Dear Sea Mercy Crew Applicant,

Thank you for registering with Sea Mercy as a crew member for Dragonfly during its transit to Tonga. To be considered for a particular leg, please complete this next step in your adventure….

Ever sailed a 65′ catamaran from Belize to San Blas, Panama? Me neither. Ever spend 28 days at sea, sailing 900 miles to bring a 65′ catamaran that’s been outfitted as a Floating Health Care Clinic from Belize to San Blas, Panama? Nope, not me. Ever think you’d want to? No, I can’t say the thought ever crossed my mind.

That is, of course, until the Sea Mercy and Dragonfly folks invited Chris to crew on the boat and he said, “Yes, but only if my Lovely can come along!” Let’s see. My husband’s been sailing for more than twenty years, has his captain’s license, and can do amazing things like get us safely to port when lightning knocks out the navigation system. I am qualified to hold towels, dispense sunblock, and pour rum and fruit juice. For some reason they want me anyway. The application I’m filling out this morning is a formality. They want Chris, so I get to go, too. Yippee!! I think…

If everything goes as planned, we’ll be joining the Dragonfly on the second leg of it’s journey from Florida to Tonga. There are six legs altogether, and we picked the second one so as not to interfere with Cuyler’s rugby schedule. Nice of me to remember I have kids, no? Fear not; they will be well taken care of and overseen while we’re away. And besides, we can Skype so I can see them and say things like “You need a haircut, honey,” and “No, that’s not a zit. It’s dirt. Wash.”

Here’s a look at where we’re going…

You can read all about it here on the Sea Mercy website.

It’ll be an adventure for sure, and it’ll be fun, and it’ll be for a very good cause. I mean, how often in my lifetime am I going to have the chance to help bring medicine and healthcare* to remote islands where there isn’t any? This could be it. And you know what else it could be? A book.

I’ll keep ya posted.

S.

*I promise to bring other important things, too, like copies of Vogue and People, a variety of OPI nail polish colors, PEZ dispensers and plenty of refills. You know, the things people count on me for.