And the days keep flying by

It’s been hard to write for the past two months. Things have happened so fast and time has felt so short it’s hard to step away and put pen to paper, or knuckle to key. My head has been very full lately, the only thing that could have prepared me for this is doing more of the exact same thing. Experience. There has been so much to learn, each system has its quirks and issues and at this point I think I have had my hands in everything. It’s so strange watching a joke come to life. I had frequently passed around the idea that we would break down in every port in our way through the carrebean, but I didn’t want that to be our reality. Turns out, we chose a path that isn’t for the faint of heart. The sailing isnt the hard part, it’s managing this boat. Athena is the neediest vehicle, home, or toy that I have ever had the privilege to tear my knuckles to the bone for.

When choosing this trip, choosing to buy this boat, choosing this life style and the rest of it I had a sense of needing to earn the ease and joy of warm water island cruising. Like just starting in the Caribbean was for the soft of skin. I sure feel the arrogance of that sentiment now. The past month on the water has been hard, more work than play and white knuckling the helm every time something breaks. While in the boat yard all I wanted was to get in the water, now I wish I was back in the yard! There are so many things I would have prioritized differently if I had been able to sail Athena for this month prior to the work. But seasons, time, and tide wait for no one. I still wouldn’t have done this another way, I just wish I knew enough to do it better now. Here we are, living the dream, working on our boat as we race the beginning of fall, leaves just turning on our heals. It’s one hell of a way to see the northeast coast. I love it out here, the bits I have seen if it.

From Nova Scotia we sailed to Portsmouth, the River that divides Maine and New Hampshire. We had dinner in Maine, then checked into customs and immigration in New Hampshire. We spent 5 days in Glouster Massachusetts hiding from hurricane Fiona. Then a week in Onset harbor working on our engine and waiting out foul weather. From Onset we drove through Rhode Island and into Connecticut for a fire safety course, it was such a relief to see some inland territory, and at a very beautiful moment of fall. We stayed a night and day at Block Island in New Harbor, so I have visited Rhode Island, or a piece of it. Today we are heading into the Long Island sound and will likely touch Connecticut again by foot. After that onto New York, Delaware, and into the Chesapeake for a touch of everything to Virginia. Not bad for a first trip to the east coast. Although, most of my time has been on the boat, fixing and tinkering. Working out the kinks now while we have easy access to marine stores and good advice, before heading into even less familiar territory. Although I won’t wish it on myself, if we break everything on our way to Virginia, by the time we get there we will have a lot of newer and better installed systems.

Today I am just divulging the heat of the moment from a tired and self centered mind. In truth, I only have things to be grateful for. The people I have met so far that have gone out of their way to share knowledge or jump on board have been an assertion of humanity. Real people, not sealed in headphones and glazed by a screen. This has been one hell of a ride, and I would be proud if we ended it here. We won’t of coarse, Athena has momentum now that even I can’t stop. She’s as eager as we are for warmer water and steady wind. She is our charge and we are fighting years of neglect from past owners. She is a good boat, and I’m sure that as we build trust with each other these times will get easier. Time and money.

-Eric. 10/10/22

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