March 5, 2004
Nassau

Joining this vessel's adventurous voyage was at once the most difficult and yet the easiest decision I have ever made. Who wouldn't jump at the chance to leave the city life or a couple of months and join a friend in the Bahamas for some serious fun. It has always been a dream of mine to spend a loooong time on a sailboat, but not having any sailing experience made the realization of this dream difficult. This opportunity then, was the chance of a lifetime and I just couldn't pass it up.

Once I had decided to go though, not more than 3 weeks ago I believe it was, the reality set in: I was getting a one-way ticket to a land I had never visited, to spend 24-7 with a guy I barely was acquainted with, on a boat I had not been on more than 3 hours before, sailing for possibly 3 months when I didn't even know if I liked sailing! Some intense 2am conversations with God ensued, and everyday, though I was delighted at the prospect of going, I had to battle serious fears to make it a reality.

Nonetheless, things got off to a great start when, on March 1st, the appointed date with Afterblue destiny, Maciek and I actually recognized each other at our rendezvous: "The Crocodile". After spending all day and night in 4 different airports, I was pretty ready to crash and cry with relief at seeing a friendly face, though he was both more browned and blonder than I had remembered. After a month of talking to himself and his faithful sloop, the Skipper was not easily going to let me rest, no, it was 2am that night before we finally wound down the conversation.

Brilliant points for Tobi:

• 100pts for getting 100+ lbs of luggage through for free on 3 different carriers
• 200 pts for winning over Bahamian Immigration official with a smile and a promise to have the right documents in hand "next time"
• 20 pts for remembering the name of the bar where we were to meet
• 30 pts for enjoying getting swindled by the taxi driver
• 400 pts for providing the first amusing moment for Maciek when I applied sunscreen at 10:30 at night, so as not to waste the lotion that had exploded in my bag

Each day since our eventful start has been a better and sweeter experience than the one before. Daily, we visit the local resort for the rich, a massive compound by the name of Atlantis, where we use their showers and beach access, watch their free movies and revel in luxurious bathrooms. Day 2, while taking a stroll through the world's largest underwater aquarium to see the barracudas, sharks and schools of interesting fish up close, we had Tobi's second amusing incident, that of walking flush into the heavy glass trying to get close to a swordfish. Visiting the town, Nassau is the capital city of the Bahamas, has a few interesting points: most of which involve watching tourists disembark from their pregnant cruise ships and seeing them hassled, reeled in, shaved and shorn without mercy by the locals.

But to be home, the sweet little bobbing couch on the sea, is the coziest and happiest place you can imagine. Cozy and close. There's going to be a few hurdles I'm sure as we get more used to each other down the road, but for now it's a fun time figuring out how to make living together work. It helps, of course, that I am a rough and tumble country girl at heart, who doesn't mind peeing in a bucket, eating hash and eggs and not bathing for days other than what washes off while swimming. The longer I am here, the more convinced I am that this is the life I was born for. I can't wait to learn to sail, and already have mastered the art of getting into the dinghy, Lil' Blue, without upsetting it. Tying knots, rowing, hoisting sails, anchoring... all these lessons and more I eagerly anticipate.

More exciting snapshots and all-too-amusing moments to come I'm sure. For the moment we are just waiting for the wind to change so we can be blown to our next destination.....

Tobi