I drove down to this Miami location, parked vehicle and placed my kayak into the water.
I paddled the half mile or so to where Charlie stays on anchor.
As a little refresher for those of you who have never heard of Charlie, he is 84 years old, legally blind and lives on anchor on his 21 foot sail boat.
Charlie had lived on his 26' sail boat and down sized to a 21 footer. If he had his way, he'd go down to an 18 or 19 footer. Like Robinson Crusoe, as primitive as can be.
Charlie is a biblical scholar and it is always nice to shoot the breeze with him. Charlie would much rather live on his 21 foot sail boat than live on land, in an apartment or house. He much prefers to live on his boat than be in a nursing home or assisted living faculty.
Here is a life's observation lesson for both you and me. I am sure you have heard this from a parent or other wise person, you must have your health to properly enjoy and experience life. When a person is young, they typically take their health for granted.
Charlie's eye sight is now getting so bad that even walking to the grocery store is a challenge. He often times can not see the curb and it is a danger to walk in the presence of many cars on the road. An option he has is to take his boat or canoe and tie up behind a supermarket, food shop and paddle or motor his canoe back to the main ship, his 21 foot sail boat. Even that is a challenge though, cause his eye sight is so bad that it is easy for him to loose perception of where he is at.
I'll tell ya, gettin old doesn't seem like joy!!! :( Charlie is pondering his options and one thought that he conveyed is to pay one of the local homeless people $5 an hour to accompany him to the grocery store, whether via his boat or via assisting him in walking there.
Most of us are younger and more able bodied than Charlie. The sad fact is that we all one day get old and will have to deal with this situation some day in our life. That is if we are lucky enough to make it to age 84.
Like many old people, their mind is still sharp, it is their eye sight or body that is letting them down. This is often times the sad reality of life when we get old. Currently, a person is lucky to make it to late 80's or 90. Money helps in youth and it is certainly necessary in old age. Charlie lives on his Social Security and it is some thing like $750 a month. Hence, his chosen life style of living for free on a boat is perfect for him, especially since with his monthly income, other than living in the woods, the only other viable option is to live on a boat as Charlie does. This has always been his choice though any way. He has lived on a boat the past 20+ years.. Simple small boats, like Robinson Crusoe, as primitive as can be.
I'll keep you up to date with the latest happenings of Old Man Charlie.
Till then..... Take care of your health!!!