249 Days of Wisdom

We’ve been back home on the boat for over two months and last week we finally pushed off the dock after completing the last lightning-related repairs. Owning a boat naturally means that the projects and repairs never end but we are declaring victory on this enormous lightning refit. 249 days of being out of control and working around other people’s timelines, we are finally in the driver’s seat again.

We have been talking a lot about how much more comfortable we feel today than during the first few months on the boat in 2023. There are many reasons for this. We have grown a lot, learned a ton and feel much more confident that we can figure just about anything out.

As we close this chapter and sail into the next, these are a few of our biggest takeaways. Yes, you will find some of these themes cliché but I’m not sorry about it. They are things we all know but are too often overlooked in our day-to-day lives.

Life is too short
Our health and youth is our greatest gift and it can’t be wasted. Yes, we all know this in theory but do we really take it to heart each day?

You will never be younger than you are today. Comfort creep is real and it’s so much easier to do what you know, stay within your bubble and push off that risky adventure that’s been lingering in the back of your mind.

In the time that we’ve been sidelined, we have seen friends and family lose their good health. Each time, it’s an unwelcome reminder of our fixed time on this planet. I just hope that when we reach our ending point, we can look back with certainty that we took full advantage of our time here and together.

If you wait for everything to be perfect, you will never leave
We’ve watched a number of boats come and go from the marina over the last eight months. We’ve talked to countless owners who are there for different reasons. Some are in and out as quickly as possible and others stay put for months nitpicking every detail.

This applies to all parts of life too. I will finally be happy when…

“I buy that new car…”
“I get that promotion…”
“I move into that big house…”
“I make more time with my friends…”

In most cases, we have the things we need to be happy right now. We choose to continue wanting more instead of wanting what we have.

Life is not easy. There will always be challenges. It’s how we choose to deal and find a path forward. Progress is greater than perfection, and usually reason enough to be happy!

You can handle more than you think you can
Early on in swimming, our coaches instilled in us that your body can handle so much more than your brain thinks it can. You have to trick your psyche into believing that you’re okay, that you’re safe. It’s mind over matter… in all things.

This is true with major setbacks too. On day one, I couldn’t even see a path forward to getting back on this boat. Each day, we tried to tackle a problem or two, but most days felt like a being stuck in a holding pattern as we waited on insurance, or a part to arrive, or an expert to weigh in. Some days it broke us down and required a mind-over-matter approach. Other days felt like small victories. Ultimately, it’s how you choose to deal with the hard times and bad days that dictate the final outcome.

You are your best and only advocate
While this one is largely about our experience in the yard, I think it translates to other areas of life too.

When we first arrived at the yard, we assumed that the professionals knew what they were doing. And, they do know what they’re doing but only to a point. They don’t know the specifics of our boat or situation, and they definitely don’t care about it like we do. At first, we were hesitant to speak up about things that didn’t seem right because obviously the professional knows more about it than we do. This is simply not the case.

I am the first to admit that I struggle to speak up. This experience showed me that nobody else will stand up for me unless I not only speak up but also don’t take no for an answer when I am sure that something is wrong. Took me 30+ years to get here, but here we are.

The confidence we have gained by tearing this boat apart and building it back up is priceless. From setting up our AIS, radar and navigation system, to handling 230V electrical, installing our standing and running rigging, commissioning our new watermaker, and the list goes on and on.

We have so much gratitude for this wild journey, the ups and downs, the good and the bad.
Now, we’re ready to S E N D it to the Bahamas!