Waiting on Weather

Our pretty home with a pretty bottom.

before

after

While we wait for the cold fronts to pass through and try not to turn green looking at the pretty pictures from friends already in the Bahamas, I started musing about the naming of boats. I didn't spend much time around boats growing up, my father wasn't so inclined, nor any of his friends. We lived on a river so there were boats, some moored in the cove where we swam, some at the yacht club in Rothesay where we went to school and church. One in particular, I remember with sweet feelings. It moored in the cove every summer, a small cabin cruiser owned by the Fawcett family. It was a small community, Renforth, so you knew who folks were and where they lived. Their children were older than us, so we didn't hang with them, though I had a summer crush on the son. Anyways, why the boat remains in my grey cells is because there was always a flag with the picture of a water tap (fawcet) flying.

Many boats are now residing as memories in my brain, some in my heart; "Hebride", "Slipstream", "Cygnus", "Arlene Cents Ans". Some names of other people's boats are remembered because they were inspiring like "Maturin" the name of the owner's tender. He owned the sweetest Stone Horse. We were on "Slipstream" our Samauri Sloop. We were on the hard in a yard on the North Fork of Long Island. A summer that will live in infamy because we had so much fun, Chris Urban and Harleys and wine and fresh corn!!!  I had to inquire the reason for the name which led me to the Aubrey/ Maturin books by Patrick O'Brian, the Master and Commander series. When we were living in Bermuda, there were lots of boats, especially the intriguing boats passing through from Europe or the U.S., or the famous boats like Cousteau's Calypso and The Royal Yacht Britannica. I remember "Sextasea", "Sextashore", the name of their tender. A big fishing boat called "Important Business" so his secretary wouldn't have to lie.

Being here at a working marina, I've seen a lot of boats coming and going this year, and as always, I've enjoyed seeing the names. Though there are some I wish with all my heart could be forgotten.

There are the strong names that compliment the owners and their boats.

Chantey

Hayalperest, Turkish for Dream

Kharisma, a play on his wife's name Kharis

Sojourn, a nice name for a sexy motor yacht.

Then there are the light-hearted names that bespeak "we just want to have fun"

But then there are the truly awful names that make you feel insulted and sorry for the boat.

And "there in hangs a tale"