LEAN IN

The palm trees are always leaning away from the east wind

As we walk down the street here in Aruba, it brings new meaning to the term lean in. It's how you need to brace yourself if you're walking into the wind. Oh, and hang onto your hat, before it goes skittering down the sidewalk.

Sailors have some colorful phrases for the weather in this part of the Caribbean. The climate is remarkably stable, and the wind seems never to stop blowing. Sporty is one description we often hear, as in "It was downright sporty out there today." We also hear "The seas were a mite frisky on our way in." Several new boats have come into the marina, one from New Zealand, on their way back home; some French Canadians bound for Panama; a French boat next door, set to leave for Cartagena in Colombia. It's nice to have neighbors with similar interests to discuss the ever-present topic of weather.