Sea Venture has a parking space. Poor lovely lady must feel slightly out of place among the sport fishing vessels, gleaming and pampered, that surround her. She won’t blend.
She’s happiest at anchor in some remote and lovely spot, but sometimes life intervenes, and she, like the rest of us, doesn’t get what she wants. This is one of those times.
We, her owners, have placed her in the care of dock lines and fenders in Beaufort, NC, a 20-minute drive from home. I know, I know. She’s been our main home for so many years, she must feel an element of jealousy. But at least we’re lightening her load. Michael has made countless trips, removing all the tools, including welder and wood-working machinery, that took up most of the forward cabin. Extra clothing, bedding, towels have come out of hiding. And books. Oh, my, two full boxes of novels from the aft cabin sit in a guest bedroom here at Sleepy Creek. (Along with bags and boxes and files and…and…and stuff that must be sorted and tossed or stashed or, perhaps, returned to cupboards on board once we clean and air and do a little cosmetic work after all those sea miles.)
We’ve ordered new cushions for the cabins that never got them in the days when I was stitching and remodeling. My hard dink rests in the yard instead of on deck, and the rubber ducky will either go to West Marine for repair or have its air leak stopped somehow. Sea Venture’s due for a few weeks at the spa (notice the sad condition of her brightwork): fortunately, we can now give it to her.
Of course, those weeks must fit between jaunts to play at Cape Lookout or up the ICW. We wouldn’t want her to grow lazy. And I long to sit under the bimini once again, sipping Sumatra and watching sea antics instead of marina marvels.
These two pictures show her tied to the fuel dock just after she came in from the sea. Michael’s at-sea boots attest to the temperature out there in the Atlantic. On the 18th, we moved around that pier to her parking place in Town Creek Marina, where she’ll sit for a month or two while we decide what’s next.
Nice to see that you made it home. What are the plans now? Living on land full time?
Genesis is also now in her slip. I am in Newfoundland waiting for my daughters furniture and her to arrive.
I will then head back to Vancouver and start working on Genesis.
Take care.
Love Faye
I wish Vancouver weren’t so far away, Faye. I was speaking of you to Michael just the other day, wondering if you’d made the trip and if you were safely home.
We will be land-bound for most of the time, taking care of my mother, but venturing forth with her on Sea Venture. We hope to travel north next summer, and perhaps south in the winter. Much work to do here and on board, but I’m so glad to have Michael here and Sea Venture nearby!
If you ever get this way, please come for a visit. We’d love to see you and play Mexican Train dominoes again! What fun we all had. Such good memories…. At least we’ll always have those.
Hugs,
Normandie (and Michael, too)
So happy to hear Michael & Sea Venture are finally “home”. Hope your Mom is doing well. We’re in Vancouver (WA) for the summer. Had a great visit with my parents last week and Mom was very lucid that evening so that was an extra special gift. Chris & I are planning to go on the El Salvador Rally this year. Talking of transiting the “ditch” and possibly east coast and even Europe in the future. We are, however, getting o-l-d-e-r so who knows. Still, we think of you often.
Sandy & Chris (S/V Faith)
Sandy, I can’t tell you how often we think of our San Carlos/Sea of Cortez friends. We’ve determined to try to get back someday, even if it means chartering a boat in La Paz. I can’t imagine that this will be forever, though sometimes these “getting older” issues do intrude! Blessings and hugs to you and Chris.
Sandy, if you and Chris do get to the East Coast, please make sure you get in touch with us. We’d love to see you both!