What a Summer
September 7, 2011
Today is the 43rd wedding anniversary of the crew of Why Knot. That makes 50 years since our first date. The cruise revealed something about each of us that would not have otherwise been known to us. Inasmuch as it is not over (the cruise that is), we have much more to learn. For one thing, cruising is a mutual challenge with mutual rewards. Unlike dealing with the routine things on land, cruising breaks life down into some elemental things like fear, frustration, fun and ultra excitement. One thing is obvious: if you don’t absolutely love and enjoy being together on land, being on a small boat 24/7 will not resolve the issue. For the most part, the best thing is the ability to get away from politics and world events since the conversations seldom include those things on dock. Most of the folks we have met can go for days without mentioning politics or news. Most can be seen early in the morning sitting back just staring at the sea with an absolutely blank mind. Most have yet to chip even a corner off the old dreams. Most are wondering why it was they waited so long to get out there. Most are dealing with elderly parents and that dictates just how big a chunk of the dream is to happen this “season”. Many are talented musically which we really envy. Most have something to teach and something to learn and they know it.
So, if normal is by one definition the lack of significant deviation from average, what the heck is average? There must be several degrees of average and in order to fit that in the cruising world, one must enjoy being wet, cold and tired at least some of the time. I think we have paid more attention to the subtle changes in weather than before cruising. For us, life fits in two seasons: hurricane and otherwise. We are not real cruisers in the hard core definition. We kept our house, have no pets aboard and do manage to tag a car along to make land excursions. We actually do like ice and where available shore power on the extreme days of hot and cold. We have a cruising spinnaker which has been in the air only two minutes in five years which makes all that rigging to fly same a bit of a waste of money for us. The conversation usually goes something like this:
Bligh: Looks like we could use the spinnaker
Bear: Nawh, let’s just go with the main and headsail.
Bligh: Think I will fly it for just a while. We could use the speed.
Bear: Are you sure you want to deal with it?
Bligh: Yeah, I think I will put it up just as soon as I finish this sandwich.
Bear (30 minutes later): What happened to the spinnaker idea?
Bligh: Can’t do it even if I wanted to.
Bear: Good, but why?
Bligh: Left it at home.
Bear: Want another sandwich?
Bligh: Your watch, I need a nap.