Last night we had dinner with two couples who live in Fort Collins, Colorado. While that’s not extraordinary in and of itself given we live in Fort Collins, too, it is VERY extraordinary when you consider that all of us plan to move aboard boats in the near future and set sail to parts unknown.
It’s even more interesting when you learn that one of the couples, Jill and Pete, have their boat, s/v Reginia Oceani, on jack stands at a farm about one mile or so east of our house. Our boat, s/v Sundown, is on jack stands at a storage facility/prairie dog field about one mile west of our house.
Terri and Frank haven’t purchased a boat yet, but they have leased a slip in Key West, Florida. Their Colorado home is for sale, and they are moving in August to work and boat shop.
We learned of each other serendipitously through mutual acquaintances and arranged our dinner date to the East Moon Asian Bistro using Facebook. (What are the chances that three couples from a completely landlocked city located in the high plains desert of the Rocky Mountain region of the United States would have the same sailing intentions?)
After we got through general introductions, our time together was filled with much information sharing and gathering. It also included a tour of both boats.
We decided to visit Sundown first. I hated the thought of bringing complete strangers to see the mess, but there was no way of getting out of it. When we climbed aboard Reginia, I just knew I was going to be even more embarrassed at the comparison of her to Sundown.
Everyone was quite complimentary of Sundown’s traditional look and feel, however, and no one seemed offended by her disheveled condition. When we boarded Reginia, I understood why: she looked the same way! Both boats are in various stages of disrepair and renovation. I was overwhelmed with relief.
This morning, Jill sent me another Facebook message which summarizes our mutual feelings.
“It was SO GREAT to meet you last night and see your beautiful boat. If we all lived on the coast it wouldn’t be half as special as the six of us (four of us restoring) but all of us having the same goal and dream.”
Lessons learned:
- Boat work is messy, dirty, time consuming and a labor of love
- The Rocky Mountains harbor landlubbers and seafaring strangers alike
- Don’t wait. Do it now!
Note: If you also agree with Paulo, “Like” his Facebook page.
Sundown Sailing Adventures 
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