Goodbye Sea Monkey

Almost every time I mention that I am a boat owner I hear the same joke. You know the one... "You know what the best two days of a boat owners life are? The day you buy it, and the day you sell it." Usually delivered with a knowing smile, by someone who doesn't know shit about boats. I can only guess their experience is either none, or maybe they actually owned a boat that rotted in their driveway until it became the neighborhood eyesore.

I didn't buy a boat because I went to the river once and thought it was "cool". I didn't buy a boat to keep up with the Joneses. I bought a boat because I am drawn to the ocean, and selling the Sea Monkey broke my heart. Boats are expensive, require a lot of attention to keep in good shape, but in the end they provide you with a life filled with amazing experiences. We have sailed among blue, gray, and sperm whales. Dolphins so numerous they were impossible to count. Sea lions playing in our bow wake as we tried to take pictures of them. Next month on the cover of Good Old Boat magazine will be a photo of the lighthouse at Angel's Gate taken while returning from Two Harbors on Catalina. This will be the last memory of our Sea Monkey. I mentioned when we started this blog that Shawna and I are at our best when we are on the ocean. We are at peace, each of us knowing what is expected of us and competent to do it. The quiet gurgle of the boat as we sail is our soundtrack. So if you are inclined to tell that joke all I can say is make sure you know your audience, because I might punch you in the face. That being said I have never seen my wife so close the violence as when the potential buyer threw out a ridiculous low-ball offer. The buyer's wife must have noticed Shawna getting ready to chuck both of them off the boat, and quickly responded with a reasonable offer. After a rather rough start they turned out to be a nice couple, and should be good custodians of Sea Monkey. The money we earned from the sale will allow us to pursue the next phase of our journey.