Friends on Board

When we left to go sailing many friends said they’d come and visit. So far, the awesome ones who really did can be counted with one hand.

It’s always a pleasure to have friends on board, and always curious to observe how different people adjust to life afloat. Most get seasick during passages but people deal with it in a very different ways. Before our first visitors, other cruising friends recommended to clarify the finances before they’d step on board. They tend to have a boat kitty where everyone throws in equal amounts and when it’s empty, the process is repeated.

With the best of intentions, we barely manage to keep our weekly expenses up to date. Excel spreadsheets are just not my thing and Pablo, when not working, seems to switch his accounting brain off. So, we tend to just play it by ear and so far this has worked just fine. Everyone chucks in fairly, and although we tend to eat out and stay in marinas more when friends are around, them contributing usually means we end up spending about the same we usually do plus get the added holiday feel they bring and of course great company.

From Turkey past Rhodes, to Tilos and Crete we had my close friend and great sailor Chris on board and when he left less than a week ago, we were all sad to see him go. I say great sailor not because he’s had heaps of sailing experience, but because his attitude couldn’t have been any better. When there was work to be done, he helped, from washing the dishes, over lowering the dinghy, to cleaning the bilge (special thanks again for that!) or looking after the kids. Him missing out on sushi during our thirty hour passage from Tilos to Crete due to constant throwing up didn’t change anything in this attitude and contagious smile. Even feeling sick, he’d still be there had we really needed him.

Some people get it, and some don’t. And he definitely did. It sounds really quite simple, but the right attitude is all you need to make yourself invaluable on a boat. Previous sailing experience is not a necessary at all.