Irma's Impact

While Hurricane Irma visited the Sunshine State, my sweet T & I were hunkered down with a few of our favorite things, safe from Irma's wrath. It was an emotionally charged week leading up to Mother Nature's impending disaster, which left most of it's devastation South of us. With it's flip flop track no one knew if they should flee or just prepare to ride it out. When hurricane Jeanne whipped through, we lost our roof to a mini tornado and was displaced from our home for 9 months. While I'm usually worried about hurricanes, that one was the least of my worries- go figure. At any rate, I knew I wanted my daughter with me as she's always been. Her group home was evacuated along with multiple neighborhoods, but she would stay with me regardless.

Initially I almost drove to Georgia, but Irma dropped from a category 5, to a 4, and finally a 3, so I figured we'd stay. An 8 hour car ride into the unknown, with a special needs young adult probably wasn't the ideal situation. My gas tank was full, but gas was scarce and traffic jams were inevitable. My anxiety level was at an all time high, especially when the hurricane intensified and was tracking straight for us here on the West Coast. A friend invited us to their work place, which could withstand high winds and they had a generator. The decision to go hunker down there was made. I was trying not to incur panic onto T, and keep things as light and normal as I could, but she's one smart cookie. Seeing me pack, then moving again to yet another location she became anxious. She wanted to leave immediately, began crying and lunged towards the door. I remembered breaking down in private the night before. I told her not to be scared, mommy would be with her, and everything would be okay. I tried to believe it myself.. And said a prayer with her. She calmed a bit, and smiled. Her safety was key.

The realization that those you love, and all you have, could be ripped from your life so quickly hits you with a force of a cat 5 hurricane mentally. Preparations were underway, as the TV projected Irmas whereabouts and final destination. Friends and family from out of state were voicing their concern. During the storm surprisingly we both slept soundly. The following day partial power was lost and the generator didn't kick in, so movie time for T was interrupted. Those who have children on the spectrum, or with any special needs know how this turns out, as routine is of the utmost importance- major behavioral meltdown. My nerves were shot and my legs were bruised- but we got through it like any other.

Post Irma we thanked our lucky stars our lives, our homes, our community was spared with minimal damage, as sadness for others who weren't washed over us. Clean up began, power outages rampant, and with businesses affected we were already mentally and emotionally drained. It was apparent there was no getting around  physical exhausten as well. We either heard of, or experienced those who take advantage in vulnerable times; but the light of so many angels in disguise surpassed the negative. God places people, situations, and opportunities in our path. I allowed my fear to overpower my ability to trust in Him.

When faced with adversity that is when our strength is found. Irma's impact taught us that leaning on one another, having a tiny bit of faith, and finding hope along the way builds a foundation of strength that will supercede anything that may come our way.   

Renaming Ceremony ⛵

On July 1st 2016,  a year shy of purchase,  we completed our renaming ceremony for SUMMER REIGN.  There's a sailors legend and so we wanted to ensure we followed through.  Captn Paul led us in a successful Ceremony and I his 1st mate assisted while our friends and family members cheered us on.  The old name was removed from the Ledger of the deep and Poseidon's memory.  We read the verses,  offered champagne to Poseidon, tossed the coin with the old name on it into the sea and unveiled the new name.  Such a beautiful feeling to finally have the name we agreed upon on the boat. Now we're not superstitious, however  we don't want bad luck,  and it was fun to do.  My brother,  who's a pastor,  will be by soon to say a prayer of blessing over Summer Reign.  We wouldn't be where we are without God's grace and we're grateful that our dreams are coming true.  God is good! ♡

Solitude

Having moments of solitude is a necessity to one's life, in my mind. I am grateful for those times, whether minutes or hours, that seem to 'take' me away to where I need to be. I'm not a morning person persay, and I adore the moon,   but I love meetings with the sun. Now sunsets are beautiful, however those first few minutes when the sun greets you with a bright hello- you will be captivated. Life gets busy. We can slow it down by simply soaking in a few golden moments. Find your treasure today and tomorrow and the next day. Those moments of solitude are my treasure.

Mommy Moments

I hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's Day!  Each and every one of us had a different experience with our children, and our mommas. My mom raised me to always believe in myself,  to never give up and to place my trust in the Lord. I am forever grateful for her love,  guidance and support throughout the years. I've watched her overcome battles that I'm not sure even she thought she would get through. I'm a proud daughter, and also a proud mommy to Tiana Hope who is now 21! Life has been full of ups and downs,  but the knowledge and love my mom passed on helped me overcome battles that I never thought I'd overcome. I got to spend time with my mom before Mother's Day,  then spent time with my daughter on Mother's Day. Now wouldn't it be nice if life waa always picture perfect,  like we see all over social media?  Well, it's not. Yes, our time was precious, but unfortunately T had behaviors with aggression towards me that ended up in a meltdown. Crying and screaming in front of the marina was the scene many witnessed. A nice couple stopped to ask if she was ok,  another young lady passed by asking questions. We had to ride out the storm until she was finally able to contain herself. Was it upsetting?  Of course. I needed some down time afterwards, of which I pondered on how far we've come on our special needs journey. Love enables you to find the strength you so desperately need no matter what you're faced with. I may get discouraged but my cup is always half full. Cheers to all the mommas out there!

Feel your sadness, then release it

My life has changed quite a bit in the last year. Life is good.  We live in paradise, on a sailboat, off the St Petersburg waterfront; and we love it!  There's always something happening around town, and even though we're still working it certainly feels like a vacation coming home to the docks. The last few days I've allowed sadness to creep in as I overthink my writing goals, not to mention the day job has my anxiety level up. With an impending full moon this hubby & wife recently found ourselves at odds. Isn't it crazy how those silly little things become gigantic if we let them? Not all our ideas are going to be the same because we're two different people,  imagine that, and so we're certainly not going to agree on everything. Striving for perfection in anything is not how relationships, jobs, or goals are accomplished. It's about striving for a pasion, a love, a dream that brings you to your  perfect destination. I decided not to be so hard on myself. If one goal doesn't happen there's many more out there to work towards. Finding time to write is a must for my sanity and therein lies my problem.. I just need to write. As far as our marital bliss, we all have times where we don't like one another for a minute. Nobody is going to have the same feelings or experiences. If we stop to look at the big picture then we can stop worrying about the little things. Instead of only seeing and hearing each other in the physical realm, I believe we should  look and listen at one another in an emotional aspect as well. Talk things out and pray together. Doing something for yourself like going for a walk alone can recharge your mind, heart and soul. It's ok to feel sad, it's learning how to release that sadness that's so important. Don't get caught up with busy or worry,  instead pick up a hobby you enjoy.  Go outdoors. Get a journal and write things down.  That sadness, anxiety or depressed emotion will be replaced with joy, peace and harmony.                                                                                             photo and article by april k corbett ©

.... the adventure continues

July 20th 2015

Thankfully the service guy was able to sneak us in between other jobs and it was a quick fix. Somewhere along the line we were sold bad fuel. Summer Reign is back on the water! Fort Meyers bound. I cried as we unhooked shore power, bye bye a/c, but there's an awesome breeze though.

Made it to Sanibel Marina just before sunset.


July 21st 2015

I've seen more sunrises on this trip then I've seen in my entire life. I do believe I'm becoming a morning person. Got fuel for the boat and fuel for us- coffee! 7am was go time!

Wish we had more time to explore. Loved he lighthouse in Sanibel and I vow to return soon.

With the open water and the sun rising before us we set off once again.

8 hours in and I'm now ready to get off this boat. Thoughts of land danced in my head. Captain Paul was ready to continue on but after another 3 hours we were looking up the next marina. There was no way I wanted to anchor out as the waters were increasingly becoming angrier, and so was I.
We weren't making it home today. Sarasota was close and that's where we landed- I landed myself a broken finger. Entering the marina after hours there was no assistance, which was the case prior but with no incident. I didn't leave enough rope or space between the cleat and caught a few fingers in between, breaking one. At this point the sun has set, we were hungry, thirty, hot and tired. There was a restaurant there so we found a spot by the water and celebrated our victory thus far,  while icing my finger.

July 22nd 2015

Today we headed into the intercoastal for a smoother sail. Fine by me! Along the way we had encountered a few fixed bridges which raised my anxiety level. Now I'm not afraid to drive over them but going under is another story. It says so many feet and you know your mast is shorter but it looks deceiving. The draw bridges were fine, and I became familiar with talking on the radio to the bridge masters, learning the channels to use etc. Our stop for fuel at Bradenton Marina was interesting since our drive leg wasn't functioning properly making reverse null to void. So stressful.
Eventually we made it into Tampa Bay with the Skyway Bridge in our sights. This afternoon we arrived at St Petersburg with relief written all over our faces and smiles in our hearts. We made it!  Teamwork teamwork teamwork!

Overall our boating adventure was a huge success! So many enjoyable moments and memories made. I think I may have to write a book to share the many details still to tell. Summer Reign was a gem of a find. Moving aboard July 26th which opens up a whole new chapter in our life.

Be sure to follow along for more stories of the boat life!

The Adventures of Summer Reign

July 14th 2015

So as of this date we are officially boat owners!
Overwhelmed and excited all at once. The adventure begins!


July 16th & 17th 2015

After signing paperwork, having the boat detailed and checking out of our room in Key Largo we boarded Summer Reign for our adventure home. As we loaded up the boat up with essentials it honestly felt surreal. We we're finally heading out. First stop- Marathon. Or so we thought.
Celebrating with a champagne toast as we sail towards our dreams.
Before long night was upon us as we ate dinner by Coleman light.
I took over the helm for a while to give hubs a break, convincing him I was a fabulous first mate while convincing myself that I could indeed do this as a feeling of accomplishment washed over me.
Entering the marina in the middle of the night was challenging. I stood on the bow helping guide our way as Captain Paul maneuvered us in like a boss. We tied up at the gas dock until we could move into a slip a few hours later at the first sign of dawn.

The two of us make an amazing team, but we'll never boat after dark in unknown territory again. Timing was a bit of an issue since we left later than expected.  Needless to say we got about two hours sleep and needed some R&R. I was ready to take advantage of the amenities that Marathon Marina had to offer before heading back out at the crack of dawn.

July 18th 2015

Hello sunrise, of many I would see in the days ahead. An entire day on the water was upon us. I prepared a breakfast of fruit, muffins and OJ, read almost the entire book titled Blue Mind, helped Paul at the helm, sat out on the deck and even took a nap. No cares in the world. Dolphins, manatees, birds and skipping fish welcomed us into the Florida Bay. The water was smooth as glass.

Realizing Marco Island was o attainable by sunset the decision was made to moor out for the night. Hatches were opened, fans were turned on and we prayed for a cool evening since without shore power or a generator there is no a/c. We anchored out just before taking in an incredible sunset while sharing cocktails and conversation. The stars appeared painted across the sky and while the moon disappeared it was time to catch some Zzzzzz's.

July 19th 2015

Unfortunately the calm waters turned choppy into the night and I did not sleep well. As that queasy feeling took over it lasted into today which mean I was lying down most of the day wishing for the rocking of the boat too stop. Rain was cooling things off but also causing rough seas. I started feeling better later on, just in time for the engine to act up. We weren't making good time and it was obvious it was going to take longer than expected to get home. There wasn't much wind but we hoisted a sail anyways. Bad fuel was the likely culprit as the engine quit. So close to Rose Marina, yet so far away.  Tow Boat USA to the rescue! Sundays the marina repair shop is closed, so we hunkered down for the night. It was an exhausting day and I thought about those ruby red slippers more than once. The staff at Rose Marina were genuinely kind and I was able to get necessities at their ship shop, shower and order food from a local delivery place. Chatting with a few employees it was evident that this was where we were meant to be.

Travelling Voyage- the offer was...

ACCEPTED! Even though there was a counteroffer the sellers response offered us a huge sigh of relief.  Next,  we scheduled the survey and once we verify the results of the boat are legit it should be smooth sailing from there. Ah, I must keep a sense of humor through out this process. Our journey has only begun. Most of the people we've dealt with have been nothing but helpful and kind. I won't mention right now who the difficult ones have been but I will say its disappointing to say the least. They have one chance to redeem themselves and then I will share their name & the company they're employed with. But enough about their rudeness, I refuse to allow one individual with a personality flaw to steal my joy. Let's just say as a writer they could be added into my next novel only to find themselves removed rather quickly. ha! Next week the survey will be complete and paperwork will be shuffled around. Before you know it we'll be sitting on our boat, in our new home making a toast as she sails us into the sunset. It is finally happening! Hubby still won't celebrate until all is finalized. Here I sit, sipping my vino doing the happy dance inside my head as all those feelings are voicing their opinions, concerns and excitement - sort of like the new movie Inside Out. I remind myself this is not a movie, this is reality; our reality. We didn't only follow our dreams, we chased them, and little by little those dreams are being captured. One of these days when I'm writing my next book, the next New York Times best seller, I will reach out and yell GOTCHA! 

Travelling Voyage- Great Expectations' of our own

Pulling up to the no name marina after a five hour drive we weren't sure what to expect. The plan was to meet a guy who helps the out of state broker show their listings in the Keys. He met us at the gate and from phone conversations he fit the description in my mind- no fuss, laid back, and friendly. He directed me to the restroom on site and as I walked towards them I was a bit surprised to see a small horse slowly approach from the corners bend. When I came out he was situated directly in front of the exit. I slid out the door,  said a quick hello and joined the guys on the dock. Our chariot in waiting was a small boat with only a ledge to sit on. Hoping it wouldn't rain again, the sun peeked out at us and we were off. Zooming across the waters with the salty spray of the sea and wind my hair I was taking the moment in with pure enjoyment. Once we reached the bridge we could see what quite possibly could become our future home, the catamaran in question.  He tied up along side and we climbed aboard. A wave of emotions splashed over me, and as I later learned my husband as well;  disappointment and excitement. It was definitely in need of some long overdue TLC. Realizing as we looked her over this would not be a problem, as long as they were willing to accept a lower bid. Before we were done raindrops beckoned us to leave. It didn't matter. At that moment it just meant we were closer to making our dream a reality. As the rain picked up it was time to head back and so we sped across the waters with the rain pelting at us. I was grateful the boat guy had loaned me his jacket. Thoughts of the future danced across my mind. The boat life seems right, and wasn't the rain a sign of good luck? Although I don't believe in luck I do believe in blessings. What's meant to be will be; and there was a peace that came over me as we watched the lightning in the distance. Soon we were back on land, off to the hotel to clean up for dinner and have the discussion on whether or not to make an offer. They say sleep on it, pray about it, weigh the pros & cons... check, check & check. Today we put in an offer! Now we wait. Well, that's nothing new. Good things come to those who wait, right?
photo credit April K Corbett