Sailing Away

I had the BEST, most magical weekend!!!
Remember the China Care auction last fall, at which I drank way too much champagne and outbid practically everyone for everything???? I have gotten fabulous mileage out of that evening--took Sass and Sarah to Gilbert and Sullivan, had Kit's birthday dinner at Small Plates, and now, this was the best yet! My most audacious bid was for a Sail Away with Us package, donated by Sue Miller. She promised me and my guests a sail around the Elizabeth Islands, and lunch onboard her boat, the Ballad.
I emailed her, we set a date--all this last year--and finally, the weekend rolled around.
I cannot express the wonder of the whole experience.
First of all, the setting: My country, the Westport/Dartmouth region. The Ballad is docked in Padanarum, a lovely village in that area. The idea of crossing Buzzard's Bay on a sailboat was like a childhood dream come true.
Second of all, the company. I had never met Sue, or her partner, John, and I figured they would be great people, because only great people would make such an experience available at a charity auction. But I never expected to meet such fascinating and simpatico folks! I immediately felt incredibly close to both of them, and we talked together easily from the minute we met.
More on the company: I periodically try to treat the long-suffering godmothers of the kids, and thought this would be a fun one--so Jane, official godmother of Julian, and surrogate godmother for Kit, and Sarah, Libby's godmother, came along. Auntie Gail, who is Leilei's godmother, and Sassy, who is Leilei's "Christian witless" both had to decline. But 2 out of 4 of my most cherished godmothers, plus Sue, an artist, and John, a self-described "venture socialist" made for the best company possible.
The weather: impossibly gorgeous.
The boat: beautiful.
The sailing: well, I had never been on a sailboat before, and now, I want to learn how to do it. It was relaxing, but exciting--you're poised between the sky and the water. You see nothing beneath the water's surface, yet you know there's a world down there. You feel the boat move, almost feel it breathe. It is a little like riding a horse. You control the boat, and yet you know you are at the mercy of the boat. So you and the boat must be allies. I took a turn at the wheel, and I am not a natural! (Sailor Jane, on the other hand, WAS.) But I can learn! (Note to self: must first learn to swim!)