It wasn’t really official but this past weekend felt, for me, like I moved aboard Gypsy. I have been buying staples for the galley and have been pulling out the things I had stowed away in the trunk; the flourmill now has a safe spot in a cupboard. For some time now I have been sizing up the available space we have for storage. This is a challenging puzzle. When we familiarized ourselves with our new purchase last fall, we inventoried each compartment and made a handwritten list of where we put each item. This process was meant, and still is, to be carried to the spreadsheet format. We have made changes. As we look carefully at each “necessity” we answer the question: does this item have at least 3 uses? I like the creativity involved with doing without the endless assortment of gadgets we have in our everyday lives!
Our plan was to reward ourselves for our concentrated hard work on Gypsy. Many a day we had been tempted to just be our playful selves and head out to the Sound to let the wind caress our faces and feel the power of the lift of the breeze through the sails… This weekend we planned to leave the dock and experience the results of our labors. Will the solar panels meet our usage needs? Is the rigging secure and balanced? Can we easily deploy the 73# Rocna anchor? I was excited. Each opportunity to improve my sailing skills is one I do not wish to miss. I have a patient, knowledgeable teacher in Dan…
Our first morning on the anchor I woke and started my day as I might if we were on land. I drew water from the sea and washed up, brushed my teeth and set to making a breakfast. Dan and I talked about our day; one that would be spent entirely on our boat. The wind was blowing up to 20 knots; there was a boat aground near the breakwater; luckily there was a boat standing by and throughout the morning Dan and I watched the activity surrounding that rescue. There was a parasailer weaving about the harbor and other fishers and sailors setting their courses throughout the day. – Our neighbors... Dan got the Sail mail set up and functional and he replaced the bilge pump in the head. I washed some clothes and hung them out to dry and assisted as needed! Throughout the day we read our shared book out loud to each other and napped when we felt tired; we make food together and in the evening we sat on our deck and watched the sun set and the moon rise… that’s when the fireworks began its display…
Packing our Gypsy to use the space in an efficient way as well as to promote maximum function is a priority right now. If we can’t fit it, we may need to leave it behind! Learning to slow down and enjoy the simple pleasures when there is still a long list of “to dos” before we depart is a valuable lesson. One day soon Gypsy will be our home. I’m ready!
about us
- susan and dan
- Our plan : To take a leisurely sail around the world exploring new lands and new cultures as we go. On the way we intend to place equal importance to the inward journey as to the external journey. On our path we’ll strive to live in harmony with nature and to travel in as self-sustaining, low impact way as possible. What Dan says About Susan: She is a nurse, a mother, a yogini, a dancing-singing-earthborn-spirit and a friend to many. She is my beloved. what susan says about dan: a wise and gentle man, respectful of the earth and all that is within; an accomplished student of the energy disciplines, a yogi. dan is serious and responsible about the things that matter; playful and witty in the balance. an observant with his third eye, his trusty camera, a photographer. an ex-rock climber, a kayaker - disciplined, patient and purposeful; all this and a humble man - this is my beloved... About Us: as Snatam Kaur says; “We are light, we are love, we are dreams…”