Made It!

   I am trying to think of a nauticle way to celebrate making it through a most unusual Winter weather wise. maybe just a dance on the bow. Many of the boat owners who said Good Bye to us in Oct. and said they would be down during the Winter to see how we were suriving (not once did we resort to Cannabalism) never showed up. Our next door boat owner dropped off some beer last weekend for us( I thought it was a tradition of Rum orat least Captain Morgan?) we found it in the cockpit with a note of Thanks for watching his boat and a couple who own a boat across from us who had it pulled for the Winter stopped by. Other than for them no sight of any one else, we were soon forgotten about as they sat in there warm homes. We did just fine!

I doubt anyone reading this is planning on living on a sail boat in Maryland in the Winter, we didn't either really. I for one knew I loved sail boats, enjoyed others boats and boat shows. I had no clue what it took to live on one, sunny days are undescribeable, rainy, blustery and snow filled days are just unbelievable. I can say most days I forgot there was water surrounding us, safety was our main issue. I also learned that cleaning is a day to day chore no matter where you live, more so on a boat. They are not air tight so dust,dirt and moisture blow in through crevices every moment, I can sweep twice a day and still have a dust pan full of sand and dirt. We wear no shoes below deck just slippers, I was under the impression this would save some work. . . not at all.

What I did learn was how much I did not know about a sail boat or living on one. . it's not just about Lifestyle but Survival ! I learned about tides and how much they affect us, I also learned I will never remember that high tide and low tide are an hour later each day. . .that's not a problem remembering when low or high tide were the day before is the problem.  I am now sitting under the dock because it is low tide praying that it will come up before I have to get Ava from school. Prepareing a meal is quite a chore, having a kitty pan on board is a disaster, electric in the Winter is a blessed luxury.  I could go on. . . but I did learn  that a nice bottle of wine is greatly appreciated at the end of the day.

I am looking forward to an uneventful Spring! In 6 weeks we will be flying to Ft. Lauderdale to begin a 400 hr. on hands sailing course for Blue Water(Ocean) Sailing. We will leave the 16th of April from Florida and head to the Grand Bahamas via the Berry Islands, this will enable us to sail to the Carribean in the future. We will return the afternoon of the 22nd of April with another experience under our life vests.

I dreamed of living on a boat but never dreamed of learning how to live on a boat!