...and the love story continues

Not long after asking that fateful question, Tom and I found ourselves heading out to TrawlerFest in Greenport.  Since we are both working, we had to go on the eve of the actual event.  That turned out to be a good thing since a Kadey Krogen sales representative was available to meet with us, show us 2 boats and answer a barrage of questions.  If you don't believe in love at first sight, step aboard a Kadey Krogen yacht - you'll become a believer on the spot!  Once I was aboard, I roamed through one of the most beautiful boats I had ever seen!  The wood, finish work, layout and sheer liveability of the boat took me completely by surprise.  As I settled onto a settee, I envisioned myself reading a book while palm trees waved in a Caribbean breeze and blue water lapped gently on a hull that sparkled pure white in the sun.  Now if that image doesn't move you to jump up and write a check for the boat, what will I ask you?  Well, though that didn't actually happen, we came pretty close.  After spending a couple of hours on the two boats, we dragged ourselves back to reality and made our way home.  Can I tell you that the sole topic of conversation was THE BOAT?  Surprised?  The next day, Tom was on the phone with the sales rep and our dream began taking shape.  Tom was put in touch with a couple of owners and made arrangements to visit a boat.  Since I was occupied with bridal shower details, Tom went alone to see a locally owned boat.  When he came back, his eyes were popping!  I moved our checkbook a little closer to him while asking for all the details.  Shortly thereafter, our sales person called to say he found the perfect brokerage boat for us - a 2005 Kadey Krogen 39.  Small problem - the boat was in North Carolina.  Since it was now the month of our daughter's wedding, we had to contain ourselves while we got ready for our family's BIG DAY.  Not a small distraction you could say.  The wedding at Oheka Castle was a fairy tale wedding in every way.  The weather was gorgeous so we had the ceremony in the beautiful gardens, our daughter looked fabulous and the Oheka staff went over and above everything we had been promised.  What a thrill!  With the wedding behind us, we turned our thoughts to the BOAT.  In late October, we took a flight to North Carolina to finally meet the boat of our dreams.  We were not disappointed.  When we first saw her, she was docked in an end slip so that we could walk up and down and admire her beautiful lines.  Of course we had to share her that day with her owner, a marine surveyor and our sales person.  I tried to look nonchalant while the surveyor went about his business, making small talk and eating a "biscuit" with the owner, meanwhile my heart was racing.  When the surveyor announced that it was time to take her out, my nonchalant demeanor evaporated in a flash and the little girl in me popped out.  As the engines were started and lines cast off, I had a glimpse of what our lives could be like - a far cry from anything I had ever known.  We glided past other marinas, waved to fellow boaters and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.  Then I looked at the starboard (that's the boat's right side) window and nearly died.  The sky had turned black and I could see flashes of lightening.  As I valiantly tried to get everyone's attention (they were all smiles as if nothing unusual was happening outside), we exited the waterway through the inlet into the open ocean.  What timing - the heavens opened, it began to pour and the waves looked suspiciously close to the bow (which by the way, is quite a ways up from the water).  I tugged at Tom's sleeve to ask how high those waves actually were.  The few seconds that elapsed between my question and his answer were all I needed.  I began to get ready to board a lifeboat when I noticed the men looking at me as if I had taken leave of my senses.  They were so thrilled with the weather, that they failed to notice the sheen of cold sweat on my upper lip.  Once they opened the top of a dutch door in the pilothouse, I felt better, but was still ready to abandon ship.  The surveyor explained (did I detect a bit of condescension in his tone?) that the weather I was witnessing was absolutely perfect for a sea trial.  A trial for me or the boat I asked myself.  Well my husband was forced to answer my question and told me that the seas were between 8 and 10 feet and that the boat was built to handle them well.  What could I do at that point but hope he was right?  We eventually turned around and I must admit the ride was never violent or scary.  The boat was equipped with stabilizers that made for a comfortable ride despite big waves and swells.  By the time we got back to the marina, I was an old salt, waving and smiling as if I had been born on the water instead of in Brooklyn.  We celebrated our voyage in a quaint dockside restaurant and raised many toasts to the boat and her excellent sea trial.  The next morning we were having breakfast before our flight back home and of course discussing the boat.  A gentleman at the next table asked if we were boat owners and we answered "yes" in unison.  That moment defined how we would see ourselves going forward and what most of our future conversations would consist of.  As soon as we arrived in New York, we got busy making plans for the boat's purchase and eventually the checkbook did come out.  We became the proud owners of a 2005 Kadey Krogen 39 on November 5, 2009, the day our daughter was informed that she had successfully passed the New York State bar exam (the first time)!  When we asked ourselves who buys a boat in these economic times and why we were doing this, the answer was For Us!  Hence the name of the newest addition to our family.