BOATING IS BACK

We are a boating family and its how we spend our spring/summer/early fall. Personally, as much as I love it, as soon as it starts to get cool in September, I'm DONE with all things nautical. I'm done cooking food on the alcohol stove or butane grill, I'm done with showering in the tiny boat head (bathroom) or using the sun shower on the swim platform, and SO done lugging bags and coolers down to the marina on Friday, and inexplicably, dragging twice as much junk out on Sunday evening. Yet, come springtime, I can't wait to get back on the water - back to hot dogs on the grill, meeting friends at the Cove, and long lazy weekend afternoons lying around the beach, and quiet starry nites, watching the world go by from the back deck.

Well the boat was launched on Thursday and suddenly we were thrust back into our boating life. The forecast for the weekend was rain, but, knowing from experience that we have to spend at least one night on the boat prior to our long Memorial Day trip to Bassett's Island to figure out if we forgot to load anything on board, we figured we HAD to do it one of the nites. With a small cooler packed with the essentials, we headed down to the Marina around 10:00 last nite - after Family Nite at CBC. As we drove over there, it started to rain lightly, and when we got to the parking lot and began unloading, it was clear that we were the only ones crazy enough to be planning to sleep aboard. The wind was REALLY whipping, and just getting our stuff into the dinghy left all of us with frozen hands and feet. The dog, who hadn't a clue what was going on, just kept looking at me for assurance that it was gonna be okay. I wasn't so sure myself, that this was a good idea so there wasn't much hope I could give the poor dog!

Once aboard the boat, I was beginning to long for my bed back home. JR on the other hand was happy to be back to this life he loves, and was quick to get changed and into his bunk in the aft cabin. He talked for just a few minutes before drifting quickly off to sleep. I put an extra blanket over him, and made a comfy bed for Sabaka right near me on the floor of our cabin, however, he was NOT impressed. He kept trying to climb into our bed, but, with the broken ribs, and bruised back leg, he couldn't jump up. He eventually gave in and cuddled up on the floor and fell asleep rather quickly.

I wasn't so lucky. By then the rain was steady, and the wind was out of the north, gusting up to 25 mph. The boat was anything but peaceful and since our bed is situated head to toe, bow to stern, I kept rolling back and forth as the boat tossed around. Seemed every time I would start to drift off to sleep, a huge wave would slap against the boat and I'd be wide awake again. Normally when we are at anchor or moored, I sleep peacefully with the rhythmic motion of the boat. Last night, however, there were actually times when a wave hit with such force that it felt the boat would tip. Logically, I knew it wasn't going to, but in a semi-comatose state, it sure FELT that way. By dawn the rain slowed to a drizzle and wind shifted a bit to the NNE and and was much less intense.

JR, who napped yesterday afternoon got up at his regular 7:00 a.m., however, since I had just
fallen asleep not a hour or so earlier, I very much appreciated the fact he was content to "read" & make a puzzle in his cabin til 8:30, when he AND Sabaka both wiggled into our small bed with us, forcing our day to begin... With the morning came sun and warm temperatures came the hope that the entire day wouldn't be a washout.

By late morning, despite the fact we had forgotten to put any coffee cups aboard and had to drink our coffee from large tumblers, the caffeine kicked in and we were all busy organizing and tackling little projects that we hadn't finished before the launch. JR enjoyed pretending to drive the boat, giving orders to his co-pilot, Sabaka, from the helm. Sabaka seemed fine with it all, and actually seemed to enjoy his dinghy rides to shore whenever nature called. He would put his front paws up on the side of the boat, enjoying, apparently, the feel of the wind in his furry face as the boat made it's steady pace to the shore. He wasn't even upset over having to wear his Outward Hound life jacket, and actually took a nice long nap on the deck, as the afternoon sun beat down on him. JR seemed to enjoy exploring the boat, as if it were all new to him, yet kept reminding us of how he likes to do this or that while aboard. While Cap puttered, I convinced JR we BOTH needed a nap, and we, along with Sabaka, climbed into the main cabin and rested. JR eventually slept, but despite physical exhaustion, my body wouldn't co-operate. I did rest and read for more than an hour, and it was just enough to get me through the rest the of the afternoon. After a quick dinner, we packed up, loaded up, and headed home. JR is already counting the days until we head out next weekend, and while I'm not counting days, I am excited to have this part of our "normal" life back. A month from now I'll be in total boat mode, and 2 months from now, we'll be getting ready for our annual 10 day vacation cruise around the Elizabeth Islands. On the other hand, three months from now, I'll begin to get nauseous at the thought of a grilled hot dog, and become slightly lightheaded at the thought of unpacking on a Sunday nite. Strange how that happens, and I figure I"ll never understand why, but right now I'm truly thankful that my own bed awaits my return, and even better, I won't have to contend with wind or rain...