We have been doing this for a long time. It does not seem like that long until you think back to early 2002 when we slashed our new (to us) Catalina 30 at Sailcraft Marina in Oriental. A lot has happened in that time. We have had many wonderful adventures and we hope to have many more. A lot has happened in our personal lives as well. For instance, we were spending a weekend on the boat a little over six years ago when we got a cell call from our oldest son Jason and wife Heather, telling is that they were pregnant with our first grandchild. We were elated to say the very least. Carson will be six years old in February. He came with us to the boat for the long holiday weekend and brought his dad along. Carson and Jason went with us almost exactly a year ago for a quick overnight but the weather was much too cold to do anything but stay in the cabin. This year the weather forecast promised a day that we could actually take the boat out on the “pond” (as Carson calls it).

Our friends sometimes call me “captain” and I am always quick to point out that the captain is not really in charge because the “first mate” always has the last word. This weekend however, there was no doubt about who was in charge of the vessel. Carson kept us all on our toes all weekend.

Saturday January 19, 2013
We picked up our crew at about 8:30am. 5 hours is a long ride for a little boy. Gram brought a lot of toys and art activities to keep him occupied and his dad brought a computer tablet loaded with games. The trip went much better than last year. The trip was uneventful and Carson took a nap which made it even better. We arrived at the boat late in the afternoon. We had plenty of time for dock cart rides and to get unloaded and settled and start the electric heaters. The questions started flowing as soon as we arrived. “What’s in here Papa?”, “What does this do?”, “Can I turn on the switch?” and so on. Most answers generated at least one more question. I never ignore his questions. I answer each one to the best of my ability just as I would answer if an adult asked the same question. I don’t want anything to be a mystery to him and I believe answering his questions will make him more comfortable with the boat.

Judy had made spaghetti for dinner and it was delicious. After sleeping one night last year with Carson in the quarter berth of the sailboat, Jason elected to take a room at the Oriental Marina and Inn this time. He was going to let Carson decide whether to sleep on the boat or stay in the hotel. Of course, Carson wanted to sleep on the boat with Gram and Papa. No big surprise. We set up the “ship’s theatre” at his insistence just like last year. We watched about half of the “Stuart Little” movie. He was so wound up and excited about going sailing on Sunday that I didn’t think he would ever settle down and go to sleep. Gram took him to the Vee berth at about 10pm and miraculously got him to sleep in less than 30 minutes. Papa slept in the quarter berth. It was not as cold as we expected so we all slept well except Gram who endured all sorts of punching and kicking all night. I don’t think it was too much of a hardship.

Sunday January 20, 2012
Jason slept exceptionally well on Saturday night. He texted me on Sunday morning saying that he had slept better but he really didn’t remember when. Jason had a run, a shower and breakfast at the “Bean” and arrived at the boat mid morning. Carson was a willing assistant getting the boat ready to go. He scurried around on the boat like a real sailor. He was very sure footed and showed no fear of anything. He must have asked a dozen times when we were going sailing. We stalled as long as possible waiting for the sun to warm things and for the wind to back down a little. It was more windy than forecast.

We left the dock with a little more wind than I would have preferred but it wasn’t too bad for January. We motored out to the mouth of Broad Creek without incident. Carson did not like the engine because it made too much noise. I agreed with him but told him we could not do without it. This was Jason’s first time sailing this particular sailboat. He is a natural sailor and has sailed many sailboats with tillers but never one with a wheel. He had the same problem that I had when I first started sailing with a wheel. If you are used to a tiller you tend to turn the boat the wrong way because you get used to turning a tiller in the opposite direction that you want to turn. I assured him that it was not a problem for him but I nearly got into trouble several times before I got used to the wheel. If Carson had not been aboard I would have used the headsail but I figured we may heel a little more than would be comfortable. We did fine under the mainsail alone. Jason steered most of the time. We had lunch under sail. Carson was very quiet. In fact I was concerned about seasickness for a few minutes but I think he had had a long morning and could have taken a nap under less exciting circumstances. He did very well. There was never a hint of fear, although he would not let me sit high on the rail. He said he was afraid I would fall in.

The first sailing adventure was a smashing success and we actually stayed out longer than the first mate had intended. Carson helped me get the engine cranked although he still didn’t like the noise. When we got back to the dock he scurried around helping us get the boat tied up and covers put back on. We had considered going home after the sail but Carson let it be known that he was not in favor of going home on Sunday. He wanted to spend another night on the boat. Judy made salmon patties, rice and green beans, one of Jason’s favorites. Carson had another great night on the boat. We watched the rest of the video and he turned much earlier than the night before. In fact we all did. Papa was sound asleep before 9pm. We did not need to rise early on Monday because our only goal was to go home.

Monday January 21, 2013
Jason got another good night’s sleep and came to the boat around 8:30. Carson had a great time riding the dock cart to the car and back. He was very helpful with closing seacocks and turning off switches. He is very interested in how the boat works. There were many questions about switches, valves, hatches and pumps. We left around noon planning to make several stops. We stopped at King’s in Kinston for lunch then Carson took a nice long nap. The rest of the trip was uneventful. Heather and Stella were very glad to see their men home from the sea. Stella nearly jumped out of her mother’s arms when she first saw her daddy.

This was a terrific weekend. We enjoyed having two of our boys aboard. We hope to spend a lot of time on the boat with all our grandchildren. I think we will enjoy sharing our adventures with the little ones.