We’ve been cruisers for one month now, and to mark the occasion, we each came up with a list (independently) of our favorite things about cruising so far. To keep it balanced, Aaron suggested we include our least favorite things too…
Nicole
Favorite Things: Spending every day with Aaron, wildflowers, the smell of the forest, purple sea stars, the color of our tanbark sails against blue sky, sleeping in, moss, reading more often, being in touch with nature, bald eagles, seal whiskers, shell middens, navigating proficiently, 4:55, baking, phosphorescence trails on a dark night, our diesel heater, the feel of the anchor setting firmly when I back down on it, the foredeck on a sunny day, waterfalls that pour into anchorages, freedom, seeing new places with Aaron, happy hour with interesting folks, mornings in the cockpit, one-boat anchorages
Least Favorite Things: Being apart from family and friends, feeling the anchor drag across a rocky bottom, the need to wear long underwear and pants and foul-weather pants every time we get underway, scary unknown things that lurk in the deep water, packing around our garbage, wind that always seems to blow from the exact direction we’re headed, Canadian booze prices, logs and deadheads floating in the water, just missing the bears or porpoises or orcas that everyone else saw
Aaron
Favorite things: Lots of quality time with my wife, planning sessions with charts and tidebooks and current directions and cruising guides and notes from friends who've gone before us, seeing a new place every couple days, sleeping until whenever I want (at least on days we don't have to get up early to catch a tide), seeing critters and having staredowns with seals, meeting other cruisers, landing the dinghy on uninhabited little islets, empty anchorages, phosphorescence, radar and AIS, fresh homemade bread, 4:55pm, waterfalls, my Kindle, spending entire days doing nothing but reading and relaxing, USB hard drive loaded up with movies and TV shows, solar power and generally living very comfortably off the grid
Least Favorite Things: Canadian booze prices, the sound of anchor chain dragging over rock, giant logs floating all over the place, our puny 2hp outboard, hissing sounds when we're in the dinghy, uncharted rocks, going on a hike and there's a huge bumblebee that just keeps flying big circles around me the whole time
Oh, I love phosphorescence trails in the water at night. So cool.
ReplyDeleteI love your posts, and am so happy that you are out there adventuring and exploring. I am way too big of a chicken to ever be a cruiser, although I bet Joel would love it. I very much appreciate the virtual adventure with your excellent photos and writing.
Happy Trails!
Hmmm... you both included 4:55. I suspect that is because your yardarm is just a tad short...
ReplyDeletebob
s/v Eolian
Seattle
Katrina, thanks for keeping up with our adventures -- glad we can bring you along virtually. :) You should know that we ate our last box of Samoas a few days ago and thought of you guys!
ReplyDeleteBob, funny that you noticed "4:55." See, Aaron had his watch alarm set for 4:55pm so he'd remember to pack up and head out to the bus after work. The alarm went off on weekends, too, so we got in the fun habit of having a little kiss if we were together when it went off. Well, we never changed the alarm, and now we get to share a smooch every day at 4:55!
-Nicole
Yes, hissing sound in dinghy, ahh, not so good.
ReplyDeleteSV Wecantu