[…] one single woman did perk up a bit, about there being a lot of single guys there, but then she unperked when she recalled that the cost of living is higher there.

Because English spelling was becoming standardized in the 15th and 16th centuries, the Great Vowel Shift is responsible for many of the peculiarities of English spelling.

Raise your right hand, palm in, to neck level and stretch it forward, palm down.

The sailor is fine, got an email, and (we hope) leaving Sandland in a few weeks.