docs: private SocketChannel connectToHost(SocketAddress hostAddr)
              throws IOException
      {
          SocketChannel socket = null;
          while (socket == null) {
              try {
                  socket = SocketChannel.open(hostAddr);
              }
              catch (java.net.ConnectException e) {
                  LOG.warn("Joining host failed: " + e.getMessage() + " retrying..");
                  try {
                      Thread.sleep(250); //  milliseconds
                  }
                  catch (InterruptedException dontcare) {}
              }
          }
          return socket;
      }