Eees Tha Haawlleedays Amigos!

[Capt Josh]

Down here at beach level in Punta Mita, my throbbing internal radar picks up the not-so-subtle clinking of two-ounce shot glasses as they hit the table behind me and the terrible gurgling sound of Don Julio tequila as it hastily leaves the jar, a symphony that, thanks to last night, causes shivers to vibrate deep within my bowels despite the otherwise balmy heat. Its another beautiful day in paradise, soured by nuclear fallout from another monumental battle with Hector's Chernobyl margaritas.

There's friendlier music in the tequila tainted air though, if you can hear it above the jackhammers inside your head. A strange blend of Van Halen, banda, and reggaton, booming from overzealous sound systems and restaurants along the beach. The breeze carrying the music is crisp enough to blow sand into your eyes if someone neglects to shake their towel down wind, and, judging by the sea of scantily clad locals and tourists before me, i'd say the holiday season down here in Mexico is sufficiently underway.

This particular week, between christmas and new year's, offers much to the festive archaeologist seeking to uncover some as of yet unknown truth at the bottom of a tequila bottle. A veritable orgy of over-indulgence where even the sight of a drunken Canexican sporting a reindeer hat, shouting belligerent orders to a feral ex-Tijuana Chihuahua barely raises eyebrows on Christmas eve. "Tis the season!", they say in this endless vacation land that we all call Mexico, and as usual we have the throttles pinned.

The boss and his entourage are right here with me, taking the shenanigans to biblical levels on a nightly basis. Cirque de Soleil has nothing on the kind of roving freak show entertainment we've been doling out thanks to countless friends and family members cutting loose and throwing caution to the wind in typical holiday fervor.

"Isn't that YOUR husband?!?!" and "GODDAMNIT LOOK AT WHAT YOUR MOTHER'S DOING!" or "Who gave the kids the bottle of rum, AGAIN?!?!?!"

Shocking revelations and otherwise frowned upon acts of drunkenness that are somehow perfectly acceptable at this time of year, shrugged off inconsequentially by one simple, inebriated explanation as though it were actually capable of excusing such fun.

"Hey, haaaay, HAAAAAAAAAAYYYYY!!! Eeesss tha HAAWLEEEDAYS MAAAAAN!!!!"

So be it!!!

As much fun as all of the partying is, i often find myself pondering deeper meanings during daylight hours as another gonzo year in JT Land draws to a celebrated close. Frankly i have a lot to be thankful for, and there's no better time to reflect on these things than right now, surrounded by the same friends and family i've shared so many memorable adventures with. As crazy as I'm rumored to be, allegedly, i am a softy when it comes to moments like these.

Few things in life are as important as family and, despite our sometimes remarkable ability to act nothing like one, i truly believe that i've been blessed with one of the greatest tribes on earth. The kids, the wife, all extraordinary, on many levels. As a whole we seem capable of operating outside otherwise normal parameters, despite the overwhelming odds, but i'll be damned if i didn't say we had no idea of what we were doing to get here. Jesus we make a lot of mistakes, and by that i mean, Jesus I make a lot of mistakes, but in the end we continue to keep loving, and that, my friends, is the greatest gift Santa could ever bring.

This entire year was rife with adrenaline and adventure, supplemented with sometimes tedious learning, but ultimately satisfactory in its entirety either way. From six month forays across America to find, and eventually finish, a remarkable new boat, to epic adventures from Costa Rica to Panama and some "off-limits" islands in between. God the stories are certainly entertaining, and the bad times, thankfully, few and far between.

Sure the economy is going to hell in a hand basket, yup we may all sail up shit creek eventually, but for now we celebrate all that we have, all that we have had, and the belief that if we keep at it, who knows?, maybe there's a lot more of this magic still left to seed.

If all else fails, remember - "Eees tha haawleedays ameegos!"

Here's some photos to keep you honest, and here's to another great year!

[Tenacious]

I knew you had it in ya, another fantastic read and some awesome pics. Good luck in 09 Josh

[Fishmon]

Happy New Year, DO NOT try and outdo 08. You WILL get hurt if you do.

Gonna be in Fla this winter? Give us a shout if you do. We are back on the boat in Tavernier.

Enjoy,
Jeff













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[gottaflylee]

Happy New Year to you my friend, may 09 be as good to you as was 08 and your featherduster awaites for your return to the right coast...fishes to be caught...

[Fins&Feathers]

Thanks for the report capt Josh
Happy New Year

[Swami]

Merry Christmas Josh, please try to survive New Year's without killing yourself or your liver and we'll see you in Mejami in a couple months...

Sam

[Bird Dog]

Nice pictures. I remember being on those same streets

[Robja]

Happy New Year Josh. Liked the Chicken bus shot. One pic looked like you were at Amadour looking back towards Panama City. I had some good cevechie and sangria out there.

[knot for shore]

I'm sitting here in shock after viewing those unbelievable pictures of your world Capt! Hope you had a great Holiday season.

Answer me this riddler....how can we get a few SFC members on the MAXIMO for a week of fun, fishing, and sun, etc., etc??? SFC needs a major road trip in order to aquire our own marvelous, picturesque pictures as referenced above!!!!

Damn that little Pelagic sticker!!!!

[JoeDude]

EPIC! Happy New Year bro!

Among the many, here's a little 08 memory:



Hope to see you soon - Joe