Bonthorn: Living My Version of Life: Loooooong Rough passage for a Haaaaaappy reunion

By: Kam Wong/Gong Gong (guest post)

November 29th to December 2nd.

When the going gets tough, the tough gets going.

It didn't apply to my sailing mode as Anjulia Sue started to leave Rivers Edge Marina in St. Augustine of Florida on Friday.

We came back late on Thursday evening from Epcot Center in Orlando and slept well on the boat.

The weather was nice on Friday and we had a good lunch at Hurricane Patty's that has a life size Captain Hook sitting at its entrance.

Aila observed that he had 2 daggers on his belt and was holding a sword, mean looking with the hook on the other hand.

Once everything was in place, Captain Matthew and Admiral Bonnie told the two crew, Tai and Aila to get ready with the ropes, and me the assistant crew (as Tai had designated my title) to sit tight for the sail.

The kids have gained so much maturity and confidence in helping around on the boat, especially Tai. He has learnt how to tie so many knots and taught Aila some. The child is immersed with all things of sailing.

Aila sat me down at the stern and showed me patiently of some nifty knots. I was just blown away.

The boat sliced through the calm water in the inner waterway, passing through many mooring vessels and the lift bridge and heading out to the open sea through the channel. There was where my whole stomach and head turned upside down.

The current was flowing out giving the boat good speed, but the strong wind was blowing against us whipping up waves as high as 3 to 4 meters.

The boat was thumping up and down with huge splashes. I felt my nightmare was about to start.

As we changed to southern direction once out of the channel, the waves were now coming from the east, rolling the boat at times violently and precariously.

The crew were very calm though, Matt at the steering wheel, Bonnie next to him, Tai and Aila sitting across me in the cockpit.

I grabbed tightly on the bar and started throwing up. Quickly came the bowl in front of me. Let me just say that everything I ate at lunch was emptied out, stressfully and unpleasantly.

I needed the open air to breathe easing out the awful feeling. My eyes were fixated at the far horizon as I was on land. I succumbed to a fetal position on the bench, closed my eyes and let the body rolling with the waves.

Ironically, it was not that cold, even after the sunset. There went my chance of taking sunset pictures on Anjulia Sue!

Matt had already emptied the bowl three times into the sea. "Dad, go down and just try to sleep", said Bonnie. I climbed down the ladder to the cabin and slumbered on the sitting bench. Bonnie helped to tuck me in with the bowl next to me.

The rocking continued throughout the night......

The calm sea feeling woke me up as Anjulia Sue was approaching Port Canaveral Yacht Club on Saturday morning, after almost 14 hours overnight passage.

Matt and Bonnie rotated the night watch. The kids slept well in their shared V-berth at the bow. I staggered up to the deck and watched the boat docked.

Like my stomach flu on the VF, I was totally exhausted and weak with no energy, but felt hungry.

Once the boat was tied up properly, I got to the clubhouse and took a hot shower. The appetite gradually came back but I took it easy in consuming any food. Again, I went back to sleep and rest recovering.

By Sunday, I was almost back to normal and we moved ashore to a rental house here for four nights, leaving the boat at the marina.

I have learnt to understand life's cycle that has its season. Rough sea comes to calm water; anguish will turn to relief.

Sixteen days after we parted in Rome, Anice joined us in Cocoa Beach after her sojourn in Ghana, traveling more than 30 hours from Accra.

When she arrived late last night with Matt who picked her up in Miami, the elation in my heart moved me almost to shout out: for however short the next four days is, our family is all together again, at the same time, at the same place, celebrating not just the completion of our VF, but to enjoy each other's presence.

The guiding principle in deciding to staying longer until Anice arrived is that I do not want to regret things that I don't do, and try to achieve something that I could do, before time runs out.