After Eight Weeks on Land, A Return to Life at Sea

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Day -1, 2024 Majestic Japan

Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024; Gig Harbor, Washington

I’m just about as envious as I can be, watching the sunrise from the home of dear friends Jan and Jim in Gig Harbor, just outside Seattle. What a perfect place to live!

Jim was instrumental in drawing me into sailing in my 30s, as the founder of a sailing club in New Jersey. Since we each left there, I’ve visited them at their waterfront home in Oriental, N.C., at their son’s house in Seattle earlier this summer, and now here. There is something about the sea that draws people like us together.

And so I am drawn back to Seattle and the Westerdam, the port and ship I left eight weeks ago after 28 days of sailing in Alaska. After boarding the ship tomorrow, we will make a 53-day round trip to Japan, passing through Alaska on the way there and Hawaii on the return. I’ve cruised to Japan three times before, most recently last February on the world cruise, but this time it will be our focus, with 14 Japanese ports. Most will be new for me.

People ask what I do when I am on land. My time over the last eight weeks has been split between preparing for upcoming cruises and taking care of business that can’t be done on the ship. By that I generally mean doctors’ appointments, ranging from annual checkups and specific attention to some aches and pains of aging. It’s true – as we get older, health concerns take more of our attention, and my primary doctor sends me to more specialists. This summer a hematologist wanted to find out why my iron levels are consistently low (still doesn’t know). A retina specialist keeps an eye (pun intended) on what is for now a minor issue whose name I have forgotten. My dermatologist prescribes a cream treatment for what could be a precancerous patch on my forehead, so now my face is covered in red spots. I needed a crown replaced. The good news is that no one gave me a reason to stay home.

I won’t be back to my sister’s house – or my storage unit – until May, so my other big task was packing. I didn’t just pack for Japan, but also for the Mediterranean in November and December, the Caribbean over the holidays and the 2025 world voyage. I will be in Dallas for a few days in late October, so I will probably make the four-hour drive to Fort Smith to pick up anything I am missing this fall and perhaps to swap out some clothes. In December I’ll be in and out of Fort Lauderdale, so I can shop there as a backup.

All this — and a bag I shipped ahead!

My book club – composed of friends from my high school days – chose a long book for the summer read – The Source by James Michener. I opted for the Audible version, which was almost 50 hours even at 1.5 speed. Earlier this week I made a quick trip to Kansas City for our pot luck dinner and book discussion. I usually join by Zoom from the ship, if the time zone isn’t too far off. It was great fun to see my friends in person.

Meanwhile, Eloise and I enjoyed eating at favorite restaurants, I pigged out on fresh peaches and even visited Paris – Texas, that is. And I spent my mornings enjoying her screened porch.

Today was a lazy day of relaxing in Gig Harbor, watching the boat traffic from the town pier and enjoying a local beer near the mouth of the harbor under the towering beauty of Mount Ranier. It’s amazing how much I enjoy the coming and going of boats of every size.

Tomorrow, I’ll be back on the Westerdam – seeing old friends and settling into this life at sea once again.