December 31, 2017
Midnight… just one of twenty four hours that pass every day.
Except for the fact that midnight is the fleeting moment when yesterday, today, and tomorrow merge into one. Today becomes yesterday while, simultaneously, it becomes tomorrow.
Midnight… December 31… really no different than three hundred sixty four others that pass every year.
Except for the fact that it is the fleeting moment when last year, this year, and next year merge into one. This year becomes last year while, simultaneously, it becomes next year.
Both a little bit of Twilight Zone mixed with a little bit of pixie dust… no better makings for an epic party. New Years Eve contemplation and soul-searching seems to be as much about reflecting back as it is about looking forward.
One year ago Kris and I were on a tiny island in Borneo, Malaysia. The same island we had spent most of the last eight years on.
From the standpoint of managers, we were at the end of our rope.
In the end, I suppose, whether the task was more than two people were capable of doing or whether we bit off more than we could chew personally, is not really relevant. As managers for Scuba Junkie’s Mabul Beach Resort, we put forth the same 150% effort we had demonstrated since arriving in 2009. Our tanks were empty and we simply had nothing left to give.
From the standpoint of being Scuba Junkies for life, we could never have hoped for more.
The invitation extended to us by owners, Ric and Tino, to work as dive instructors at one of the most diverse and amazing locations in the world, was truly the catalyst in building our confidence that we could actually make a living internationally in the dive industry.
Though we were mentally frayed by the end of 2016, the experience we amassed as divers, instructors, residents, and eventually even as mangers in such a remote location was priceless. In addition, we had gained an international network of friends and Scuba Junkie family we could now reach out to, regardless of where in the world we found ourselves.
The mutual decision to up the ante one step further and buy a sailboat rejuvenated our sense of exploration and adventure, strengthened our resolve, and re-energized our ambitions.
Though we had already been studying her online for a year in Borneo (after Swiftsure Yachts first posted the listing), Exit seemed just outside of our grasp, both financially and timing-wise. Kris and I had watched many other boats listed and sold during that time; we fully realized the chances of Exit still being on the market when we were ready were slim to none. And then, as if in a seemingly perfect convergence of circumstances, good fortune, and tenacious ambition, we acquired Exit within only about three months of returning to the States.
Suddenly, we again found ourselves in unchartered territory with a steep learning curve… loving every minute of it! The support of our friends and family make the adventure even more rewarding.
2017 has been an incredible and amazing year… unforgettable experiences coupled with an unbelievable list of firsts for us. Yet, we have only scratched the surface; only sailed part of a single coastline on a planet two-thirds covered by water.
Since climbing aboard her in July, we have always known that Exit would take care of us… she can certainly handle more than we can. But, with every passing day, we learn more.
Shallow draft and deep commitment… we wouldn’t have it any other way.
sv-exit.com 