Okay that’s a bad pun, but you know I’m a sucker for cheesy 🙂
We’ve officially been in Maine for 2 months. I feel better when I write that out, realize that it really hasn’t been that long yet, remember that it takes time to adjust to a place and meet people and make friends and feel like you belong.
But, you know? I miss cruising already.
Despite us having been ‘seasonal cruisers’ for the last three years, the lack of a future season to look forward to (since we don’t know exactly when we’ll leave again) is killing me. Somehow it all seems easier on a boat (<–Leah of last April would probably seriously disagree with that statement 🙂 ): easier to make instant life-long friends over the shared woes of engine issues or paperwork chachas… easier to spend quality time with your life partner, snorkelling in the afternoons or drinking quiet coffees in the mornings… easier to at least have an idea of where you’re headed and what you’re doing and what your life is all about…
On land? On land I’m a little lost. It is so easy to get swirled up in the whirlwind of cars and houses and jobs and deadlines and schedules and alarm clocks and crashing in front of the TV for the fourth night in a row… I haven’t quite figured out how to hold on to the quiet peace that sailing brings; how to appreciate the little moments of land as much; how to stop the weeks and months from just flying by.
Case in point? Ask me what we did last April, and I could tell you week-by-week something pretty interesting (Week 1: transit the Panama Canal. Week 2: scramble around ancient Panamanian forts and snorkel the coral reefs of the San Blas islands. Week 3: almost give up on cruising forever and land in Bocas del Toro. Week 4: hang out with our friends on Copernicus and learn how to build a holding tank from scratch while being eaten alive by no-see-ums).
But ask me what I did last week? And… I struggle. We went to Montreal for the weekend (which was awesome), but outside of the weekend… we worked? We watched Nashville on Wednesday and Project Runway on Friday? How depressing is this?!?!
I’ve had this fear of life rushing past me for a really long time; I don’t want to wake up and be 40 and fat and miserable. And I know that we need this — that a time of living in one place, of building mini-careers and embracing all that living in Maine can offer will be so good for us in the long run. It’s just the in-between transitions that are tricky.
On the plus side… I am learning all about embracing fall and the seasons. Apple picking, pumpkin patches, “leaf-peeping” (ridiculous term that I can’t stop using), a car of my own (the last time I owned a car was 2009 🙂 ), weekend adventures, and even a little house for the winter for Jon and I. All good things.
Side note: How many bags can you pack into a 1998 VW Beetle?
Answer: 2 full-size suitcases, 2 carry-ons, 3 soft duffels, 1 cooler, 4 people. And not a breath more.
So fall isn’t totally in my bad books, and we’re figuring this out week-by-week… Just don’t ask me how to make the most of a winter in Maine; I’m taking this one season at a time 🙂
– LMK
I understand. And you guys were out a lot longer than we were, so you must feel this way even more than us.
Oh life and its ebbs & flows, eh? Although I think I classify “living in Alaska” as pretty much equal adventure to “cruising in Mexico” 🙂 How/where is Corrina these days??
This was a touching post. My thoughts will be with you as you grapple with this transition. May our paths one day cross…hopefully out on the water. ~Jessie, s/v The Red Thread
Thanks Jessie — I hope we meet ‘out there’ too!! Funny to be at opposite ends of the whole thing, with you guys just getting started on your grand adventure (can you tell I have grand adventure-envy??? 🙂 ). Keep your eyes out for “Daybreak” while you’re making your way south — they’re our sistership and a super nice young couple that we’ve exchanged emails & boat parts with 🙂 And have fun sailing!!
Leah, great photos and great stories. I think you should write a book eventually because you are a writer…no doubt and the adventure is not over! You guys have the travel bug in you and it’s ok to take a winter off. If you want to get together you can use my email address here and we’ll set up a time. Would love to have some coffee sometime. Keep warm
I know what you mean about waking up at 40 and feeling like life is passing by. We are on the transition back to land life too right now and it’s a little overwhelming at times. But, if anything, it keeps us focused to get some more money socked away to get out cruising again. Gotta keep having those grand adventures 🙂