Getting the Blog Up to Date for “Future Me”

Mom & Dad cruised on a shoestring, but never wanted for anything!

Wow! I can’t believe I went through the entire summer without making a single post to this blog. I started the summer cruise with a resolve to keep it up to date, but when I fell behind, I rationalized with these excuses: (1) No one cares what we’re doing and besides, (2) I’m too busy running the boat and having fun! I began to think I’d just let the blog die and be done with it. That was before Dad set me straight.

During a recent conversation with my 90+ year old father, he mentioned that he loves to look back through his old cruising logs to remind him of the wonderful Caribbean cruising experiences he shared with my Mom in the 80’s. Mom & Dad spent 10 years cruising the Bahamas and Caribbean. They took hundreds of pictures and he kept a log that included interesting tidbits, anchorage waypoints, navigation details, etc. Remember back in the 80’s when pictures were taken with film and there was no GPS, no electronic chart plotters, and no internet? Those were the days when cruising was hard and cruisers had to be completely self-reliant. Back then, Dad kept his log so that he could help others and help himself if he ever cruised the same area a 2nd time.

Through our discussion about his logs, Dad was gently reminding me how important it is to document our cruising story. Not because we need to build our Klout Social Media Score (it’s a real thing, look it up!), but because our story matters to us and because posting our cruising stories on the internet preserves them for that time in the (distant) future when we’re too tired or broken (or broke!) to have new adventures. Some day we’ll want these stories and pictures to remind us that our lives were well lived. And thanks, Dad, for reminding me that keeping a blog isn’t a self-absorbed waste of time, but a preservation of our history.

Speaking of pictures, here are some that tell a bit of a story about Mom & Dad and our cruising history:

Jimmy Haley aboard his wonderful Morgan 38, Afterglow.
Jane Haley at the helm of Afterglow in a blow!
Morgan 38, Afterglow. Mom & Dad cruised this boat in the 80’s throughout the Caribbean, Central America, and Bahamas.
Mom & Dad cruised on a shoestring, but never wanted for anything (well, maybe t-shirts!)
That’s our son Patrick getting a lesson in engine repair from “Grandaddy.”
Three Generations of Haley cruisers during a crossing of the Gulf of Mexico from Florida to Texas aboard our Manta 40, Double Wide.
Left to right: Clark, Jimmy, and our sons, Sean and Patrick.
Dad was skeptical about our Manta 40 catamaran, but he never missed a chance to get behind the helm — especially with Mom there to cheer him on!
That’s Michelle and me with Dad. Michelle says she met my Dad in a bar in Kemah Texas and she met my Mom in a bar in Cozumel. Hmmm!

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5 Replies to “Getting the Blog Up to Date for “Future Me””

  1. Clark, taking constructive criticisim, keeping an open mind………and always learning. One of your many great traits and just another reason I am proud to call you “friend”! Have a great day and hugs for the boss!

  2. Great lesson. Your dad is so on point. Wish I had done more lettering myself. Great pictures as well. And what a wonderful story. Just finished the 14 days sailing in Croatia. In Barcelonia for a while. Looking forward to sharing more time with you and Michelle.

  3. Dad’s, their wisdom & resolve for their sons ! Classic Haley Dad’s (Uncles) that have lived through experiences, self-taught & we benefit from from their lifetime of advice! So, ‘Toe the Line’ young Haley & don’t allow him to correct course for you again ! hahaha ! Plus, we have missed & look forward to you guys posts… especially the adventures for Tugboat & Sailor !

    Haley3

  4. A big thumbs up for your Dad.
    He is so right in saying to keep up writing the blog.
    It’s a collection of all your memories and experiences.
    How wonderful it must be to share this with your parents.
    I love to read your blog, it’s inspiring, interesting and good to read your experience with your projects and how to maintain your boat.
    Keep going.
    Greetings from Toronto, Kirsten

    1. Kind words, Kirsten. Thanks. I have a couple of my Dad’s journals of their cruises in the Bahamas and it has been fun to compare our observations against those that he made in the 1980’s.

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