Angie | Sailing For The Son

The Wave

In Key West, my husband bought me this beautiful ring in celebration of our 11th wedding anniversary. I love it. The wave ring symbolizes acknowledging and navigating the ups and downs of life.

I’ve been through a tornado, as well as the ups and downs of ocean waves bigger than I like. A wave is usually caused by wind moving across the surface of the water. These waves can be gentle rolling waves. Waves can also be caused by storms. The barometric pressure changes of storms can cause large waves-think hurricanes. Underwater shifts like earthquakes or volcanic eruptions can cause massive waves-think tsunamis. And, obviously, the gravitational pull of the sun and moon causes waves associated with the normal tides.

The serenity of Treasure Cay, Abaco, Bahamas

I know that I can’t control the wind and the waves, but I can say that I know the One who does. Years ago I gave my life to Jesus Christ, the one and only Son of God. The Book of Genesis records that God Himself created heaven and earth and everything and everyone in it. In fact, He formed man and woman in His own image. How do you like that? We are literally image bearers of the God of the Universe, created to have a relationship with Him! Walking alone, we have no hope of navigating the highs and lows of this world, but walking with the Savior of the world all things are possible (Mark 9:23).

Matthew 8:27 records Jesus in a boat with his disciples in the Sea of Galilee. Jesus was asleep when a storm arose. Afraid, the disciples woke Jesus, who calmed the storm with his spoken word. The men responded: “Who is this man, that even the wind and the waves obey him?”

Psalm 89:9 reads, “You rule over the surging sea. When the waves mount up, You still them.”

In John 8:12 Jesus tells us that He is the light of the world. In John 16:23 He records, “I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble, but take heart! I have overcome the world.”

I’m not here to tell you that my life as a Christian is all calm seas and smooth sailing. But I am saying that my life as a believer has been a great adventure of highs and lows as I seek to follow my Savior. He has promised that He has great plans for me, plans to prosper me, not to harm me; plans for a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11).” And that’s good enough for me. So, I’ll happily wear my pretty wave ring, sleep well tonight, and get up tomorrow ready for another adventure.

If you don’t yet know Jesus Christ, I’d love to talk with you about Him. He has a joyful adventure planned for your life, too! Please, contact me at [email protected]

Who’s chicken?

In Key West for our anniversary week, my husband, Bill, and I stopped at Wahlburgers for lunch overlooking the Historic Seaport. The day was warm and sunny, and after a few hours strolling the Harborwalk, we needed a relaxing lunch stop with good food and cold drinks. Shady patio seating next to a fan at Wahlburgers fit the bill.

Key West chickens are protected by law in the city limits and love to hangout at Wahlburgers’ patio, as well as everywhere else in Key West. I’m actually fond of chickens. My mom grew up on a farm in Iowa and as a child I spent lots of time there with my grandparents. I have sweet memories of gathering eggs in the chicken coop with my grandma. Bill and I were entertained by the rooster and chickens milling around while we enjoyed a delicious lunch. I highly recommend the thin crispy onion rings. Bill recommends the Blackened Grouper BLT.

Evidently, this rebellious rooster likes the Blackened Grouper BLT as much or more than my husband does. I know this because…right in the middle of dinner he flew over Bill’s head (scratching the bald part just a bit), landed on our table, grabbed Bill’s sandwich and then continued on his merry way! All the while we just sat there staring at each other wondering what just happened! Well, I might have screamed a little, but really, you would have screamed too if a rooster was flying through the air within a foot of your face, carrying a sandwich! That’s just not something a person sees on a regular basis. Or is it? I guess I don’t really know. Hmm…sounds like I need to spend more time in Key West, doesn’t it? I like thin crispy onion rings, but I LOVE sleuthing out a good mystery…

Treasuring Guidance from God

The beach at Treasure Cay, Abaco, Bahamas, is the most beautiful beach in the world. Or the most beautiful beach in the Caribbean. Anyway, it’s the most beautiful beach to my husband, Bill, and I, even though it’s not on those “official” lists. Wait a minute, this is my story, so I get to tell it the way I see it. Starting over: The beach at Treasure Cay is the most beautiful beach in the world. My husband and I have enjoyed a lot of good times there. The water is simply an unbelievable color I call “Bahamian Blue”. My friend, Kelly, and I made that up because there are no other words for it. Bill and I love walking the beach, cooling off in the water, resting under the palm trees, watching the dolphins play, as well as enjoying dinner and umbrella drinks at the beach bar.

Unfortunately, Hurricane Dorian devastated Abaco in September 2019. The extensive damage precluded travel to the islands for the winter sailing season in 2019. The Covid 19 pandemic stole our plans to sail to Abaco in November 2020. So, when a neighbor asked Bill to help him move his boat to Abaco in May 2021, and invited me to join in, we were excited!

The sail to Abaco was estimated to take 3 1/2 days straight through. I’m not a big fan of long voyages, I much prefer sailing few hours, then stopping to enjoy the day on a sandy beach somewhere. But that wasn’t the plan for this passage, it actually wasn’t even possible, but that doesn’t keep it from being my preference! I did a fair amount of praying for God’s guidance on whether or not I was meant to accompany the guys on this trip. My presence wasn’t required, as two captains were going, and I don’t even know how to drive a catamaran. But my husband wanted me to join them, and, of course, I was daydreaming about that Bahamian Blue water!

The morning of Thursday, May 27, 2021, the three of us departed Jacksonville, Florida, planning to arrive in Abaco the morning of Monday, May 31st. Two dolphins met us at the mouth of the St. Johns River-I’m sure they were there to bid us bon voyage!

Feeling confident in the “faith over fear” t-shirt that my daughter, Becky, made for me!

We had nice weather for the entire first day and the sunset was spectacular!

Sometime during the night, while Bill and I were sleeping in the cockpit, I began to smell burning rubber. The next thing I knew Bill shot up like a rocket and yelled “shut the engine down”! Although while we were in forward motion I was feeling fine, as soon as we stopped, the waves really started to make me sea sick. We backtracked 20 miles and required the assistance of a tow boat to safely dock in St. Augustine. My anxiety was rising. My confidence in being able to continue on this voyage was falling fast. I stepped off the boat to ease my tummy and pray for God’s guidance.

The Bible is full of God’s guidance for us, and, although I don’t do it perfectly, I do seek God’s will on a daily basis.

Obedience to God’s Word is an important tenet in my life, as I hope it is in yours, as well. But just how does God speak to us today? I believe God reveals His Word to us through the Bible, through the church, through fellow Christians, and through our conscience thoughts.

So, I found a shady spot on the dock, sat down, sent off a couple texts summarizing my situation and asking for prayer. Then, I closed my eyes and asked Jesus to show me whether He wanted me to continue on this sailing trip, or return to Jacksonville on that Friday morning. Just as my tummy calmed down, and my anxiety began to retreat, I started getting texts from my Bible study girlfriends. My husband and I attend an online Bible Study based in Nebraska and we lead a small in-person Bible Study in Jacksonville. Cheryl and Tatiana, the only ladies from our tiny Bible Study, each provided a way back to Jacksonville for me that day. Unbelievable, huh? Coincidence that both families had already planned to be in St. Augustine that day anyway? I don’t think so!

I spoke with Bill about it and we decided together that God was providing a way for me to graciously de-board before I threw up or started crying! Moments before I stepped off the boat, two more dolphins showed up-I took that as another vote of confidence.

The boat was repaired and headed South, while I headed North with Cheryl. However, although safe, my husband later told me that the weather was rough the second night, which he knows would have made me sick, and that the boat continued to have engine troubles off and on for the next few days. Bill enjoyed the passage, and learned a lot along the way, but I’m sure thankful that I listened to God pointing me back to Jacksonville.

Do you believe that God still speaks to His people today? Are you listening for Him?

By the way, Becky balked when I indicated that she gave me a broken t-shirt!

Beauty Inside and Out

As my husband, Bill, and I walked through a quiet neighborhood in Key West, I was struck by the care taken in the landscaping of these tiny front lawns. And I really do mean tiny front lawns! The yards were maybe five feet deep and barely wider than the small homes themselves. But they are eye catching for their beauty-the kind of beauty that makes a person stop and ponder.

We paused in front of one house so I could look closer at an orchid. While I was commenting on it, the homeowner came out into her yard and engaged me in conversation. I told her that her orchids were beautiful and she jumped at the opportunity to tell me all about each of her individual orchids. She knew them all by name and and knew what environment each one needs to thrive.

Interestingly, she also told me that there is a little bit of a competition in her neighborhood regarding beautiful orchids. I chuckled at that. She went on to say that although she takes great care of her orchids, she does have a helper who finds specific beauties and brings them to her personally so that she has the best of the best in the neighborhood!

As my husband and I continued our walk through Key West, I kept thinking about how pretty all of the trees and flowers are, and don’t even get me started on the beauty of the water in South Florida.

God clearly took great care to create such a beautiful world for us to enjoy. I know I appreciate beautiful things! They catch my attention in a way that “ordinariness” doesn’t.

That short conversation about orchids reminds me about my relationship with Jesus. Jesus knows my name and He knows that I best thrive in fellowship with Him and His church. Jesus knows that there is a very real competition here on earth for the souls of all people, so He sent the Holy Spirit to guide us to Himself. I’m so happy about that!

God created the whole world and everything and everyone in it, so that we could live in relationship with Him. Unfortunately, sin entered the world and separated us from God. But God loved us so much that He sent His son, Jesus, to save us from our sins. Jesus was born, was crucified, died, was buried and rose again. By accepting this and agreeing that Jesus is our Lord and Savior, we can be accepted into God’s very own family! Now talk about Good News!

I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior years ago. That doesn’t mean that my life is all roses and sunshine now. But it does mean that I am free. Free from bondage in this life and the next. And free to spend eternity with my Lord and Savior. The only question is: Does my life reflect the beauty of God in a way to catch the attention of passersby who long to hear about the One who calls them by name?

Fearless Voyager

The first week of March 2021 found Bill and I enjoying the quiet luxury of Stock Island Marina Village as well as the lively fun of Key West.

Our intention was to stay another night in Key West and celebrate Bill’s birthday there before heading back to Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park in Key Biscayne, Florida. Because I’ve never sailed at night, our plan was to sail Key West to Marathon, Marathon to Key Largo, then Key Largo to Key Biscayne. That works out to sailing about 8 hours for three consecutive days and anchoring out each night. Doable, right? After all, one day at a time is how we got to Key West, and that was fun.

Well, an updated weather report disagreed. Basically, the weather forecast predicted that we could either cut our stay short one day and sail 24 hours continuously from Key West to Key Biscayne in nice weather with one to two foot seas, or we could stick to our plan and sail back in high winds with four to six foot waves. Yikes! What to do, what to do? Hmmm…am I afraid of sailing at night? Maybe, I don’t know because I’d never done it. Do I love staying up late into the night? Nope. Do I tend to get sea sick in high waves? Yep. And I have proven that more than once. OK, then, decision made.

My husband is a captain and has spent many nights at sea. He claims to actually even like it. I love him and I trust him, so we said a prayer together, filled up with diesel and water, and headed out at 8:30 am.

I know I wore this shirt yesterday, but think I might need my “fearless” shirt for this voyage!

Bill sailed the first several hours, well, I guess he sailed most of the trip, but this is a picture of me actually at the helm while Bill was asleep. That’s a first!

Bill sleeping-he must have confidence in me, huh?

This next photo is me on my second watch-life jacket on, tethered to the boat, hair getting messy-in the open ocean now!

My hair is messy, but seriously, isn’t this water beautiful?

While Bill was sleeping, I sent a picture of the navigation multifunction display to my friends asking if anyone really understands this stuff and whether or not it’s important. My friend, Crystal, who is a pilot, insisted that all those numbers actually do mean something and that ignoring them just might get us blown into the Bermuda Triangle. I’m guessing that Crystal actually knows what she’s talking about, but then my daughter, Becky, assured me that simply following a dolphin would probably be just fine. Decisions, decisions…as it turns out, there is quite a bit more to this First Mate stuff than I had originally thought! Well, I’ve known Becky longer than I’ve known Crystal, and her plan seemed easier, so…

Really, this is just too much for me to process…

I was still at the helm when the sun set. It was beautiful. I’ve got to admit, Florida has some of the very best sunsets I’ve ever seen.

As the sky darkened, our flag seemed to be the only thing shining, until the half moon made its appearance.

I have to admit that maybe I had been avoiding night sails for far too long. Because my husband likes it, and since I didn’t cry, I suppose that if sailing at night really makes the most sense next time around, maybe I won’t resist. But that’s a hard maybe, because I so love watching the dolphins, turtles, manatees, and even the jelly fish, as we sail along in these unbelievably beautiful waters.

Bill and I are both still smiling on hour 23 as we approach Key Biscayne!

Many, many thanks to my husband (who let me sleep in the cockpit most of the night), and to my family and friends who prayed for and encouraged me. And, a special shout out to my 6 year old grandson who texted me in the morning and referred to me as a “Fearless First Mate”! That means a lot coming from a Student Captain!

Rejoice!

Rescue, Rehab, Release

During our time in Marathon, Florida, my husband, Bill, and I toured The Turtle Hospital. Their motto: Rescue, Rehab, Release. The Turtle Hospital is a veterinary hospital for sick and injured sea turtles. They are a nonprofit organization rescuing and rehabilitating turtles (including surgery, if needed), then releasing them back into the ocean, solely funded by you, me, and others who love turtles.

Our tour was facilitated by Kris, a Turtle Educator. Kris was knowledgeable and engaging. We were impressed with how Kris knew the names of the turtles and even talked about their individual personalities and preferences.

Kris taught us a lot about the dangers that humans pose to sea turtles. Turtles can get caught and entangled in fishing line and nets. Turtles unable to free themselves will often end up losing a flipper or losing its life. Plastic and other trash left on the beach or thrown in the water are hazardous. When turtles eat plastic it can get lodged inside of its stomach or intestines. Sometimes, although not always, The Turtle Hospital is able to help rescued turtles who have ingested plastics by performing surgery or administering medication. So, no more plastic straws, plastic bags, or balloons on the beach! Sea turtles nest on the beach. We must be careful not to disturb turtles or their nests when we come across them, as it is estimated that only 1 out of a thousand hatchlings will survive to adulthood. Boat strikes are another danger to sea turtles. When boating, always watch for turtles and other marine animals and give them a wide berth. If you do witness a turtle or other marine animal in distress please call The Turtle Hospital, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, or the US Coast Guard.

Florida is home to five species of sea turtles: Hawksbill, Green, Leatherback, Loggerhead, and Kemp’s Ridley, with the Loggerhead being the most common. All five species are considered vulnerable or endangered; therefore, it is illegal to touch them or disturb them. I love to watch sea turtles, I love to wear sea turtle jewelry, and I even kissed a picture of a sea turtle on the lips, but I promise I’ll never touch or harass one.

Sea turtle ring I bought at The Turtle Hospital

Do I hear you wondering how you can you help support The Turtle Hospital? First and foremost: live a turtle-friendly lifestyle! This means everything from not littering (especially on the beach and in the water), picking up trash that others may have left behind (especially plastics), refraining from touching or otherwise harassing sea turtles, donating to The Turtle Hospital (including purchasing tour tickets and items from the gift shop or “adopting” a turtle), opting for the sea turtle license plate if you reside in Florida, or volunteering at the hospital. I’m sure I can’t even think of all the ways you can help, so please visit their website for more information (the turtle hospital.org).

Ambulance bought with proceeds from the sea turtle license plate

There are lots of other organizations doing good work that benefits sea turtles either directly or indirectly. The organization 4ocean cleans trash from oceans and rivers every day. Ocean and Company works to rid the oceans of plastic. You can help by buying cute bracelets from both of these organizations to support their efforts and to remind yourself to continue living a turtle-friendly lifestyle. There are many other organizations also supporting the turtle population; I’m confident you can find at least one that piques your interest!

Bill and I have done a fair bit of sailing the last few years and enjoy watching turtles every time we get the chance. I remember sitting in the cockpit of our sailboat in Marsh Harbor, Abaco, simply enjoying the sea turtles as they swam by. We also saw lots of sea turtles while kayaking in the British Virgin Island. So much fun! I also remember happening upon a huge turtle while kayaking off Waikiki Beach, Hawaii, with our daughter, Kate. She was a bit alarmed!

I know that we can’t all dedicate our lives to helping sea turtles; however, we can all do our little part.

Genesis 1:28 God grants Adam and Eve dominion over all animals in creation, along with the expectation that we will care for them. “God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

I’m going to pick up some trash trash today and dispose of it properly. What are you going to do today to support our sea turtle friends?

Manatee Musings

My husband and I love Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park in Key Biscayne. Immediately following Christmas 2020, our friends, Steve and Susan, joined us at the park for a week of adventure and relaxation on Liberty, our 38 foot sailboat. We love vacationing with Steve and Susan, they are as fun as they are funny. Steve is adventurous and pretty much game for anything, and Susan, well, let’s just say that she loves being stretched outside her comfort zone!

Susan and I waited for a calm day to kayak around the harbor because we really wanted to see colorful fish swimming in the mangroves that surround No Name Harbor, which is part of the park. We had already seen a dolphin in the harbor, and heard rumors of manatee, but we didn’t know that we were in for a real treat! As we paddled off, Susan mentioned something about not kayaking into any dark caves like we did in the BVI. I simply smiled knowing that there are no caves in this harbor.

Susan and I had only been paddling for about 10 minutes when I saw a manatee about 10 feet in front of us stick his nose out of the water to take a breath! No sooner than I spotted that manatee Susan looked down and saw a second manatee directly under our kayak! I admit that seeing a 10 foot sea cow, that clearly weighed several hundred pounds, directly under our kayak was a teeny tiny bit alarming, but I wasn’t about to let Susan know that I thought so! We slowly backed away and no one was any worse for the wear. Then Susan said, “New rule, no kayaking on top of manatee!” She’s so funny. Seriously though, Susan and I sat in our kayak and just watched the manatee for what must have been half an hour.

West Indian Manatee can be found along the East coast of the United States, as well as the Gulf of Mexico. I am a native of Iowa and had never even heard of a manatee until 2018 when I spent some time in Charleston, South Carolina. Manatee are not exactly what I might call cute and cuddly, but they are gentle giants that I really enjoy watching as they swim by. By “giant”, I mean that the average manatee is 10 feet long and weights between 800 and 1200 pounds. Maybe what fascinates me is that manatee are herbivores. They spend most of their time slowing swimming around, eating aquatic plants and resting. Now how on earth does Mandy Manatee grow to 1200 pounds on a diet of salad alone? It’s a crazy mystery! The water in this part of Florida is a beautiful blue/green color and very clear. It is easy to see eight to ten feet down, so if a manatee is near, you’ll see it! I took the three pictures above while walking along the sea wall when a manatee was swimming along side it. If the manatee is further away when you spot it, you may simply see the nose stick up out of the water to breathe (they take a breath every three to five minutes), or you may see it come up and dive back down like the picture below. I spend a lot of time sitting in the cockpit of our boat just watching for dolphin and manatee.

Following our manatee sightings, we continued kayaking along the mangroves in search of tropical fish. We weren’t very successful in that quest; however, we did see several large iguana sunning themselves on the branches. At one point, we were directly underneath the green iguana while attempting to get close enough to see the orange iguana. Yikes! As if on queue, Susan said, “New rule, no kayaking underneath iguanas-they could jump on me!” Pretending that I didn’t share her concern (because I love teasing her), I replied, “Susan, new rule: no making up new rules!”

I’m just going to assume that Susan is keeping track of all her rules and that she will continue trying just as hard to keep me within them as I do to drag her into adventures where we just might need them!

Thought of the day: Love and appreciate your friends, and tell them so every chance you get!

Nothing New Under the Sun

The Dolphin Dance

My husband awakened me at 6:30 a.m. on New Years Day 2021. I don’t normally like to get up at that hour, but this time was different. We were anchored outside of No Name Harbor in the Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, and we were surrounded by dolphins!

The sun was still sleeping, yet under full moonshine more than two dozen Atlantic bottle nose dolphin danced around our boat. The water was motionless, and it seemed as if my husband and I were the only people awake in the whole world. Listening in the stillness, we could hear the dolphins surfacing to breathe. It’s a sort of blowing/puffing sound that seems loud to me when the dolphins are close!

I really like to watch dolphin swim and play, and when I’m in dolphin territory I’m always on dolphin watch. Dolphin live in pods of approximately 15 or so in the warm ocean waters. Jackpot! That’s where I like to hang out, too! And I like to swim-see, it’s almost like we belong together.

Our good friends, Steve and Susan, were joining us for the week in Biscayne Bay. In the days before our early morning dance with the dolphins the four of us saw one dolphin off the starboard side of the boat while anchoring in the same location. Susan was so excited to see the dolphin, and then disappointed when he disappeared so quickly. Teasing Susan, I asked her if she was expecting him to come closer and kiss her on the lips. I think she said “yes”. Yeah, that’s how I remember it. Unfortunately, Steve and Susan slept through the dolphin dance on New Years morning. After 30 minutes of enjoying the dolphins, I thought that I was going to have to kiss one for her! But, I kissed my husband instead, and thanked him for waking me up.

Which one of God’s created creatures made you smile today?