It helps to have interesting friends! My high school pal Kathleen is married to a tall ship captain, Jamie. (In both senses: he is the captain of a tall ship, and also literally tall.) He helms the Manitou, a replica of an 1800s schooner sailing out of Traverse City, Michigan. A week ago Heather and I took Lucy and Ingrid for an overnight sail on the Manitou, and I highly recommend it! (You can book your own trip here.)
It was a twenty-four hour trip, sailing out on Friday afternoon and coming back Saturday afternoon. We particularly enjoyed how passengers were invited to participate in some of the physical work on board such as hauling ropes to raise the sails—it makes you feel like you’re part of the crew! In the galley, the chef Lexi made delicious breakfast, lunches, dinner, and snacks, and I was surprised at the elaborate meals she managed to create in such a small space. The cabins were similarly cozy:
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It was fun and relaxing to hang out with Jamie and Kathleen and the crew, as well as all the other passengers. There’s plenty of time to chat, and the vibe was very chill. Relaxing under the stars at night was a treat. (Living in the city, I don’t often get to see so many stars and the Milky Way . . . plus four shooting stars!) Captain Jamie gave some talks that helped us understand the history of the boat and the history of the area. We sailed to Power Island, and hiking around there was a great way to break up the trip. Here’s Jamie and Lucy on the island:
Kathleen and I have known each other since we were freshmen in high school. We even went to the Homecoming dance together! Here we are, then and now:
As I wrap this post, I recall that the very first post of this blog mentions Kathleen and Jamie—when they came to Chicago on his then-current ship, The Pride of Baltimore II, and Heather and I took our niece and nephew Freya and Theo onto it. As I read that old post, I’m struck at how much has changed since I started this blog in 2008. Freya and Theo are both adults now. Back then, I was in my band Brilliant Pebbles, and most of the post is about that—being in that band had been such a huge part of my life back then! That was before Lucy was born, and before Ingrid was born, and none of my books had come out yet, and I hadn’t yet even conceived of the 90-Second Newbery Film Festival. And of course so much more.
So much has changed in the first sixteen years of this blog. I wonder what will change in the next sixteen years?