Devastating Loss. Tragic.

Port Charlotte, FL

[The names below have been changed to protect the privacy of our friends.   I'll call them B&J and their vessel W]

We got a horrible text message last night.

Very bad news.  W was destroyed by Matthew.  He took all the docks and the 25 boats in the marina.  The house is in good shape with a tree leaning on the roof.

Just last year, B&J bought a house in SC.  They chose it because of the nearby marina where they could keep their beloved boat W.   They have been cruising on W for 20 years.

Libby and I could hardly sleep last night imagining the horror of B&J learning that bad news.  Next to the death of a family member, it is hard to imagine a more personal tragedy.

After 20 years of cruising, and tweaking the boat and its contents to make it a home (or a second home), your very identity becomes entwined with the vessel.   That's how Libby and I feel about Tarwathie.

No insurance settlement check could do much to ease the pain.

Many people have asked us this year, "What will you do after cruising?"   We don't have an answer, but we have been talking about it.  High on the list, is to tie Tarwathie up to a dock someplace and become "live aboards" instead of "cruisers"  We couldn't stand giving Tarwathie up.  I mention this to help explain how devastating W's loss must have been to B&J.

B&J our hearts are with you.