It’s amazing how time flies, right?
We have all heard this before. The truth is that we are getting older and time just keeps going by, sometimes way too fast for us to appreciate it… When was the last time you seriously looked back to assess where you started and where you are now, acknowledging the things you have experienced along the way?
What a difference a year makes. One year ago we were boatless, blogless, and we were just working away in our oh-so comfortable lives. We were waking up and simply willing to do it all over again tomorrow – knowing that one day, we’d be the Jones. might even outpace the Jones’. but we had started to feel like we were missing a goal. Then, this book appeared and dreams were ignited.
A review copy of Bull Canyon landed on my wife’s desk, I do not believe that this was by chance – no, this was not a fluke. Somehow I think this was meant to happen… someone was trying to get us to wake up, trying to rattle our cages a little and give us a purpose for tomorrow. Stephanie brought the book home, and read it cover to cover – immediately her perma-grin appeared – I knew I had better read this book too!
As I started reading, flipping from page to page, I understood the origin of her smile. The words quickly lifted off the pages and into my imagination - as if I was speaking direct with Lin and Larry Pardey – I thought to myself, how could someone do this? I mean really, wow – they built a boat and they went – whoa! Now that’s crazy! or is it…
Many years ago when I first met Stephanie and her family I knew I was entering into a boating family. Stephanie grew up cruising with her family. When she was 4 years old her parents took her and her 18 month old sister on a year-long boat trip – traveling from West Grand Traverse Bay down the Mississippi River, and into the Gulf on their way to anchor in the Dry Tortugas…and then they headed back. Those are some great stories.
Stephanie and her kid sister Erin on the bow of their trawler Shamal
Stephanie and her father sailed their Nonsuch to Mackinaw Island for many years working as the Inspection boat for the Chicago to Mackinaw Yacht race committee. I loved driving up to see her and her family for the weekend, and they graciously let me sleep in the cockpit. Throughout our High School years, her parents would take her and her sister off on sailing trips throughout the Great Lakes.
S/V Greensleeves – circa 1983
The summer after Stephanie and I graduated from college, her parents set off cruising with the family on their 44′ trawler from the Great Lakes through the Erie Canal, out the Hudson and then headed south down the Inter-coastal waterway – her parents were on their way to Marathon, Florida where they planned to spend their winters. I must have made a good impression on her father with my knowledge of carrying boat batteries around, because they offered Stephanie and I the opportunity to live aboard their 44′ Trawler in Charleston Harbor – an experience that changed us forever.
These experiences have sculpted us into who we are today, and we are grateful. For now we’re scheming and dreaming, sharing our thoughts with each other, reading other boating blogs and magazines, and books – anything to feed our appetite… We are excited to share our love of water and adventure with our Son. Part of our plan when this dream began was to start a blog neverwonder3.com ,we started this blog exactly one year ago today on February 12th 2012 – at that time we didn’t have any clue what starting a blog actually meant-or how much work it is to post everyday, now we realize the true commitment involved. Two weeks ago we made our site public, and since then we are thrilled to have had over a 1000 views. We have received emails from Rome, the Netherlands and had views from all over the world. This is so exciting. We know that we are years away from actually “casting off the dock lines” – but here we are, one year closer to our dreams. We’re living it, and sharing with you.
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” Mark Twain
Indeed the first step is leaving the dock….I think I left some mighty big scratch marks on some of the docks we’ve cast off…. But when the lines are coiled and the engine is purring… I’m looking for channel markers and the adventure of moving the boat begins. At the end of the day.. Whether we are anchored (which we prefer ) or at dockside we enjoy rehashing the day ..the good and he bad…..and watching the sun go down. Think Spring…Mimi
You were always a great carrier of important ( heavy ) boat stuff and hopefully some of what you experienced while cruising with our family has helped with your first season of sailing your own boat. You guys have made steep progress up the cruising curve of experience. How pleasant it is to see my grandson Ben learning to take the helm at the same age Steph did some 40,000 miles under the keel ago.