Well it is a new year and so it will be a new start. And I know what you are thinking, hey wait it is only December and what are you drunk? Well no, not at the moment. I use December as the start of my year because December is a month that will live in infamy, and not just for Hawaii vacationers. We were though a fire that we, my wife and I, lost our house and all that was in it. But that was then, this is now, and this blog will not be a walk down memory lane. The past is the past. I know where I have been, and now I want to look forward to see where I am going. And I intend to go to the Toronto boat show in January and start my journey into the sailing world. This blog will be about that journey, into the mists. That being said here is a quick run though of my memorial maple mews lane.
The first year I dubbed the year of hell. It was filled with many new and false starts. Having to replace everything is a very interesting feeling, not having anything more than a year old, is also interesting. We filled our house with denial, and tried to manage ourselves though thick and thin, and we are now better for it. One of the few good events in that year was the fact that we married. It was complete with all the fanfare that we usually put with our self promotion. I met and married my wife in 8 months, learning to live together, be married together, and generally be together is hard enough individually and spread out over years, but compressed into one year and all at the same time is, well hell. I know we have each other’s backs at any given moment. Again we are better for it.
The second year I dubbed the year of change, we moved from the black hole that was the town in which we were living to the big city. I thought that this move would be good for us, just another freak in the freak kingdom. But it was a start to the year, and the rest was just as movable. The changes never stopped, we both got new jobs, a new apartment and a new dog. While the dog was most welcome, it was a massive change in our lives and our lifestyle.
Now it is the third year, and I dub it the year of growth, and not just in the horizontal way. I have applied to a new job and am very excited about it. It will involve moving to a small town, a big plus, as it turns out big city equal big problems. We both look forward to small town living. If all stays on course we will also be in a position to move forward with house saving and most importantly, and the reason for all this blogging will be the purchase of my first sailing vessel.
I have been sailing for many years, but all with friends’ boats, never my own. I have decided that I want to own my own sailing boat and take it ideally around the world. More realistically it will just be a crossing and a lot of cruising. I will use this blog space to document my journey though the very beginning of searching and looking for a boat to the final sail. A new year and a new start, and the first place to start the journey is at the Toronto Boat Show, January 9 – 17 2010.
My wife and I are both sailors, just not sailors together. She has many years on the water with her father, and many more with her family. I have many years on the water with friends, as my family like dry land; I appear to be the only one with salt in my veins. But we have not sailed together, and anyone who has been on the water knows the need to understand any and all signals from the cockpit or foredeck which comes only with many hours logged on ship. There are many more signals that will be given on a boat that are not verbal, but are of equal importance and both parties need to be in complete understanding. While many four letter words will mean just as much, the only way to make sure there are no missteps is to misstep and learn.
Our first ship will be something small and manageable. It will also be, most importantly expendable, so if it finds its way to the ocean floor it will be missed, but not so much that we could not carry on. And for those of you who say, why would you expect your boat to be sunk? My answer is simple, go sailing. A quick nor’easter will answer all questions on this matter. And after three years of learning, we will not be caught unprepared. This means, our first boat will be nice, but our second boat will be better, and more important, permanent.
So if you please, follow me on my journey from land lubber to cruising captain and all the ups and downs, side to sides, and overboard spills, all part of the adventure of sailing.
Long may your big jib draw
Das Newf
