Sailing the World (Pregnant)
On the first leg of their journey, the Kaufman family never expected such a bumpy ride (with one bump being particularly surprising). A chronicle in three parts. Hold on tight!
(page 4 of 4)
Charlotte is responsible for all things below deck, including stocking the galley.
We got to Catalina approximately 20 hours after leaving San Diego. Eric yelled from the foredeck that we were securely moored in Two Harbors, and I melted into the cockpit cushions in total relief. The happy hum of summertime sounds seemed to instantly calm the sickness. A woman in a neon bikini breezed past us on a paddleboard, and I smiled at the little kid tucked in between her legs enjoying the bumpy ride to the beach. A Beach Boys song blared from a café near the end of the main pier. Cora popped her head up into the cockpit, grinned, and waved her swimsuit around like little cheerleader celebrating our victory over the sea. Our dolphin spotter was ready to look for fins. And I knew for the first time in a long time, we were going to be able to use our boat the way we had always wanted: to have adventures.
The fateful breakfast of berries and almonds that resurfaced soon after the Kaufmans set sail.
It was one hell of a learning curve for both me and Eric. Neither one of us thought I would get as seasick as I did. And as much as we respect Mother Nature, we realized we didn’t have as much respect for Bonine, considering how sick Cora got as well. Pregnancy had changed the disposition of my sea legs, and it meant we had to completely re-evaluate our plans for the next leg of the six-week-long shakedown, and eventually the first leg of our world tour, with a stop in Mexico to have our baby. But for now, we were happily ensconced in Catalina, and the beach was calling our names.
Stand watch for Parts 2 and 3 of this series in the coming months. Follow the Kaufmans’ journey on their blog at therebelheart.com and see a video clip of the family and map of their route around the world.
