April Fools
We had thought it might have been possible to start our Great American Loop today. April 1, 2018. Jim had said it would be the perfect day. Because, us two fools are about to attempt a 6000 plus mile journey around the eastern United States-on a boat.
Alas, this will not be the case. It turns out we are not fools. We know enough about time frames and the most important thing about boating, never have a time frame.
The boat work goes on, and on, and on. Every day we are checking off one thing or another that is still needing to be addressed. You must think “ Jesus”, will these two ever be ready? The answer is yes. One fine day we will cast of the lines and embark on our adventure. Just not today.
Today, Easter Sunday, April Fools Day, we have a diver coming to remove the propellers so we can drive them 50 miles to get serviced. Another guy will be coming to detail the boat. She is getting cleaned up! This past week, Jim finished up rebuilding the radar arch, and started working on the frozen anchor motor. He fixed the air horn, and replaced all the old on/off switches at the helm.
We are able to find time to venture out and have some play time too. We went to an amazing art museum in Sarasota yesterday. The Marietta Museum of Art & Whimsy. So cool. It is a museum full of art work and sculptures done by local artists. None of it is for sale, rather, it is a showcase of all beautiful things that spark your imagination and allow your inner child to come out and play. It was enchanting.
Jim and I have found many groups on Facebook that deal with boating and it’s lifestyle. Cooking on a Boat, Live Aboard Boats, Women on the Water, Silverton Boats and Boating, Cruising and Living Aboard, ActiveCaptain, and The AGLCA Facebook Page. These are all people who currently mess around with boats and it’s unique way of living off the grid. You’d be amazed at some of the badasses out there.
There are families who boat. They homeschool their kids on boats. How cool might that be for a kid! There are people who are dreaming of living and cruising on a boat, just like Jim and I did for years. People who share their recipes and pictures of what they cooked on their boat. We especially like this group. Jim and I love to cook. We are fortunate that we really do have all the conveniences of home on our boat. Seriously, there are some boaters who don’t have a refrigerator, a stove, or a microwave. They live on small sailboats. They fish, and use propane grills. They eat peanut butter and jelly and are living their dream!
It’s awesome to see how one of my groups, Women on the Water, cheered me on as I prepared to pack up our car and finally move on board the Happy Destiny. These are real girls. Badasses! I was invited last Tuesday over to a woman’s boat ( where she lives alone) in Longboat Key. Her name is Cathy and she has a gorgeous trawler. Another badass girl who lives on her sailboat in the same marina, Justine, came by too. Cathy works at one of the local Marinas and Justine is an EMT who is going to nursing school and works in the ER at a local hospital. I really enjoyed the few hours I spent with these girls. It was so good to be with women who get this whole way of living. They too, have left the landlocked life and enjoy every moment of living on a boat. These women, like me, have left their homes, sold their stuff, and are enjoying the live aboard lifestyle. I had a great time!
I think what I’m trying to say here is that I’m not alone. There are people all over the world who are living this dream. i know how blessed I am, and with social media I have found a plethora of friends I may or may not ever meet, who are doing the same thing I am doing. We learn from each other and share our thoughts. Jim and I were part of a Cooking on a Boat Photo Contest. It was fun and my picture came in tied for 2nd place. Jim’s, 4th place. It was based on how many likes you got for your photo.
Jim tried to hustle votes!
We also bought our dingy. It’s a used one we found on Craigslist. It is in good condition and will serve us well when we need to get from ship to shore. We took her for a little spin when we got her home. We are going to name her “Destinys Child” 😂
So- here we are. 30 days in. I still say to Jim at least once a day, “we live on a boat”. He still says back to me, “yes we do. How cool is that”. We are happy. We are healthy, and we are content.
We hope you have a lovely Easter.
Much love to our children and grandchildren. You are always in our thoughts and prayers. We miss you!
❤️
