A Message from the Skipper

hard for me to believe that we will be making the dock in emeryville this afternoon. it's been a very long trip that has gone by way too fast, one that i don't want to end but i know it must. this trip was two years in the making for me... it was "my thing", david and i decided, shortly after the return from paccup '06. two years of preparation of the boat, the trip, and the crew. what we couldn't guess was exactly how the return would go - there were so many possible outcomes. here i am, almost dockside, almost meeting my husband and children like i stated in this blog what seems like a lifetime ago, and i can barely contain the fullness and the simplicity of my emotions. when we set out 15 days ago it felt like stepping off the edge. compromise was the single known entity, having proven herself to be tough as nails during the race. i am always so proud of her. over the years she's proven to be a member of the family. she has taken care of us so many times; oh, the stories we could tell (at another time). the big unknown was my crew. i had grown increasing uneasy about setting sail knowing so little about their abilities. accordingly, the first night matt and i pulled two on/two off watches in difficult sailing conditions - squalls, high, shifty winds, rain showers and little sleep were the nightly menu for the first 5 nights or so. matt was indoctrinated immediately, and called upon time and again to handle the various crises that cropped up. so capable, so dependable. lorraine proved herself to be up to the challenge very quickly; no surprise considering her extensive sailing resume which includes the global challenge (round the world sailboat race) in '04 -'05. what set lorraine aside for me very quickly was her unwavering calm and cheerfulness in the face of adversity. try reefing/dropping/configuring sails in the middle of the night during a squall and then try being cheerful! i love it! dave t., having only begun sailing a few years ago, more than making up for his inexperience with his dedication and enthusiasm, quickly followed some days later due in large part to some pretty grueling watches. i make landfall this afternoon with a crew that i completely trust with the safety of compromise. this crew has made the voyage so meaningful to me, and so fun. it's been a lot of hard work for all, and we've had a lot of laughs. i'm sure it is common for one to arrive on the boat before setting sail with more baggage than you can carry (metaphor), but issues have remained subsurface and i've watched each crewmember put the boat first. i couldn't be happier with them, or more proud of them. and what a pleasure the last two weeks have been.

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see: http://www.sailmail.com