Ready to Launch: or It’s a Boat Darn Time!

3,670 days. We kept the dream alive in our minds for that long. We watched our children grow into fantastic young adults. Changed jobs, careers even. Got degrees. Said “Goodbye” to loved family, friends and dogs (who are family). We’ve laughed, cried, fought, made up, and planned our future.

The decision to get (originally build) a sailboat was a secret for the first few years. Maybe it was fear that we would be called crazy and followed by the attempts to convince us of some other, more reasonable dream that might better suit us.

Strangely, the imagined naysaying never materialized. There were more than a few skeptical looks and a ton of questions which we welcomed. Eventually, the plan was leaked out beyond a few close family and friends. At some point you have to have “the talk” with your employer. “I want to live and work from a sailboat” is not an everyday statement in the Midwest. Thankfully, our current jobs allow us this opportunity.

Yesterday, June 17th, 2023, at approximately 11:00 AM EDT, Cindy and I woke from the dream. As we write this from our new floating home, it still seems very surreal.

It started like any other day over the last week; we got up, walked the dogs around the hotel complex and ate our hotel breakfast. After that, things got weird. We packed up our mobile offices, clothes, the dog “go” bag and the bikes back into the Escape. And I mean packed! After the 45-minute drive north to Kennedy Point Yacht Club, we started the next stage of this adventure.

And it has been an adventure for all four of us. Maizey and Crew had spent a whopping one hour on a boat before today. As of now, they have been aboard for eight hours and have adjusted awesomely. Crew can already manage the companionway steps both up and down. Maizey has down down, but not so much for up. She’ll get there.

Moving and cleaning have started and Cindy did a bit of light shopping today for our first meals on board. This evening, we watched the SpaceX Satria launch from our foredeck. Afterwards, the solemn renaming ceremony where we have officially christened her SV Delfin.

An evening thunderstorm is now rolling through washing the decks and causing her to gently sway against the dock lines. Crew is snuggling up next to me; he is unsure of all the change, but taking comfort in the things constant in his life. I’m sure Cindy and I will have those moments of unfamiliarity as we embark, but boy is it exciting being on the cusp of this waking dream.