Whitsundays Sailing
It’s been over a week since my last shower. And I couldn’t be happier. I’ve been on a catamaran, cruising the through the Whitsunday Islands, wind filling the sails… it’s the stuff dreams are made of.
There wasn’t a complete lack of hygiene. I did once wash my hair in a bucket of saltwater. Other than that, we just had to keep layering on the deodorant. We included Kirk, my mom Heidi, Christina and Nathalie (my friends from Sydney) and myself. A bunch of scruffy sea dogs we were. Though, ask any of us, and each would tell you the same: it was utterly worth it.
Here’s a photomovie of the trip:
Do you know that bittersweetness you feel at the end of a vacation? The idea that memory will remain, but the experience is over. Surprisingly, this wasn’t the case for me on this trip. This particular sailing charter was not just a vacation. (Or, ‘holiday’ as the Aussies say). This week was a big stepping stone. A ‘we could do this for real’ preview of the future. After this trip, I am absolutely delighted for the future. I really feel cruising could be a big part of my life.
Back on solid ground, I turn on the faucets in the shower. Before I step in, I run my fingers through my hair. It’s stiff and caked with time spent on the ocean. Under the shower head the sterile water douses away the last of the salt, sweat and sun. It’s odd to feel squeaky clean. I wonder how long it will be until I’m back on the ocean, on a sailboat once more.
