‘Hejira’ launched in 1984. By 1990, I was finding myself single again and looking for new digs. ‘Hejira was berthed in Bradley Creek marina on Oleander, Wilmington so there I went for a temporary stay; after all, she was ‘home’ for the months spent at sea. Well, the stay extended to 5 years afloat occupying two slips. The first at 36 feet and the second at 65 feet. The 65 was wonderful. Close to the bath house, parking, and so much room it was like having a back yard, room for a guest boat, my row boat, and my bicycle. Life was nice, doing weekends anchored in Banks Channel or behind Masonboro Island. Traveling further was just a matter of filling the water tanks, buying groceries and taking off over a range of Ocracoke north to Charleston south (short trips) or longer yet for making the time to do the Chesapeake Bay, St. Augustine, Fla. and all ports in between.

Included here is a peek at the working side of ‘Hejira’ during her annual haul-out. All underwater maintenance is adhered to during these out-of-water excursions. Essentially paint, gel-coat damage repair, plumbing, prop, instrument sensors….so forth. In the photos, you are allowed to see the magic of the underbody of a really finely designed sailboat. The curve of her entry, the break at the turn of the keel, the shape of the rise from keel bottom to waterline. All things of beauty. She is 16,100 pounds dry weight; more like 18,000 when watered, fueled, provisioned, hardware, tools, spares, etc. for up to two weeks at sea or more. In my time in Hejira, she logged more than a calendar year at sea…..a whole year of my life not on land.

And some times life allows a life-changer….a seldom known unique perspective.