The Escape III

    As both the day and the adrenaline rush waned, we settled in for the long slog south against the mighty current of the Gulf Stream. We set up a watch system allowing about three hours of sleep at a time. But as the sun slipped lower and lower toward the horizon, we found ourselves enthralled in the beauty of it all. Not just the visual aspects of it, but the entire sensory buffet that sailing offshore at sunset provides. The smell of the salt air, the sound of the water wind and boat, the
feeling of utter contentment with our choice of lifestyle. And to top all of it off, the sun began its seemingly magical descent. It looked as if the water was bubbling and boiling as the bottom of the glowing orb slowly dipped into the sea. The sun itself seemed to grow impossibly large and turned a deep shade of orange that no artisit could hope to capture. Lower and lower it sank until there was just a sliver of the brilliant ball left. The sky turned shades of red, violet and blue.

    Then we saw it. The fabled green flash. It came just as the sun sank below the line between the sea and the sky. It lasted just a fraction of a second but I know it is a memory that will stay with us for the rest of our days. We held each other tight as we lounged in the cockpit, neither of us daring to whisper a word in fear of perhaps breaking the spell of this special moment in our lives. A bond formed between us then. A bond of shared experiences that few couples can claim.

    My growling stomache brought us back to the reality that is sailing. The intense experiences of the day had given us a ravenous appetite. She kept watch while I went below for the first time at sea to prepare the best dinner I could given the
movement of the boat. It was trial and error as I figured out how much water a pot could hold without spilling in a seaway. After what seemed an eternity, I emerged back topside with a tray full of food. There were hotdogs, coleslaw, deli meats
rolled in swiss and provolone cheese, and her favorite, dill pickle spears. Yes, a meal fit for royalty. We dined under a blanket of stars and watched as the moon rose from the black water of the ocean.

    With the dishes cleaned and stowed, I took the first shift of the night while she went to her bunk below. I could hear that she turned on some soft music and smiled when I saw her brushing her teeth while staring out the port in the cabin. All
my worries of her not taking to this life were in vain. For that matter, my worries of me having a hard time adapting seemed to be in vain as well. These thoughts led to others as my mind drifted like a jellyfish in the sea.

    In what seemed a blink of an eye, I noticed the eastern horizon beginning to show some light as the inky blackness of the night sky gave way to the deep blue and violet hues of dawn. Had I really stayed awake on watch the entire night or had I slept? I checked the GPS and saw we were still on course and noticed we were south of Cape Fear. With the realization that I had indeed been awake all night, although I can't claim to have been alertly "on watch", I began to feel quite sleepy. I went below to wake her up and literally fell into the berth the second she arose. Not hearing the protests she threw at me for cheating her out of her watch.