Star gazing

Posted on December 15, 2020

Last night I lay in my berth and looked up through the hatch above me, and the Big Dipper looked back. There’s something magical about that. It’s so cold outside, the heater is on inside, I’m deep beneath my blankets, and the stars are above…

Yesterday and today it has been especially cold, and tomorrow the forecast calls for a foot of snow. While walking down the iced over dock last night I promptly removed an unaccomplished item off my bucket list for the first time in my life. I wanted to sail to the Arctic and dive with Belugas. My thinking has changed and the new bucket list item says, “fly to the Arctic and dive with Belugas.”

So here’s where we are, in a marina on the Hudson River.

The original plan was to set sail in about 3 days. One of our crew members messaged and has chosen to pursue another opportunity, then just yesterday an amazing thing happened…one of our creatures (the Mycah one), and her boyfriend, Travis, will be coming to crew! Travis is working on his captains license and needs sea days, so it works out fabulously. They will arrive on December 27th, and we’ll set out just after that.

FYI: Travis’s name is actually Bradley (which his mom calls him), but he goes by Russell, which is his 2nd name. When Mycah first met him a long time ago, she mentioned him to me. The next time we spoke, I asked, how’s it going with Travis and she said, “Mom, it’s Russell!” Ever since then I’ve called him Travis. So, to make it simple, Travis is Russell who is really Bradly…

The last couple of days we have been working on all sorts of projects: Captain Stan designed a stainless steel enclosure for the oven and cook top, on a gimbal, and we’ve been assembling it. We reset the screws on the pulpit and sorted through anchor chain and rode, organizing the anchor locker. It feels good to be accomplishing so much.

I’ve had lots of time to think, and while reading, came across a quote from one of my favorite books:

I’ve been thinking about how it’s so easy to become lazy and develop poor habits. Some of these habits may be no big deal and some may lead us to have damaging character flaws which end up hurting those around us. It’s too easy to be slave to that and forget that we have control…complete control of who we really want to be, and what our values and boundaries are. We have to be true to ourselves and master our minds – it’s the only way to truly be able to love and to have self respect.

Before going to bed tonight I’ll walk out on deck one more time, stand beneath the dark sky and take a deep breath…who knows, maybe I’ll catch a glimpse of the Geminid Meteor shower. Feel free to meet me out there under the night sky.