The Next Adventure!

The start of a new adventure. When does such a thing begin exactly? The obvious moment would be when pulling away from the dock and setting out on a fresh voyage, or when leaving the safety of your home or car and setting off toward a relatively unknown future, however long or short. But what about the period that precedes that moment? The time of fantasizing about the adventure to come, the stage of planning, scheming, preparing for the next journey?

In our case, the adventure clearly begins with the end of last summer’s fabulous voyage. In previous seasons, my husband Rick had sailed from Baltimore to Maine and back half a dozen times on his own in his thirty foot sailboat, and last year I decided to join him on the northbound leg of the trip. I suffer profoundly from seasickness so this was not an easy journey to embark on, but with the help of pharmaceuticals, the trip was truly wonderful and we immediately began the planning for the next year.




Why did I enjoy that trip so much? Was it because I could spend such luxurious one-on-one time with my husband who I truly love? Or was it because for the first time in my adult life I was blissfully free of responsibilities - no job, no house, no child?  Was it the open expanse of sky along with the ever changing ocean views?  I'm not sure which of these was the most important but they certainly all contribute to my feelings about that experience and push me towards doing it again.

Rick was so thrilled with my newfound enthusiasm for sailing that he decided we needed a bigger boat (yay)! Like most sailors, Rick had long fantasized about other  boats and had spent many hours looking at boat porn on the internet. But the search began in earnest as soon as he arrived home. He became quite giddy with the choices – for at least one night he was determined to buy a particular wreck in Florida and even went so far as to get an estimate on having the thing trucked up to Baltimore! Thankfully, a more appropriate girl caught his eye in the nick of time, a Southern Cross 35, built in 1985. This boat gives us five extra feet in length, but also is “beamier” (wider in the middle) than the Alberg so the increase in interior space is quite dramatic. The shape of the Southern Cross is supposed to give a smoother ride and Rick is clearly looking out for me with this choice. She also has all kinds of upgrades like a refrigeration unit and an indoor shower which make me quite happy too.

One big problem with this boat was that it was located in Greenport, NY, out at the tip of Long Island. After the boat was officially his, Rick needed to get her back down to Baltimore to do the inevitable repairs and work that old boats always seem to need. I forget who said this but owning a sailboat has been likened to standing in a cold shower, ripping up money. In any case, the school year was already upon him, and Rick really couldn’t sail the boat down here until May. He has had to spend the better part of a year chomping at the bit to get to work on his new toy. He did manage to sell the Alberg by spring so at least he didn’t have to continue taking care of (and paying for) two boats.

We decided to name the boat “Valkyrie”. Rick and I had attended all four Met Opera productions of the Wagner “Ring” cycle that were simulcast to local movie theaters around the country. We completely fell in love with the heroine of the story who is one of the warrior goddesses , or Valkyrie. They ride flying horses and bring fallen heroes to Valhalla. The only problem is her name is Brunhilde.  I’m sorry, but you just can’t seriously name your boat “Brunhilde” and not have images of incredibly fat sopranos wearing helmets and breastplates running through your head every time you hear the name. I can still hear Elmer Fudd singing, “Oh Bwoonhilde, your so wuvly” from “What’s Opera Doc”.  But the boat is very much a powerful feminine vessel and deserves a name to match; so Valkyrie it is.

I have decided to join Rick for both halves of the trip this year – a whole two months on the water! It doesn’t hurt that it also means I get to miss playing the summer season with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra which includes the 1812 Overature at Oregon Ridge and Music of Led Zeppelin at Pier Six. The goal is to leave by the end of June and be back by Labor Day. Lots of prep work to be done, so wish us luck!