, and every new port brought the promise of adventures to come.
IA ORA TE NATURA
E MEA AROFA TEIE AO NEI
IA ORA TE NATURA
E MEA AROFA TEIE AO NEI
(Nature lives, life to nature
Have pity for the Earth, Love the Earth)
But God knows I surely try
It’s a magic kind of medicine
That no doctor could prescribeI used to rule my world from a pay phone
And ships out on the sea
But now times are rough
And I got too much stuff
Can’t explain the likes of me
But there’s this one particular harbour
So far but yet so near
Where I see the days as they fade away
And finally disappear
Down in the Caribbean sunshine
In my younger days I was so bad
Laughin’ about all the fun we hadI’ve seen enough to feel the world spin
Mixin’ different oceans meetin’ cousins
Listen to the drummers and the night sounds
Listen to the singers make the world go ’round
IA ORA TE NATURA
E MEA AROFA TEIE AO NEILakes below the mountains
Flow into the sea
Like oils applied to canvas
They permeate through meAnd there’s that one particular harbour
Sheltered from the wind
Where the children play on the shore each day
And all are safe within
Most mysterious calling harbour
So far but yet so near
I can see the day when my hair’s full gray
And I finally disappear
IA ORA TE NATURA
E MEA AROFA TEIE AO NEI
IA ORA TE NATURA
E MEA AROFA TEIE AO NEI
UA PAU TE MAITAI NO TE FENUA
RE ZAI NOA RA TE ORA O TE MITIE
(Bounty of the land is exhausted
But there’s still abundance on the sea)
11 Comments
Great stuff, you two, thanks for all the fun reading & sharing your adventure. We always get good ideas from your posts! We intend to become Jimmie Buffet fans too. Keep ’em coming.
ME/BE
Wait, aren’t you on a plane?? 🙂 Looking forward to seeing you soon!
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One Day 🙂 Great Adventures
Hey guys, great post and pictures. I may just have to become a Buffett fan! Come on over and we’ll have margaritas overlooking the canyon. We’ll even put Jimmy’s music on :).
It’s a date 🙂
Thank you for this wonderful posting John and Susan. What great experiences you have both shared together with so many more ahead!
Wow!!!!!!! You two are DOIN’ IT TO DEATH!!!! And thanks for letting us live the dream with you vicariously. Hey Susan!! Hey John, when I grow up I want to be just like YOU! You’re running around the globe having a ball with a knock ’em dead chick by your side too boot! Do it my brother, do it!
Brother Bill
Dude, make a trip with us some time! It would be so fun to do some traveling with you! Love you 🙂
Love this ritual. The sea misses you both. Can’t wait to visit those anchorages 😍
The Pacific side of Mexico is really special! We’re so lucky we had a boat-side view of it. I think you two will especially love the Sea of Cortez – amazing.