The Harbor of Hospitality

Teresa Carey Words 16 Comments

I arrived in Elizabeth City with plans to stay for a few days. Some of my sailing friends were there, and I was excited for the reunion and the following days that would likely be a three boat convoy. Benji aboard Elizabeth, Chad and Nicole aboard Sabbatical, and Dory and I aboard Daphne. A trio of sailboats rafting up for dinner parties, deciding anchorages via the radio, seeing who would sail more and motor less, and all bound for warmer weather.

The Intercoastal Waterway is to sailing like the Apalachain Trail is to hiking. It’s a great place to start, establish your routines, learn from others, and join a network of fellow wandering sailors that will serve as a dynamic community and safety net. This, however, is not my kind of “sailing” where the canals are so narrow that the only way to make progress is to motor.

As a single-handed sailor, it becomes even less interesting and more of a chore when constant attention at the helm is required. The canals were so narrow and curvy that I couldn’t even step away long enough to go to the bathroom. Instead, I darted down for a second to grab my boom box. Then ran back to the tiller. Re-adjusted my steering and darted down again for an apple, and again to plug in the boom box, and again for a jug of water. Back and forth I darted. My salvation came when I turned on the music, the only time I have listened to music underway. I turned it up loud and danced at the helm for hours. Dory was my audience ad sometimes my dance partner. I am eager to get past this part of the trip, but not without stopping in Elizabeth City, the home of the Rose Buddies. Here is where every woman gets a rose, every sailor gets a ride to the grocery store, and every boat gets free dock space for a night.

Elizabeth City, also known as the “harbor of hospitality” hosts a welcome party for the sailors in the evenings. Wine and cheese. Some northbound folks said that there were at least fifty sailors at the last party. Perhaps our little convoy would grow to be four or five boats. But I wasn’t holding my breath. It was hard enough keeping up with the others and their larger, faster boats, and I didn’t see any other sailors on the waterway who were single-handed sailing a boat as small as mine.

Comments 16

  1. Butch Petty

    Cute little “boom box” and your pretty cute too. 🙂 Looks like you are enjoying life. Thats what counts. 🙂

    Wonder On Sailor ! New horizons abound. 🙂

    Butch

  2. SailingSimplicity

    Rosie,
    I think its a great idea and really seems to be catching on all over. It sounds a lot like a project that I helped pilot this summer. There was an article about it in the local paper you may be interested in:

    “From Mabel to Table: a combined sailing and agriculture experience that involves the historic use of an open sailing vessel and bringing Island-grown produce to market.”
    You can find it here: http://www.mvtimes.com/marthas-vineyard/news/2009/06/25/mabel.php or in the “In the News” section of this blog.

    Also, there is another great company called Sail Transport Company (different from Sail Transport Network), and their site is here: http://www.sailtransportcompany.com/

  3. FRAN

    when do you anticipate your arrival?…..I am glad to see you smiling (I miss seeing that in person)…I’m still shedding tears over the bikes, etc……………love you

  4. Gene

    Hey Teresa!, the last time I read your blog was… June I believe? It’s great to see you’re still doing your thing! Plus, you’re still an inspiration 🙂 Goodluck!, Gene

    P.S.- Inspirational Quote Time, “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain

  5. ashika

    omg! i am so happy to have found your blog-i have been thinking of just sailing around the world, for a few months now- i am currently reading “all in the same boat”by Fiona Mccall and Paul Howard-who started their adventure from the Saint Lawrence river to South America,South Atlantic and Africa! i been curious to know if its possible to sail alone- and thanks to you- the answer is yes! 😛

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  7. Peri

    Hello,

    My name is Peri. I am a design student and doing a project about modern nomadism. I have read your blog and I find it very interesting. I was wondering if you follow 100 things challenge?Or maybe you don’t have to because already living this way makes you consume less.

    Thank you,

    Peri

  8. Peri

    Hello,

    My name is Peri. I am a design student and doing a project about modern nomadism. I have read your blog and I find it very interesting. I was wondering if you follow 100 things challenge?Or maybe you don’t have to because already living this way makes you consume less.

    Thank you,

    Peri
    dt701pi@gold.ac.uk

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