In 2008 we thought that we’d take an 18-month hiatus from working as paid crew to buy a boat in California and sail it to Australia. It took us three and a half years to get to Fiji, and by then we well and truly knew that Kate was our home, not just a hiatus.

Over those three and a half years Steve had taken a couple contract jobs, leaving me onboard in San Diego and then in Panama for eight weeks. When we got to Fiji we decided to haul out and both look for work. We ended up being away for a year.

There was a stint apart due to work when we were in Tonga and another back in Fiji. A few years later I spent three months in the Western Solomon’s by myself. And then there was a couple times he left while we were in the Philippines. (I shall not re-visit the 6 week job that turned into a two year separation due to the pandemic here, not such happy memories.) After the pandemic we worked together on a boat in Australia.

Last year threw us a few financial curve balls. The work repairing the decks and the yard period both ending up much more extensive than we anticipated, being the main one. We made a decision a while ago that a priority for 2026 would be to make a little money and then make some decisions about which direction we want to sail, because we are kind of coming to a crossroads, geographically speaking.

Every one has a different strategy to making their sailing life work.

The way that we’ve stay afloat for so long, both literally and figuratively, is by returning to work every once in a while. And so, here we are again, taking some time to plump up the ‘cruising kitty.’ That means that for the past four weeks I have been pseudo single-handing while Steve has been away doing the hard yards working for the man.

I say pseudo single-handing because me and Kate and our cruising Kitten IRL have remained stationary.

Tucked up in Kudat, med moored in a defunct marina across from the boatyard. This location is exactly why we decided we were both ok with Steve departing for work. It is very sheltered, quiet, secure, and a short walk into a nice little town that has everything I need. I am comfortable here, the boat safe. And those two things have always been the priority when we do this. Without my 100% agreement about staying behind, Steve won’t leave.

Being apart for months at a time is not exactly routine for us, but it is definitely familiar territory. That being said, it doesn’t get any easier.

In the early days I used to have to go ashore with my laptop to a little hotel to find free wifi. Now I have 24/7 connectivity in my pocket. But that doesn’t make the disconnect any less bearable. The nights are still long, the days often lonely. When you are used to having your best friend,partner in crime, person you love most around ALL day, EVERY day, the absence feels magnified.

This month, while Steve has been on the tools, I have been on keyboard.
In the past two weeks I’ve written nearly 9000 words. Not just messy first draft words, but submittable, polished words. Which is why this blog post is late, because by Thursday afternoon, when I pressed send on the second article in a week, my eyes felt like they were going to fall out of head, and my brain felt mushy.

One month down, one to go

I am not complaining, I planned June to be a heavy writing month. Keeping my brain busy, certainly means less time to worry, less time to think about being alone. But I am definitely ready for July, and some more hands on projects – bring on the paint touch up, the varnishing, the sewing a new dodger! And, when I am feeling really ambitious, installing some new solar panels that were supposed to arrive before Steve departed and instead showed up nearly two weeks later.

Life always flows like the tides; in and out, highs and lows. Never the same height, never the same time, always predictably unpredictable. So, in the immortal words of Doug and the Slugs, I am taking it Day by Day. (And for those who are not familiar with Canadian 80s rock legends, I can only recommend YouTube.)

(And for those familiar with Doug and the Slugs, have you ever gone back and watched the video for Making it Work? A song more appropriate for our age now than when we were 10!)

Love,
H…&S