Teak Time

   "Teak" time...It's 4:00 in the afternoon which for me being of Irish descent usually means tea time. Warmer weather and springtime in New England wreak havoc with my usual daily routine after our sailboat Simple Life's cover is removed. That's when I make my way down to the boatyard to survey winter's damage and the condition of Simple Life's teak.
    Unfortunately I am a perfectionist and therefore a self proclaimed "teak slave." It's not unusual to have complete strangers in nearby boats sail by on a warm afternoon and comment on the amount of time I spend working on teak. Comments such as, "Wow, your boat's name is Simple Life but I always see you working on her!" I truly believe that secretly deep down inside I actually enjoy working on my boat! Hard work affords a certain degree of daydreaming while working with anticipation of another season's approach and envisioning all of the good times my husband and I will enjoy. The unsurpassed serenity, listening to waves lapping at the hull, the hum of the wind generator. All comforting sounds that I miss during winter months.
   This season is beginning with the added excitement of our embarking on our second cruising sabbatical!

Our first sabbatical was in 2003-04 when we sailed Simple Life to the Bahamas and back and  I wrote a book about our experience titled, "Leave the Shore Behind." This time we've made some upgrades to Simple Life's creature comforts such as refrigeration (we had only an ice box on the first trip), a propane fireplace, a full enclosure, wind generator, three solar panels and a hard bottom Caribe with a 15 hp Yamaha outboard. We learned a lot on that first trip concerning our daily needs. This time we have also upgraded all of our electronics, new radar/chartplotter, and SSB radio. We think we're ready this time. I guess I'll have a few weeks to dream and plan for the future. I think that's why I'm meticulous when it comes to teak work. It takes me away from my daily routines and gives me permission to take the time to dream...