Steve

I grew up on the water in New York, on Long Island, and over the years I’ve owned several sizes and types of boats and have been boating for most of my life (first boat at 10).  While living in Northern California in the mid 1990’s (with a ski boat for the lakes) I decided to shed the confines and all the trappings of home ownership, sold or gave away everything and bought a 42′ sun deck trawler in San Diego.  I had many friends who didn’t understand why I wanted to live and travel on a boat in the ocean.  I got questions like: “What if you breakdown at sea?” “What if you get hit by bad weather?” “What about the fog down there?” “What if you run into pirates?” “What if they rob you…or worse?”  My answer was usually, “I don’t know, I’ll figure it out when/if it happens.”  After a BOATLOAD of questions, my answer became “Who cares” and the boat’s name was born!

I lived and cruised on this first “Whocares” in Southern California (San Diego harbor and surrounding Pacific waters, Mission Bay and Catalina) and Mexico (in many ports and anchorages from Ensenada to Ixtapa and return).  After several years I was ready for a change, sold the boat, and traded up for a 48′ Hatteras Long Range Cruiser I bought in Clinton River, Michigan.  I enjoyed several months cruising the Great Lakes, canals, and East Coast waters from Michigan to Florida.  I lived on the Hatteras in Ft. Lauderdale while inventing, overseeing manufacturing and marketing Freedom Fenders, a new design of boat fender.  Then on to The Abacos, Bahamas where I enjoyed cruising for several years before selling the boat.

After six years as a “dirt dweller” in North Carolina, I needed to get back on a boat!  I bought a second 48′ Hatteras LRC (my third “Whocares”) in March of 2013.  By October it was clear the boat wasn’t ready for my initial plan for the winter of 2013/14 to cruise down the ICW and over to the Bahamas.  I continued repairing and updating the Hatteras in North Carolina while making final plans for the following winter.  I was talking to Debbie, a longtime friend, on the phone a week later about my plans, boat progress and my concerns for finding a suitable six month crew member.  I told her it’s almost impossible to have smooth cruising with an ever-changing crew (temporary, or friends/family on vacation).  I needed someone who could commit to being on the boat for six months.  Debbie said, “I wish I could do that.”  I said, “You can.”  There was silence for only a moment and she said, “I can!”  I had my crew.

During the next year I continued to work on “Whocares” and research the unlimited options we had for this trip while Debbie and I made plans for her arrival, provisioning, and where we wanted to go/what we wanted to see.  She arrived in October 2014 and so our adventure and blog begins.

Debbie

Steve purchased his third “Whocares” in March of 2013 and began the task of getting the boat in tip top shape for cruising the south/east coast ICW, Florida Keys and the Bahamas. Near the end of 2013 he was making plans to head out the following winter and considering his need and options for a crew member.  I had been planning several extended vacations to visit but when Steve said he also needed someone to crew who could commit to being on the boat for six months I said, “I wish I could do that.”  He said, “You can.”  I thought about it for a few seconds and then said, “I can!” And so I did!!

I was born and raised in San Diego and have been a water lover all my life.  My happy place is the beach or almost anywhere near, in or on the water.  My parents had a boat as I grew up in SD and then as an adult in Northern California my family and I owned a boat and enjoyed many years playing on several area lakes.  Steve and I have been friends since the early 1990’s when we met while both living in Northern California.  My family and I had vacationed and cruised on his two previous “Whocares” motor yachts in San Diego, Mexico and the Bahamas and visited him many times when he was a “dirt dweller” in Marsh Harbor (Bahamas) and North Carolina.

Cruising and living on “Whocares” motor yacht/vessel #3 is an awesome opportunity!!! I was CRAZY EXCITED and a little bit apprehensive (make that A LOT!) to commit to 6 months as “First Mate” on this third “Whocares.”  What if I don’t like living on a boat?  What if I can’t learn/do what’s expected of me?  What if Steve and I don’t get along after 2 weeks, 24/7 in a confined space (14 days was my longest stint on his previous two yachts)?  What if I freak out when we hit bad weather…or when I CAN’T SEE LAND?!!  As you can see, as excited as I was, I could scare myself right out of this new adventure.   I realized I needed to heed the attitude the boat name portrays…. Whocares!!!   It became my new mantra for the next 11 months!  Let the adventure begin!!!

Update November 15, 2014:  So, today is day 13 of the cruise from New Bern, NC to Ft. Lauderdale, and day 18 since I landed in North Carolina from San Diego, moving onto the boat.  I want to say, I AM IN LOVE WITH BOAT LIFE!!!  I LOVE everything about boating:  living on a boat, traveling in your home, navigating the waterways, rules and etiquette on the waterways, boat “lingo” and terminology, docking and getting underway, monitoring the many systems on the boat…LOVE IT!

Steve is an excellent teacher with “the patience of Job.”  No stress and his favorite saying? “It will all become apparent before it becomes critical.”  He is also generous with complements and considerate when it comes to constructive criticism.  I had forgotten some of the boating terminology (and there was a lot I never knew) and when I started by saying something about the “ropes,” Steve would patiently say “lines,” I would repeat “lines.”  A few hours later I would say “ropes” and again, just as patiently, Steve would say “lines,” “lines” I would repeat.  Same thing with the “maps.” Steve, patiently “charts,” I would repeat “charts.”  I am slightly embarrassed to say how often that happened before I finally got it….so I won’t. “WHO CARES” 😉

Steve shows his confidence in me in many ways, and thereby builds my confidence: Leaving me in charge of the helm while he consults the charts or waterway guide, or accepts a phone call; allowing me to navigate through fixed bridges, winding creeks and ocean inlets; trusting my directions when navigating through channel markers; trusting my watch on our depth without trying to sneak a peek in areas of shallow water; leaving me alone in the pilothouse while he attends to something in another part of the boat…  He has checked the engine room several times a day every day for the last 13 days, leaving me alone in the pilothouse to run the boat!  Weeee!!

Did I say I love boat life? !!!  Thank you Captain Steve!!!