10:00 AM local time, Friday, May 23 (1700 May 23 UTC) 32 42 N 117 14 W. Temp.
68, Humidity 74%, Cloud Cover 100%. At the public dock on Shelter Island, San
Diego, California.
Greetings from the crew of Maverick.
At 5:30 yesterday (Thursday) afternoon (0030 May 22 UTC) Maverick crossed in to
US waters at 32 degrees, 31 minutes north, 117 degrees, eleven minutes west.
After 798 days and 29, 524 miles, we were back in the USA, with less than 500
miles left to get home. After all the places we've been to my conclusion is, I'm
sorry to say to all you dreamers and malcontents among whose number the Captain
maintains a proud membership, America is still the best country in the world in
almost every respect, usually by a considerable margin. I have missed it and as
a matter of fact may never leave it again. Show me another country that can
produce Jerry Lee Lewis, Muhammad Ali, Marilyn Monroe, and Little Richard
without breaking a sweat, and still has someone left over who immediately
answers your call on VHF sixteen and knows what they're talking about.
We're now berthed at the public dock in San Diego and will remain here until
early Monday morning. If anyone on this list who lives nearby should have a
hankering to come by, I will make a point of being here from noon to four on
Sunday the 25th. Get yourself to Shelter Island and go to the far west end of
the island. There's parking there. Go down the ramp (there's no gate) and you'll
see a slightly tired looking Maverick just on your left. I'll have more later
but I want to get this out so you'll have time to bake a cake. Only kidding!
Just bring yourself.
ADDENDA
Rick Higginbotham reports to the Captain, who has been at sea, so to speak, and
had not heard, that the long-suspected hoax concerning the plate held by the
Bancroft Library and attributed to Francis Drake has finally been revealed in
all its sordid detail at a press conference held in February at the University
of California. For forty years it was thought genuine by heavyweights in the
history business, when modern science cast doubt on it in the seventies. If I
remember correctly, though, even after this there was a group of true believers.
Rick, by the way, was also onstage playing guitar when the Judds made their show
business debut at the Rancho Nicasio, which brings us to the next item.
Jim McEntee reports what may be the ultimate misuse of the apostrophe in country
music history, and this is no small accomplishment. This one advertised a show
at Lloyd Hickey's 40 Grand Country, featuring "George Jones and the Jone's
Boys."
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