Inland water-way cruising!

[sugar and spice]

You know what real torture is? Looking at a smooth flat body of water for 7 months, with a beautiful northwest wind that never gets below 10 knots its seems and not being able to sail on it!

Where is this inland sailing paradise you ask? Lake Habbaniya, right here in good ol' Iraq. Within easy travel distance of the cradle of civilization, local shopping and roadside bombs, Of course you would have to dodge the dead animals floating by, random terrorists and an occasional sand storm but hey, it would be adventure.

Seriously though, if we ever get this place straightened up it will be a great place for a resort!

[sugar and spice]

Huh?

[Hud3]

Hi, Clint.

Interesting sailing challenges over there in Iraq, that is if you only had some sailboats! When I saw the title, I thought I'd be reading something on wending your way through the tidal marshes of Georgia, maybe. One can only hope the Iraqi government can pull it off, with the support of you Marines and the other Coalition Forces over there.

All the best,

[sugar and spice]

I think it wil hapen, takes a lot of work, and a lot of patience on many fronts.

The lake is HUGE, always smooth and the wind is always blowing. I have joked about coming back and opening a resort. From waht I understand this was a popular destination in the 50's.

[scallywag]

sugar and spice,
I guess you recieved my post before I could delete it. For some reason I was shifted to your post instead of where the post was to be placed. Hopefully, you are in the states and not in Iraq. Do not the historians think that The Garden of Eden was located somewhere in Iraq?
John

[S/V Antares]

S&S.. Got any pictures of the lake?

[jzk]

Google Earth has many pictures of the lake and the resort. Very nice.

[sugar and spice]

I sould be on the flight schedule tomorrow, I will snap a couple of pics on the way out.

As for the Cradle of Civilization thing, its a reference to the development of modern civilized culture, urban areas witten language industry etc. Iraq was fomerly Mesopotamia, home of the Sumerians etc. Its part of what is referred to as the "Fertile Triangle" because of the Tigri and Euphrates rivers. There is some argument between smart folks about where exaclty it all began some people believe it was actually in the far east and so on. Its no a reference to "Creation." There is some very neat very old culture here, some how most of it survived through all these wars.

[sugar and spice]

Sorry for the delay, the weather went to hell over the last couple of days, but alas it dawned bright and sunny today and barely over 120 degrees!

The haze makes it hard to see all the way across, I took this these from about 800 ft.

Sorry for the gun barrel in the way, its how I see everything out here?!

[Ex-Calif]

Clint,

I do hope your tour ends soon and successfully - That certainly doesn't look like sailing paradise to me - LOL.

You need a recalibration - I hope this helps...

[sugar and spice]

Thanks for the reminder!!