I realize how lucky I am to have found someone who shares the same interests. Carl has certainly been good at finding new adventures for us to share. We have made some wonderful friends along the way.
We had a lovely Easter with our new friends Ralph and Stacey, Lisa and Joseph, Steve, Denise and John. Steve cooked a leg of lamb and chicken wings on the grill. Delicious! I made crock pot loaded potatoes and grilled asparagus, Carl made deviled eggs, and everyone contributed an array of other side dishes. We used the beautiful captain's lounge for gathering again.
I have loved sailing for thirty plus years, but cruising is different. Carl warned me that after this trip, I would either never want to set foot on a boat again or I would love it and never want to leave. I know now that I love it. My life has forever changed, yet again. I love the motion of the boat, the sun on my face, the wind in my hair, the smell of the ocean, the squeaking of the fenders at the dock, the sound of the wind in the rigging, the boat projects, learning to live with less in a small place, the joy of cooking in a galley, the sense of adventure and constantly making new friends. There are things that make it hard to leave the shore, like old friends, family, a house full of memories and things from my past. I'm not sure how long I will be able to live this lifestyle, but I hope I can do it for a long time. I have always enjoyed entertaining and here there seems to be lots of opportunities. From impromptu small gatherings in the cockpit to dock parties and potlucks. Carl keeps saying that this boat is a" little boat trying to be a big boat" and that is true. We have added lots of things to help us make this trip. This trip has helped us determine exactly what we want and need in a boat. A ketch rig, shallow draft, comfortable interior with dining for 6, queen berth and a roomy cockpit. Yes I could live on a boat. But,I also want to have a house somewhere. I really like the idea of heading south for the winter and then "coming home" for the summer. It may possibly be that the retirement lifestyle is affording me the time for pleasurable activities such as reading, writing and drawing. But I am certain,that for me, it is the environment that sparks my creativity.
Boats are leaving the marina every day. Liz and Roger from England, who have been in the states for 8 months, left yesterday for Mexico. Ralph and Stacey left today for Marathon to wait for a weather window to head to the Bahamas and beyond. I asked them to say hello to Heather when they get to St. Thomas. Steve drove down from Michigan. He bought a 30 foot sailboat here to stay on, so he will sell it and head home. He has a 30 foot Morgan in the Great Lakes area, but would like to sell it and buy a forty something to head down in next year. Joseph and Lisa are flying home to Cape Cod on business and will return in May to sail their Pearson 530 back. They have already made reservations here for next October. John, who is a writer, has been in Key West 3 years. He writes for several different publications and is completing his first novel to be published soon. He says he will be here forever. Denise never was able to work out her crew for a Bahamas crossing. They always ran out of time waiting for weather. She is contemplating staying here for a year or possibly moving the boat to Bradenton for hurricaine season. We will all be going our seperate ways but have had fun for the time that our paths crossed.
Last minute projects are being completed. Carl installed a new am/fm radio. We have started provisioning for the next leg. We will head north towards the Miami area, watching the weather to determine if crossing to the Bahamas is an option or if we will continue to head north for "home". If we can cross without waiting too long, it might be an option. That only gives us about a month to stay before heading home. I think we are both leaning towards waiting until next year to explore the Bahamas. We will see where the wind takes us!