Are you excited yet?

Catalyst under construction

How to respond?

This question was posed to us countless times in the months (years, actually) between ordering our boat and departing for South Africa to pick it up. Leading up to our time in Cape Town, Pete and I had different responses.

Having retired several years ago, Pete’s “job” was focused on gaining the knowledge and skills required for our voyage. He became a YouTube groupie, following at least 10 vlogs of folks sailing the world (he refers to those intrepid sailors like newfound friends!). He actively engaged with the Slack group of Balance catamaran owners and spec’d out 99% of our boat’s features (I helped choose the color and name 😊). He poured over navigation charts, read thick tomes on subjects like “Marine Diesel Engine Mechanics”, attended courses on sailing, weather, and electrical systems, and practiced it all when captaining us around SoCal and French Polynesia. So yes, Pete was (and is!) excited throughout it all.

For me, however, it was different. I was heads down with my job until the end of April and also trying to spend precious moments with my 94 year-old dad. There was no time to really contemplate what was coming next -- except for the 3AM fretting sessions over tasks that needed to get done. Our sailing trips and classes were fun, but they didn’t seem quite real in face of everything else going on in my life. I’d say I felt overextended more than excited. Then came the mad scramble in May to get packed and say goodbyes. I felt liberated (or, on my less positive days, tetherless) without a job, a home, cars, or a houseful of possessions. The partings with my kids, family, and friends were bittersweet – it drove home how much I cherish my peeps, but no longer would I be able pick up the phone and call them on a whim. Major time zone differences and limited/non-existent WiFi/data/internet access on the open sea will make it much more difficult to stay in touch.

But then we got to Cape Town…and now we’re BOTH excited! It’s been exhilarating to watch Catalyst become a reality. The Balance team’s expertise, enthusiasm, and quality commitment are unsurpassed. There’s a posse of other Balance owners with whom we’ve share meals and boat equipping ideas. We’ve had one-on-one meetings with the mast builder, the sail supplier, the engine manufacturer, the navigation equipment dealer, and more – all helping us better understand the intricacies of the floating home that will soon be ours. We can’t wait to start our journey!