Well, if you have been watching our Journey, (both the boat and the cruise) you know that we have put the old girl through a lot as we traveled to the Bahamas and back to the states.

We have also been in full disclosure mode when it comes to the many issues we have had since returning to US waters. We ran aground twice in trying to get off the ICW into approved anchorages. We didn't share that, because, it was too closely followed by the storm and that really overshadowed what by then were minor tow jobs.

During the height of the storm, when we were knocked down, Al says I actually told him it wasn't fun anymore. I don't remember that, I do remember trying to climb over the top coaming to escape, and being face to face with the worst wind and rain and seeing that keel and wondering what the heck I was supposed to learn from going through this. I put it down as something that was a very rare and improbable to happen again occurrence. Part of cruising. Little did I know that Al's fun light had gone out way back at Rose Island.

The high winds had been delaying us more days than we were able to travel. It was as if Mother Nature was saying, "You had your fun. Now it's MY turn." So when we were towed off the mud at Ft. George River, and put underway on a day when we hadn't planned on traveling due to high winds, the die was cast, in a fashion. Al arranged for a wet slip at Amelia Island. We would come back for Journey when the weather and tides were finished with their tomfoolery.

Journey had other ideas. In the middle of the ICW channel, a sudden high pitched scream emerged from her bowels. Al ran down and lifted the engine cover, to discover the starter had engaged itself and was dying at that moment. We threw down an anchor, called Tow Boat US for the second time in less than two hours for a tow to the marina.

Sometimes life hands you an escape clause. It's not always easy to recognize it when it comes, and you have to be able to set aside emotions and act with a cool head when it presents. Sort of like that old joke about the guy on the roof during a flood. A truck, a boat and a copter came by to rescue him, but he refused, saying "My Lord will save me." When he got to heaven and confronted God about being, well, dead, God said "I sent you a truck, boat, copter. What did you want?"

A lot of people have waxed on about the best time to sell a boat. I can tell you it's when someone is standing there with cash they want to give you for it. We know we want a larger boat, and we will have her in a few years. In the meantime, Journey has been sold, and I have quietly entered the first stage of the mourning process. I feel for Al when it progresses to the guilt/ blame stage of mourning. But even boatless, I know it was the right time to do this. As Al put it, We have had a hell of a Journey, both the cruise and the boat.