The Beginning of the End or the End of the Beginning

Yesterday morning, John and I arose at 0640 to say goodbye to two more couples we have come to know and love. Last evening only Kip and I were left to blow our conchs at sunset. Today the temperature and humidity combination moved us to turn on our air conditioners. All are signs that the winter cruising season is coming to a close. The feelings I have are reminiscent of the last day of school as a high school senior. I have every intention of staying in touch with all the people on West Dock that we have enjoyed so much for the past three months. I hope I do better than I have with my high school friends!

Right now I feel grateful, happy, contemplative, peaceful, sad, … You’re wondering how I can feel all of those emotions in such rapid succession, aren’t you? I like where we are and I like where we are going. Home in North Carolina is hard to beat. And yet, I will miss the cruising culture here at the Marathon Marina West Dock. It turns out the RVers have a similar culture. We learned that when John’s mom and Pearl came to visit and stayed at Sunshine Key. Sunshine Key is an RV park just across the Seven Mile Bridge from Marathon.

Imagine if everyone lived like cruisers and RVers. Allow me to explain. Living close together we see each other several times each day. We gather together before sunset to enjoy each other’s company and celebrate living another day on the right side of the dirt. When one of us starts a boat fix-it project, the others join in lending their hands, their tools, and their expertise. We help each other without expectations. Sometimes we trade. Sometimes we use the dock currency, a bottle of wine, in return for skills like a haircut. Conversations quickly dig beneath the surface of “reporting” to discussing what we value, what keeps us up at night, and how we think and feel about various issues. Friendships become meaningful so much more quickly by sharing in depth. We live in the moment, and in any particular moment there are no problems. I hope the cruising culture is truly inside of us so we have it no matter where we are.