Anchored Out
Monday, November 2, 2009 9:07 PM

I got tired of waiting for someone to go with me and took the boat out alone yesterday for the first time. No big deal actually, rather blissful idyllic weather. Too light for sailing, only spinnakers out. I put celebratory flags up. Just a little victory to get in and out of the slip with zero help and zero drama, and anchor out happily for a few hours in the bay. Next challenge is to climb the mast, fix the spreaders, and paint the whole mast. Maybe Wednesday.

Stuck in the Slip
Friday, October 30, 2009 9:12 PM

Life zips merrily along when you're not looking. My boat to-do list is no shorter although clearly projects have been completed. Sold the Avon dinghy that was too big for me anyway. Seeking a skiff that will stow under the boom and tie down. Austin is doing well in his first mate role and alerts me to any intruder, including ridiculously large birds, dock cats, and landlubbers gawking at boats on a Sunday afternoon.

Of Boaty Note, I saw Jimmy Buffet in concert. I could definitely imagine him on a dock like this one. Austin barked during his sound check (but that's another story). And I thought twice about developing music for mariners. I am still attracted to steel drums however...

My New First Mate
Friday, September 25, 2009 8:51 AM

The search for a dog who would be small enough for a 30' boat but tall enough to get around independently has ended with the happy crew addition of Austin, Rescue Dog Extraordinaire. Definitely Terrier, possibly Italian Greyhound (don't say Chihuahua, please), Austin is smart enough to stay in bed when it's cold or dark and he's wrapped in a warm fleece blanket. At 17 pounds he can either be a lap dog or a little toughie. He is estimated to be 4 1/2

years old and has take to the boating life as if he were born for it. He arrived on September 7 and we have been very busy acclimating to each other ever since. In my new, Dog-Centric world I am seeking a job where he can stay at my side. Sanding and varnishing bright work appears to be that sort of job.

Investing in Motion
Monday, August 3, 2009 10:51 AM

I finally did it. I finally bought an outboard. It was a painful transaction. Similar to buying a car. Or getting married. A commitment of time, money, energy, that just could save my life someday. An acknowledgement that the cup is at least half full, and possibly overflowing. Trading in an untrustworthy quirky model for a hopefully more constant and satisfying jet pack. There are parallels that could be drawn here but I will refrain.

A Public Face
Thursday July 23, 2009 9:31 PM

Some people wonder why anyone would want to put intimate details of their life on display. My mother says this is a generational issue and that Boomers are more private than their children or post internet children. Bull pucky, I say. Boomers are all about self-marketing. Besides, I don't see sharing my obsession with my sailboat as particularly intimate. My sailboat life is on display every day in the marina where landlubbers come to gawk at the weird floaty community.

I choose to share what I'm learning on the water because it is a good story and it's mine, and by sharing it I feel a little less invisible. It's a kind of portfolio or brag log of what I've done. It is a record of how I spend my time on the planet, and you are my witness.

And maybe it will inspire you to try the LiveAboard life yourself someday.