The title of this blog is the only song that I know how to play on the guitar. I learned it in 1998, shortly before or after (can’t remember exactly when) I left to spend a year working as an au pair in Germany, and it has always been special to me. It comes to mind as I write this blog, as Dallas is preparing to fly back to the States on Saturday. He will be working for a former employer in San Diego for the next two months. We are relieved that he has this opportunity to pay our hefty NZ boat repair bills AND ensure that we will in fact get Pura Vida back to the U.S. despite the likelihood of additional costly repairs in the future. Nevertheless, it will be tough to be apart for so long.

I decided to stay here in NZ for a couple of reasons. Obviously, it is costly to fly back ($1,000 minimum), and the chances of getting full-time, short-term work as a psychologist are slim to none. More importantly, there is the work that remains to be done on the boat. Most major repairs are more or less completed, but someone needs to be here to facilitate the mechanic’s evaluation and repair of the port engine (thought to be a transmission problem), and we are overdue for our annual "bottom job". Each time I walk down the dock to the boat and see Pura Vida’s boot-stripe that is now merely speckled with anti-fouling paint along with the collection of dense, dark organic matter that is growing on her hulls, I am reminded of how ready I am to get hauled out of the water and give her "bottom" some TLC. If that isn’t enough motivation, there’s the realization that only these two items stand in our way of heading to Fiji soon after Dallas returns. So as much as it pains me to think of spending so much time away from my husband, the person to whom I’ve had constant access to share adventures, joys, concerns, observations, jokes, complaints, tears, etc. for the last year, it seems like a sensible and worthy sacrifice.

Summer sunset over Tauranga

Dallas has been giving everything a once-over in preparation for his departure, but only occasionally has he reminded me of a parent who is leaving their young child (i.e., boat) with a babysitter for the first time! In fairness, we had originally thought that I would have to sail the boat overnight to Warkworth where there is a travel-lift large enough to haul us out. Undoubtedly this would be a bit of an ordeal for which I would have to recruit a little help from my friends. But it’s looking like there is at least one other feasible alternative (getting taken out with a crane) that would allow me to stay here in Tauranga. An added benefit of staying here is the close proximity to friends like Martin who can keep me from spending way too much time on Facebook!

Speaking of Martin, it has been fun to watch he and Dallas help each other with boat projects, taking advantage of their complimentary skills. Dallas used his electrical engineering skills to repair Martin’s autopilot remote and his sewing machine motor. In turn, Martin helped us by welding a bit of extra length onto our bimini supports and patching up our chafed mainsail cover.

I’m hoping some of Martin’s sewing skills have rubbed off on me. I spent quite a bit of time struggling with our sewing machine in preparation for working on the mainsail cover but ultimately determined that there were problems with the machine beyond its inexperienced operator. I’m looking forward to seeing how we get along now that the “Barracuda” has been serviced, and I have a faint idea of what I’m doing.

For those who are wondering how I will hold up here in NZ in the next couple of months, check the blog. I will be sure to update you on my progress with tasks, local adventures, and overall state of mind!