May 13, 2015
As I’ve said before, I think I am more of a “blogee” than a blogger - evidence of that is the fact I have not posted ONCE since January. I think there are many reasons for this but here are my theories:
#1 - I read so many absolutely wonderful blogs containing excellent photography, insightful and interesting writing, and obvious technical skills re’ making their site FUN, that I’m afraid my basic skills pale in comparison.
#2 - Also, there is the fact that we have just stayed in the Virgin Islands this year, so everything is a little “been there.... .seen that”. Beautiful clear blue and emerald seas, gorgeous skies, turtles swimming right by our boat at anchor, white sand beaches - nothing much to write about, right?
#3 - Not many people read it. Actually true. If you don’t do facebook you’re out of the loop.
Anyway, now I’m wondering - what do we like/ love about our time on the boat? In other words, why are we floating around down here enduring some of the hardships (many) of living on a boat? Everyone thinks it is paradise, but one thing I am very sure about is that there NO SUCH THING as paradise. Doesn’t exist. Anywhere. Of course, there are better places and worse places - no argument - but no paradise anywhere.
So, we have decided that we like challenge at this time in our lives. We feel more alive when we have a challenge, a goal, a dream to pursue. And living on a boat is definitely a challenge, which granted is a lot more fun in a tropical setting with beauty all around (we’re not dumb!). Just knowing how to sail is only one little part of our lives. And frankly, we don’t get enough of that. We fix things a LOT. We go here to do laundry, dragging it about a mile in a cart. We go there to provision, carry large bags full of edibles to the dinghy, dinghy out to the boat which is pitching and rolling, haul it into the cockpit, then down the companionway steps into a sweltering cabin (closed and locked while ashore), stow stuff into various compartments so that it will not fall all over the place when we do move the boat.....ooph, tired, hot, sweaty.....and lets hurry up and motor to the protected anchorage an hour away so we can get a good nights sleep.
But, when we get there - we do jump in the water for a swim, take a stern shower, then sit in the cockpit to watch another beautiful sunset. Challenge of the day met. Other challenges are keeping the boat, which is our home and car, in running order. This challenge mostly falls on Ray, with my close supervision (kidding)....(a little). Keeping Megerin running means having all the tools (yes, check) and the needed parts (trip to various stores because we never have the one we need). This usually involves a lot of discussion with other boaters, an invaluable resource as so many people out there know so much and can’t wait to share their knowledge with you. Almost always appreciated. Which reminds me....
What we also reallly, really love about this lifestyle are the people we meet. Such fun. People from different countries - a LOT of Canadians - People with so many experiences to share, such as sailing around the world - and we all instantly have so much in common. This experience we do not have on land and it is hard to explain to land dwellers what it is like.
Well, I never did publish the above, but as the new year starts soon, I will try to keep up my blog for 2016.
We have been in Pittsburgh almost 7 months and had a great time traveling to Chicago, the Hudson River Valley, South Carolina, Florida, and Malibu, California. Since Mac is a freshman at UCLA we all spent Thanksgiving week out there and had a terrific time in the sunshine.We head back to Nanny Cay on Tortola, BVI, on Jan.6 .
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| Alyza (21), Charlotte (18), Gigi (12), and Jane (14) at the UCLA/USC game. |
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| Mac (19) and Erin |
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| In Chicago we watched the beginning of the Chicago to Mackinac sailing rally while visiting Megan. |
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| Erin, Mark, Hines Ward and his wife, Megan. Through Megan's good friend Angela they were invited to the opening party of Hines's new restaurant in Cranberry. |
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| The California coastline |
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| What's waiting for us in the Caribbean |
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