June 27, 2010 - Newport Harbor

Mata'irea in mixed company at Newport Shipyard - flanked by Pangea and Hanuman and across the dock from Speedboat - and oh yeah, Meteor is just off screen to the right

We woke up this morning still tied to the dock in the Newport Shipyard. While we waited for the boat behind us to move so that we could get out of our slip we went for a walk in the Point, one of the oldest neighborhoods in Newport, which is chock full of old colonial and federal homes. It is one of our favorite neighborhoods and it was a pleasure to stroll around it on a sleepy Sunday morning, peaking into the gorgeous gardens hidden behind wooden fences.

Eventually the boat behind us moved out of the slip and we were able to head back out to our mooring. It was very cool to be in the Shipyard for the party yesterday, but I love the peace and quiet of being out on a mooring in the middle of the harbor.

Our first ten days back home were filled with reunions and getting Mata'irea tidied up for yesterday's party. We were so busy that we hardly had time to think about what was next. But during the party yesterday, that was one of the questions our friends and family asked us again and again.

What now? It is a question we have answered dozens of times over the past 10 days. There are some job and business opportunities that we want to explore, but the truth is we really don't know what will be next for us. We do know that we don't want to slip into old routines and old habits. We have an opportunity to deliberately create and shape a future and way of life for ourselves that suits us. We're going to do our best to avoid being pressured or lulled into a situation that doesn't work for us.

We could find ourselves sailing south for the winter. The Bahamas are beckoning. And we know that living on a boat, floating on aqua blue water, snorkeling, fishing, and exploring new places, cultures and cuisines is a way of life that suits us to a T.

But first we are going to spend our time helping out our family. Sten's grandmother in Providence has a list of projects just waiting for his attention, so we're going to catch a lift up there tomorrow to spend the day with her. Later this week we are going to drop Suzy off at the airport and borrow her car for a few days while she is in Florida visiting a friend. We'll take advantage of having wheels and head on up to Boston to help my sister out with some renovations on her house. Alena did so much to help us when we were getting Mata'irea for our circumnavigation - she made new cockpit and salon cushions, fender and sail covers, and mattresses for us - it is our turn to help her out.

And for the rest of the summer, who knows? This a glorious time of year here in New England and we mean to take full advantage of it. We're already planning to take Mata'irea out Block Island, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. If we get really ambitious maybe we'll make it up to Maine. Or maybe not.