I’m sailing up to Airlie beach this week with my wife. We’ve loved sailing since we were little. We met through sailing when we were very young and grew up sailing together every summer throughout our childhood. As a child I enjoyed every minute on the water with my now-wife. At the time she was the light of my life and although I didn’t tell her (and never have told her this), I mostly loved sailing because I loved spending time with her.
I asked her to be my girlfriend over thirty years ago and I’ve never looked back. We were on a boat with friends one summer evening and it was our job to stand near the rod holders in case any of us managed to catch a fish. At the time we were great sailors and below average fishers. I can only remember a handful of times where any one of us managed to catch something. Anyway, the sun was setting and my heart was racing. I had had a crush on this girl for years and was finally confident enough to tell her. At one point I was so nervous that I thought I was going to faint, but I managed to hold it together long enough to string a couple of semi-comprehensible words together and ask her to be my girlfriend. To this day I still remember the way her eyes lit up. They were more vibrant than the sunset behind her. I still swoon every time the memory pops into my head. She was and still is the light of my life.
As we prepare for our sailing trip up to Airlie beach, it’s my job to make sure everything is in order with the boat. The first thing on my list to check is the boat latch. Melbourne bays are notoriously rough which can cause the boat latch to wear over time. I wouldn’t want our boat to float away while we’re sleeping on it one night, so I’m getting that checked first thing in the morning.