Chapter Two: Reefing Grief
Prevention is, as in other aspects of seamanship, better than cure.
– Sir Robin Knox-Johnston
Embarking on a vacation is exhilarating. Imagine you’re in a plane, climbing to 40,000 feet, bound for warm, tropical lands. Your senses are heightened; the adrenaline begins to flow as the plane soars into the clouds. You wonder about your chosen destination: will it be as idyllic as Rick Steves promised? You politely listen to the flight attendant as she reads from a script: “In-the-event-of-an-emergency,” “Locate the ..read more
Chapter One: On Board
The lovely thing about cruising is that planning usually turns out to be of little use.
– Dom Degnon
A recent survey showed that happily married couples with kids had just one thing in common: Camping.
It had all to do with shared experiences, bonding, relying on each other in a pinch… Camping brings families closer, apparently.
I hate to camp. But I do like to sail. And “happily” and “married with kids” in the same sentence intrigued me.
So when my husband Dave officially ..read more
Chapter 10: Dinghy Disaster
“Oh God, thy sea is so great, and my boat is so small”
-Prayer of the Breton fisherman
It was the fourth day of our family sailing adventure, and we were safely docked at the municipal pier in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Of course before we shoved off in the morning, I used the opportunity to raid the local convenience store and restock basic supplies like milk, jugs of Poland Springs and a bottle of Merlot.
I was back on the boat, giddily blowing ..read more