Greetings All!
One year ago this Christmas my boyfriend Sam and I were sitting in our apartment in a pretty rough area of St.Marten in the Caribbean with hardly a dime between us enjoying a bittersweet Christmas, my first ever away from my family. This year, after traveling on five different continents and sailing across an ocean, Sam and I (considerably better off!) will be spending Christmas on board the yacht we work on back in the sun-drenched Caribbean.
This year has marked a lot of “firsts” for me.
I celebrated my 22nd birthday last spring with my boyfriend’s family in SE Australia, near a town called Byron Bay. There I saw my first Kangaroos, drove on the wrong side of the road for the first time, walked on “squeaky sand” which I never knew existed and became the victim of my first ever leech. Needless to say, it was amazing. The months there also marked my first ever visit to the Southern hemisphere, and the unfamiliar stars at night unnerved me at first. I am also proud to say that I quit smoking during this trip, and today it has been 7 months and three days since my last cigarette!
This year was also the first time that I have brought a boyfriend home to meet my family. Sam, an English/Australian surfer and my partner of two years came back to Olympia with me last summer. We spent nearly three months with my family and friends, exploring my old hangouts, camping, riding horses and enjoying all that the NW has to offer. But with fall quickly approaching it was time to head back to warmer waters.
One afternoon in August we received a phone call from some friends, offering us a job working with them aboard a 76’ catamaran sail boat currently cruising in the Mediterranean Sea, but destined for the Caribbean. We said yes almost immediately, and the next thing I knew we were on a plane to Europe to get on board. Two weeks later, we sailed out of Villamoura, Portugal and headed across the Atlantic Ocean. The first stop was the Canary Islands, 600 miles SE, then another 800 miles to the Cape Verde Islands off the coast of Senegal, Africa And then of course, the 2500 miles across the open ocean to Antigua back in the Caribbean. It took 20 days in all, and we made good time even without much wind. On this trip I learned more about myself than I thought possible. With countless hours with nothing to do but stare at the never ending and un-broken horizon, one has a lot of time for self-reflection. I saw whales and dolphins playing in our bow wake, I saw sunrises and sunsets whose beauty are unrivaled by any others I have ever seen, and every night I saw stars so clear it was hard to believe.
And so here I am, sitting on a white sand beach under an almond tree, looking out at blue water. I have grown this year, I am well on the path to becoming the woman that I will end up, and it is fascinating to watch myself in the mirror becoming a proper adult.
I have met so many amazing people this year, learned so much from seasoned veterans and even taught a few grommets a thing or two. And always my heart is with all of my friends and family, the ones I’ve known forever back home, and the ones scattered all over the world.
So, wherever in the world you happen to be, Happy Holidays and a wonderful New Year!
Much Love,
Cadence Tess
