November 22, 2010
As summer time in Virginia hands over the reins to fall time, I am surrounded by beautiful leaves, cooler days and much colder nights. We have had the heat on for the past couple of weeks and I’m filled with a certain sadness of saying goodbye to the warm sand and ocean for another season.
My husband and I, after achieving the milestone of our second and last child “almost” grown, made the decision this summer to buy a boat. Talk about a dream come true.. Mike is terrific at scouring Craig’s List for whatever it is we are looking for and he found several. We found our dream boat in Virginia Beach and didn’t waste any time making the connection with the owners. They were an active duty Navy couple and the second owners. The boat originated in Charleston, SC which just happens to be one of our past duty stations as well, and also where our son was born.
The wife explained that they had orders to Japan and her husband had already gone. She was here alone, like many military wives, finishing her job, arranging the rest of their move, tidying up loose ends – like selling their boat! She stood ~5’2” and was a bundle of energy – nervous energy and rightfully so. She offered to let us come over and not only see the boat, but to take us out for a test drive. Really? This lady doesn’t even know us. But military families have an unspoken trust between them.
After finding the marina where the boat was kept, the boat was trailered to the ramp next to Bubba’s Seafood Restaurant. The boat was successfully launched; we all climbed in and went on a ride up the inlet near the Lesner Bridge. I was finally seeing this land I have had mixed feelings about for 15 years from the water. I can never quite decide if Virginia is my “home” even after being here so long. Even though our daughter spent her last four years of high school here and our son was 3 when we came here with the Navy and it’s all he’s ever known, I still have wanderlust about living in my “ideal” location. But that’s another whole story for another day.
The boat rode like a dream, quiet and smooth and comfortable. It is a 24’ Crownline with white seats, bimini cover (a lifesaver from the hot sun), a stereo radio, and even a fish finder! This little apparatus is wonderful if you really want to see what’s swimming underneath you, right before you are considering jumping in to cool off. As we rode through the channels and observed the beautiful million dollar plus homes along the shore line, I silently wished we could have had a boat when the kids were still young. The lost memories...
She showed us all the ins and outs of the boat and then it was time to head back. We gladly listened to her frustrating stories of people who showed interest in the boat and never showed up; someone who actually gave her a deposit, only to call her back the next week changing his mind and wanting his money back. This poor lady needed to vent.
Mike and I talked alone and decided to make the purchase. The boat had been meticulously cared for, it was the perfect size for us to start with (did I just refer to it as a “starter boat?”) and the price was more than right – she just wanted to unload this boat as time for her was running out. As we shared our decision with her I watched a 5’2” grown woman fall apart in grateful tears and uncontrollable laughter. She knocked off another $500, gave us all the life vests, the large tube, ski ropes, the works; even a small two-man blow up dingy followed by several hugs and other expressions of thank you.
So we had our first outing on July 4th weekend; the primitive boaters we were and knew we had a lot to learn, but we instantly fell in love with our boat and the sport. We spent the remainder of the summer weekends going out as much as we could (afford to fill the gas tank and commit ourselves to the cleaning of it after each trip). Didn’t know salt water could cause so much havoc if not cleaned off each time. We took advantage of the many different waterways here and chose a new one each time. We explored channels, rivers, and the Chesapeake Bay as our hair blew in the wind (mine anyway) and we marveled at how different the view is from the water. We rode under interstate bridges and watched cars buzz overhead through the steel grates. Pulling over to a quiet area, we enjoyed our lunch from the cooler while listening to the radio. We waved at other boaters, feeling elated to be a part of this new family. They easily accepted us without even knowing our names by displaying their smiles and hand waves first. We amused our proud little selves with examining other boats as we passed, assessing the size and cost, liking or disliking the colors and commenting on the brand. We watched our son (and his friends) tube behind the boat, took turns learning to drive and found a favorite swimming spot. We spent his 17th birthday out boating and tubing and I’ve never seen such unadulterated joy on three boys faces. (..what were we doing before this?)
In August, we made a road trip to Miami to see our daughter and grandson for their birthdays. We enjoyed family time, beautiful beaches and water and a drive down to Key Largo for some snorkeling and great seafood. We spent a week of great vacation time, exploring South Beach and also talking of what fun it would be to have our boat with us. We were home just one week when on a Sunday we were hit with a harsh reality of how fragile life and fun can be. Mike suffered a stroke, spent three days in the hospital and I felt like the world spun upside down. We were fortunate, it was a small one and he recovered fairly quickly without any damage. (Where did that come from and why now we ask?) Not to be deterred from a positive attitude and good faith, we were back out in the boat the following weekend. Mike’s brother had flown in from California and we wanted to resume life as we knew it.
On October 10th, we made our last boat ride of the season. Brooke and Dylan had surprised me with the news that they were moving home (did I say home?) from Miami and had only seen pictures of our boating fun via Facebook. (God love it) Being able to take them out completed my summer in an indescribable way. I had missed them dearly for two years and the smiles on their faces were only slightly less than mine. Dylan, who turned 8 in August, sat upfront with eyes closed, head up, wind in his face, enjoying complete freedom and happiness. He looked at me and said, “I’m so happy to be back in Virginia, Grandma.” He can’t begin to imagine how happy I am.
Many of our projects at home were put on hold, knowing we would get to them when the water cooled off, the air got cold and we were forced to put the boat away. This past weekend I reluctantly gave in to the force. We winterized it, filled the gas tank, emptied out all our half-used bottles of sunscreen and other personal belongings. Mike backed it onto the new cement pad (after a few attempts) and we put the final cover over it (after much struggle with which end was which) and walked away.
It was like putting a baby to bed for a long winter nap, knowing that when the warm sunshine of spring makes its appearance next year we will be eager to uncover her, bathe her down, and check all the equipment and head out for our new playground.
For now, we are busy catching up on those “put-aside” projects and my mind is wandering to my next addiction, the ski slopes.
