I recently sent a video of a boat being towed in rough water by Marine Rescue to my parents. My father is an active member of Marine Rescue so I thought he might enjoy it. My mother texted back, ‘Is this you!!!’ The boat was nothing like the one I live on. I try to keep them informed as to where I am and our plans, but this doesn’t stop my mum worrying. If she does not hear from me or see a Facebook post then she assumes I have either been murdered at sea, I’ve fallen overboard and drowned, the boat has sunk and I have drowned or we have been overtaken by pirates. To ease her mind, I texted that we were using protection lol. She text back that I was an adult and she really didn’t need to know about that. I then explained my partner had bought me my own super life jacket with all the bells and whistles, literally.
My father thought this was great. He lent me a very large book on boating (The Australian Boating Manual), to study with extra pages on all the different knots I would need to learn, as well as all his study notes on how to be a coxswain. I still don’t know all the knots but I’m tying to learn. Pardon the pun. He also wants to know if we have caught any fish and why we aren’t fishing all day.
My daughter thinks I’ve abandoned her and my grandchildren forever and run away to sea to be very irresponsible. This is partly true of course, but I could never abandon her and will still be around lots, whether she likes it or not.
My friends think I’m far away at sea. Translated to, I’m busy swimming on another planet and they can’t call me and chat like we used to, and then marvel that I can actually ring them, and they can hear me, and I’m still me.
What my work mates think I’m doing.
Having wild parties and getting drunk with other yachties on their boats in paradise. (Not all the time, okay. We have days off too). Working on my laptop writing my novel on a white sandy beach while sipping margaritas. If you can find a laptop screen you can actually see while sitting in the sun, let me know.
What I imagined I would be doing.
Living like Robinson Crusoe, sailing back and forth from my deserted island in my bikini and sarong. Sipping wine under the fairy lights and candles that decorated the boat. Only eating fresh tropical fruits and seafood that we gathered ourselves, and of course losing weight and becoming tanned, fit and gorgeous. Frolicking with the dolphins. Snorkelling and having underwater adventures like Jacques Cousteau, the French ocean explorer and film maker who used to be my hero.
What I’m actually doing.
Staring at the water, staring at the water, watching the wind on the water, marvelling at how beautiful the water is.
Cleaning the salt spray off my sunglasses again.
Watching the birds. I know a lot about those birds. I know where they live, who their friends are and what they’re eating. David Attenborough style.
Sitting around in daggy clothes, no bra, hair not done, eating unhealthy snacks and procrastinating by playing on the computer instead of writing. Nothing has changed.
Wearing crocs everywhere, even when I go shopping. Stop it, they are sooo comfortable.
Arguing over who ate all the TimTams. Don’t tell him it was me.
Using the stateroom a lot. What? We get very tired.
Scratching sand-fly bites.
Thinking we have found sunken treasure only to discover it is our shiny, newly galvanised anchor chain that we have pulled up out of the depths by mistake and now we have to quickly re anchor before we crash into another boat.
Pondering if I want to risk going snorkelling with the crocodiles, sea snakes, sharks, stingrays, whales and stingers, and decide to anyway. Sorry mum.
Having lots of fun, chillaxing, laughing, and building relationship skills.
Drinking wine from a plastic cup or straight from the bottle, while sitting in the dingy with all the washing and groceries.
Watching the sunset together and exclaiming how lucky we are, every single day.
If you would like to read more from Michele Ableson visit www.micheleableson.com
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