The days are getting longer, just about two minutes a day now, but its cold out and its tax time. This is the time of year that I figure how much it cost to own a boat, and it is quite expensive. If you own a boat you know what I am talking about. Is it worth it? I was ready to drop Captain Ed's Sailing last year, and when I mentioned this to a friend, he said that I could not do that because that was my identity, it is who I am and what I do! But what's in it for me you may want to know?
I am the guy that your family is spending their vacation time with. You're all out on my boat learning to sail, interacting as a family should- talking, learning to sail, relaxing. You may have brought out some snacks and more coolers than maybe you should have, dad might be having a beer and mom some wine, and who is in the middle of all of this? Me, Captain Ed - you chose to spend your time with me! And for that I say thank you! That is what I enjoy. That is my reward....
Larry Jackson and Penny Laine just made some money making the music score for a documentary about Alaska. They decided to use that money to make their own music video on my boat! They had taken a Sunset Sail a few years back and thought that it would be a great location for parts of their video Coming Home! I had a blast as usual and made some money to boot! Being stuck on a boat with Penny Lane for an afternoon was not hard to take either.
Then I got a phone call from this guy, who is an airplane pilot (usually too busy to take time off), and he wants to propose to his girlfriend! My friend Beth, acting as crew, comes out to the boat and helps decorate it with flowers, some wine, grapes, cheese and crackers. We take the boat out to the ocean and sail a bit before turning the boat to come back up the river for the sunset. The sun is going down as we motor past my mooring and up to the Derrick Hines Bridge, with the two of them sitting on the bow of the boat where that question was asked. I sadly have forgotten their names, and sometime wonder how they made out, but I was sharing this special date! I have been on many special dates.
The Bella Donna is dock side along the board walk in Newburyport as the Ninth Wave comes in from its afternoon cruise when a little girl yells down, "hey Captain Ed", "there's Captain Ed", she was with a group of people and brought them all over to see my boat. Her name was Rebecca, cute as a button, she had been out sailing on the Bella Donna the summer before with her family. She tells all of her friends that she liked the Ninth Wave (we all do), but sailing the Bella Donna was a much more intimate experience!. It didn't hurt that she mentions all of this on a dock crowded with people!
So as you can see there are many special times for me and Captains Ed Sailing... I have hundreds of stories like this, yup it is worth it! Hope to see you soon.
Count down to Spring
First on the list is the Southern Cross Boat Owners Meeting, to be held in Newport Rode Island, February 5th, 6th & 7th, 2016. It is a great group of folks that have sailed all over, which includes not only trans-Atlantic passage makers but circumnavigators. Time certainly flies and I can't believe I have owned my Southern Cross the Sarah Maria for 15 years now! I should mention that the Super Bowl will also be that weekend (Feb 7th to be exact), and I will certainly be guarding the cold cut platter.