Out at sea

It was a clear, calm and quiet night as I finished up my watch at the helm. It was 10pm and "beautiful" doesn't quite describe what brought every crew member up on deck. The sky was a stunning array of lights and performance. Not a cloud was found, allowing the Father of Lights to display as much of His handiwork of the celestial realm our physical eyes were able to see. A picture no earthly artist or photographer could truly capture or recreate. It was on the return leg of the trip, as we were sailing back to NY, that God blessed us with such a gift.

Let me try to paint the panorama for you... Stars. A vast sea of millions of stars glittering across a dark canvas, with Mercury being the first to appear near the horizon. If you remember back in July, there was a comet visible in multiple areas of the Northern Hemisphere. Well, we saw it too. On one end, off the bow of the boat a faint but compelling image of the comet NEOWISE with its prominent tail shooting upward! Follow the Milky Way up and over the mast of the boat and look to the starboard side, closer to the horizon you'll find a bright orange star reflecting off the glassy ocean. Mars! Continue your gaze to the aft(rear) part of the boat as you find more planets trailing behind brilliantly making their presence known. Jupiter at its brightest as it sits opposite the sun as earth flies between them! Saturn! Also easily seen this time of year! All the while the reflections of all the stars catch your attention on the smooth ocean forming a sky both above and below. So clear, so calm there were times you could not tell where the horizon began and where it ended. We were sailing in space. But it didn't end there...If we weren't already mesmerized. All of us were constantly looking up voicing the beauty that was before us until we caught a glimpse of a glowing blue light in the water right next to the boat. Bioluminescence!!! Glowing plankton!! I had waited years to see this! As the water was displaced from the boat as we sailed forward the plankton turned a bright blue as if it were electric sparks or a firework fading away. Not long after, we sailed through a particularly rich area of plankton and it became a solid sheet of glowing blue water giving our faces a hue of the same color! This was breathtaking. Not only did we have lights above and all around us, but below us! I couldn't help but think of the verse in 1 John1:5 where it says "...God is light, and in him is no darkness at all." I verbally said this out loud purely out of a love and amazement of my Heavenly Father and Creator. The one other Christian on board also voiced his amazement and gave credit to whom credit was due. My heart was overwhelmed on this night and I will never forget it.

Before I had left on this trip, back on July 4th, my sister Kelsey had written up a few verses on a piece of notebook paper that pertained to or mentioned the sea. This was helpful as the days became long and some were harder than others. I found comfort in reading the Scriptures about my Lord, the God of the ocean. I saw Him in a greater way out there. The one passage I came to I thought very fitting to my experience that night, gazing at all the stars, planets and the tiniest of creatures that produced a most beautiful light.

Psalm 139:9-12 "If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee."

No doubt we can take away the truth that God is always with us. Even in the uttermost parts of the sea! A place where there is no land, and I mean NO LAND, as far as the eye can see where the nights can be very dark. But see, even in the darkest of places, light still wins. That night DID shine as the day! And even if we didn't have that clear and bright beautiful night...I still would've had the Light of the World within me. We can sometimes feel so far away from God, living in darkness and yet He is there. His nature IS light. Remember on the first day of Creation? He spoke light into existence. He didn't even have a source for the light yet. Those came on the 4th day - the sun, moon and stars. He Himself is light. I certainly take comfort in these truths, especially now as I have experienced being out at sea in the middle of the night. I've heard it said in a message before by the "Preaching Poet" that God does His best work in the dark. We often want to avoid or run from darkness in our lives when really, that's the opportune time to see Him! I'll be honest, I was excited to go on my first ocean passage, but I was also nervous. It wasn't until I left the comfort of land and we pulled away from the dock and set out into the open ocean for days, enduring 6 days of heavy wind and waves beating on the bow of the boat until I saw the beauty of the LORD in a way I had never seen before! You may ask, "Is it worth it?" Is it worth it to endure discomfort and leave all that you know and those whom you love to catch a glimpse of God's beauty? Oh yes. Absolutely. Though life itself may not feel like the beginnings of a new, ocean voyage where excitement and adventure are before you with many cheering you on and supporting you, it actually serves quite a parallel. I find sea travel to be a very accurate picture to the Christian life. We may not always know the path ahead. In fact, we often don't. Like the sea, there are no official roads laid out in front of you to show where you are going. However, even Mark Twain knew the importance to take action and "throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor and catch the trade winds in your sails(paraphrased)." Though the unknown road may be filled with darkness, changes in wind and waves and even a few storms, I can guarantee you...rather Scripture promises us that if we go out in faith, we WILL see God. Even the Bioluminescence teaches us that until we are moved from a stationary point and disturbed, like they are in the water, only then will we see light. It is then when the beauty and glow of our Lord appears both within us and before us so that others may see and be drawn to Him.

John 8:12 "Then spake Jesus again unto them saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."

Job 23:10 "But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold."

I still have that crumpled, weathered piece of notebook paper with many passages that serve as a reminder not only to my time at sea but also when life gets rough. When you are tossed with wind and relentless waves and can't seem to keep your head above water, think on the God who controls the mighty seas, the Father of Lights, the Light of the World; for He will carry you through.

Isa. 43:2 (When you pass through the waters, He will be with you)

Gen. 1: 10,22,26 (creation)

Deut. 30: 11-16 (God's commandment, purpose for you, is not far from you. Like Israel, our command is near to us (John 13:34-35) )

1 Kings 4:29 (Solomon's wisdom described)

Job 9:8/ 12: 7-10/ 26:12/ 38:8 (God's power)

Job 28: 12-28 (The source and value of wisdom)

Psalm 8:3-9 (God delegates authority to man over the fish of the sea)

Psalm 33:7 (God as Creator)

Psalm 46:1-3 (God as our refuge and strength)

Psalm 66:6/ 77:16-20 (The crossing of the Red Sea)

Psalm 95:5 (The sea is owned by God)

Psalm 104: 24-27 (The sea is owned by God)

Psalm 107: 23-31 (Business in great waters/God brings peace and safety)

Psalm 139: 9-10 (God is present everywhere)

Prov. 8:29-30 (Wisdom was there at Creation - God's wisdom)

Matt. 8:24-27 (The winds and sea obey God)

Matt. 21:21 (Pray believing - Faith moves mountains into the sea)

Rom. 8:35-39 (Nothing can separate you from the love of Christ...be persuaded)

**This is just one story of many I had on this trip. More (shorter) stories to surface in the coming blog posts!**

RUNDOWN OF THE TRIP: (each day in general of what happened. I may be off on the actual days of when things occurred, but they are in the ballpark.)

FIRST LEG: (Sail to Bermuda)

July 4th: Departed PA for Huntington, NY (drove - about 4 hrs) Met the rest of the crew and settled in to my berth (bed) in the forward (front ) cabin. It was all to myself as the other lady that was supposed to come broke her nose a week before departure and therefore could not come. It was probably good considering I majorly overpacked...the one bunk was for all of my bags. She would've not been very happy with me. That night I spent my first night aboard "Avocation" (name of the boat) in Huntington Harbor with fireworks going off all around. It was the start of an adventure.

July 5th: Woke up early to have a crew meeting and briefing of the boat. We also talked provisions (food). Then, Captain Hank and I went to the store to buy all the food while the other guys went out to breakfast. I then returned in need of a quick breakfast in order to make it on time to a local church in the area. I went to West Hills Baptist Church for the morning service and Rob, a fellow crew member decided to join. We then departed NY that evening for Bermuda! Oh yea, the crew consisted of...

1. Captain Hank (a true New Yorker and salty sailor, owner of Offshore Passage Opportunities)

2. Rob (a Christian construction worker from Texas who loves to sail and knows a lot about the stars!)

3. Carl ( a retired Californian who was participating in the Clipper Round the World race until Covid closed the country of his next destination...China)

4. Bill ( a retired Pain Management Doctor of Annapolis, MD who always had a word, story or joke on hand)

5. Chuck ( a resident of Arizona who owns a boat for lake sailing but was trying his hand at ocean sailing. Unfortunately, the sea did not sit well with him the entire way to Bermuda and he did not return to the states with us via boat. Poor guy. But, good on you Chuck for trying!!)

6. And Me (the only woman aboard at the start of a mission and debut into bluewater sailing)

July 6th: Day 1. I was woken up by a knock on the door of my cabin. I didn't think it was for me but it was. I was late for my second watch at the helm! My first shift was from 10pm-1:30am. We had shifts in pairs; 3 hours on and 6 hours off and I clearly was not used to the sleep schedule just yet. If anyone thinks sailing the ocean is all about relaxing I'm going to burst that bubble. I'm sure, just like any activity you get used too and practice for so long a certain rhythm comes, however, in bluewater sailing there is still quite a bit of work and a constant sense of heightened awareness. I was also experiencing mostly all of the side effects to the Scopolamine patch I wore to avoid seasickness. I soon removed it as the effects were taking too much of a toll. Boat life is something to get used to! I avoided going below decks as much as possible at the beginning of the passage. Staying topside with the fresh air was best. Thankfully I never got sick on the entire trip but the beginning served for some slightly nauseous moments. This was our first official day on the ocean as we sailed through the Long Island Sound all last night. On this day we met up with a couple other boats in order to start the Spirit of Bermuda Rally (check out the link to see the path we sailed! We were the yellow boat, Avocation) It was a race in lieu of supporting Bermuda tourism amidst Covid. And...we're off!!

July 7th: Day 2. DOLPHINS! Today was a much needed day of reprieve. After a long, hard night of heavy wind and waves bashing the boat and not much sleep, here I thought we only had at most 2 more days, if not 1 and a half left. Nope, 4 more were on the horizon! I was very fatigued on watch last night, not able to steer for more than 30-45 minutes until my watch partner took over. I was learning quickly what it was like to be on a boat that heels most of the time and the energy it takes out of you! Though it does make the boat go faster, it's not my favorite. Just sitting comfortably is a chore, let alone trying to walk around below decks. You have to hold on everywhere you go! There are nets called lee cloths that you put up on your bed so you and your luggage do not fall out. Just picture going through your morning routine (getting dressed, bathroom duties, making breakfast, walking...) where the ground is angled anywhere from 10-30 degrees...and then it continues the rest of the day, while waves crash on the front or side of the boat, bopping you up and down. However, this was not the case for this day. Wednesday was beautiful and calm! There was enough wind to keep the sails up as we headed to cross the Gulf Stream with smooth, rythmic, rolling swells that softly raised the boat up and down throughout most of the day. I went to the very farthest point on the front of the boat and sat there, with my feet dangling off each side of the bow, taking in the scenery. The warmth of the sun, the calm motion of the boat and breathing in deeply the sea air made for a time of refreshment. It was here I took much time talking and singing to the Lord. We talked about many things. Just me and my Saviour out in the open ocean. I remember thanking Him for this opportunity and asking for help in certain areas of my life I was reflecting on. I also asked for a blessing... to see some dolphins or wildlife as I was feeling a bit low and missing home. I lie not...it was maybe a few minutes after I ended my prayer I saw a large patch of seaweed floating on top of the water up ahead and I pulled my GoPro out thinking we may see some fish. Literally, a few seconds after I turned the camera on, a dolphin breeched clear out of the water and was heading our way along with 15 or so of his friends! Before they got to us, I caught a glimpse of a Portuguese Man-o-War jellyfish floating by with it's purple/pink sail! In a matter of seconds the dolphins playfully jumped right over to our boat and began swimming off the bow, right below my feet!! I was inches away from them! I was like a child, laughing with excitement. I was so amazed that this was actually happening right at the time I was sitting in the best seat possible to see this. We never saw a spectacle of dolphins like this again on the trip. The Lord answered my prayer and it was a blessing, I believe, just for me. A part from this thrilling encounter with nature, we also saw many flying fish! More wildlife! These fish are so unique. They just pop up out of nowhere and can fly parallel to the water as high as 4 feet and can travel as far as 655 feet. AMAZING! We saw these fish everyday for the rest of the trip.

July 8th: Day 3. Hot and stale. The wind filled in quite a bit last night and made for another rough night of heavier seas. The boat was very jerky and it felt like the waves were going to break through my cabin walls! We resumed our heeling position and it continued throughout the day. The sun was very intense and made it difficult to find comfort on the boat. Below decks made me feel queezy and above deck there weren't a lot of places to get out of the sun. The wind wasn't refreshing like it was before , rather, it was heavy and began to affect the crew...the one poor guy was still seasick and later had a serious scare of dehydration. Another got sick over the side. For someone who fears this sort of thing, I was feeling a bit edgy myself and was praying quite frequently for this situation to change. We endured a long, hot day while the boat continued to beat up wind. I again was missing familiar people but I was glad my Lord was with me.

July 9th: Day 4. Hopeful to reach Bermuda. It was today that I was truly thinking we'd make it to land! I finally felt in synch with the boat and was comfortable with being in a place where there was no land to be seen. The days prior, my eyes and mind subconsciously kept looking for land. It was such a different experience, it was as if my mind wasn't accepting that there was no land, until this point. I remember coming up on deck welcoming the sea as if I were saying "good morning" to an old friend. However, though I had become "one with the boat" and welcomed my friend "Big Blue" every morning, I was growing very wearing of beating upwind (where the wind is coming directly from the place you want to go). We ALL were. Captain Hank said he's never done this trip in July, as it usually only takes 4 days to get to Bermuda in June weather. Unfortunately, some sort of unrelenting virus had a different agenda and we were not able to leave in June. As you can imagine, fatigue was among all of us as most of us were amateurs. It was very important that we listened and did exactly as the Captain said because after all we were in a race! If we didn't, who knows how long we would've been out there trying to find our tiny little island target, out in the middle of nowhere. We did steer off course a few times in the night...that did not help our cause. But, we sure were learning! One crew member, Chuck, passed out on deck due to being sick every single day. The heat knocked it out of him and he was very dehydrated not being able to keep hardly anything down. Thankfully, we had a doctor on board to lead in his care while I acted as nurse with my contribution of a backcountry medical certification(Wilderness First Responder). The Lord was watching over Chuck because that could've been a very serious situation. We had a SAT phone, but there's no way anyone could've gotten to us in time had we needed to use it. After things calmed down, talk of Bermuda soon to be in our sights boosted moral and kept us going.

July 10th: Day 5. This was a full day of sailing before we reached our long awaited destination. Still beating upwind, it was important now more than ever we do exactly what the Captain said. Otherwise, we will overshoot our destination. Everything in me was so ready to see land and other people again! I don't remember many details of this day other than the feeling tired and dirty. It was now day 5 without washing my hair! I think I certainly acquired the care free, "beachy" look to the point I could've had dreads.

July 11th: Day 6. LAND HO! I am proud to say I was the first to see land! Immediately my spirit was lifted and a load felt like it was taken off my back after 6 full days of hard sailing. What an accomplishment. We finally docked in St. Georges, Bermuda in the late evening hours after we navigated the many coral reefs that surround the island. We were then told we could not leave the boat until we got tested for Covid which wasn't going to happen until the next day - Sunday. You can imagine our reactions however, the President of the boat club nearby kindly bought and dropped off dinner for us. It was a welcomed meal as we sat topside on a still boat. I was finally able to shower and felt like a new woman! I sat on the dock and so eagerly called friends and family talking about all that happened on my first bluewater passage. It was so good to hear their voices as I had been disconnected entirely the days prior. After I said my goodbyes, a bit unwillingly, I just sat there for a little while taking in the sights of our new surroundings. Lights from the harbor and on land reflecting off the water...a peaceful observation and thankfulness to the Lord. The island tree frogs serenaded us as we closed our eyes for one final night on the boat. And so it was...the first leg of the trip - Complete!

*There were many long and interesting conversations throughout these six days that I did not include because you would be sitting here reading for another week. Much talk of politics and religion, actually. Thankfully, I had multiple chances to speak of the things of God and was able to share the Gospel with almost every crew member. *

SECOND LEG: (On land in Bermuda)

July 12th: Quarantined to the boat. Could not go further than the boat house. Got tested for Covid...in both nostrils. Paid fee of $75. Great welcome to Bermuda! By the late afternoon we were able to leave the boat. Unfortunately, my plans to go to church were not able to happen. After all, it was Sunday and prior to the trip I had connected with First Baptist Church of Bermuda to attend their services, assuming I was going to arrive at the island a day or two earlier. I had been put in contact with a couple, Alan & Joy Oatley, from this church who was kindly enough going to both house me and take me to church during my time in Bermuda. I was told in an email that Alan was the Rear Commodore and Dock Committee Chairman of the St George's Dinghy and Sports Club! This was the very same club we sailed into and docked Avocation. This was huge! Back in PA when I was planning this trip, I had decided it was important to get to a church while in Bermuda not only just to be in church but to make connections with any Christians on the island as this could be a future port I stop at frequently. And here God answered and provided above and beyond! In the very church I happened to find, here was not only a Christian couple, but someone in the sailing industry! Alan later told me, he's about the only person in that church with boating experience...Coincidence? No way. July 12th is when I met the Oatley's for the first time while at the custom's dock, waiting for our papers and the go ahead for a Covid test. Captain Hank had rented out 2 villas for us to stay in, so once we got the go ahead to leave the boat, a taxi drove all of us to our "homes" for the next few days. All the guys were in one and I had one to myself. Thanks Captain Hank! It felt so good to settle in to a place with air conditioning, a full bathroom, a large bed and a washer and dryer!! I never thought I'd be so excited to see a washer and dryer.

July 13th - 16th: Over the next few days, the crew and I toured Bermuda, relaxed, went snorkeling and did a little shopping. Captain Hank was busy taking care of our broken engine as a belt broke right before we made it to Bermuda. The streets were empty and many shops and restaurants were not open due to Covid. Every morning we were hopeful to find a restaurant open for breakfast but always had to pick from the "supermarket special." When I asked the cashier for bananas, I said, "Excuse me, do you have any bananas?" She replied, "No!" with a semi-annoyed look insinuating, "are you crazy? Of course we don't have bananas!" Clearly they have been out of bananas for a while and are not very happy about it. We had a unique experience of Bermuda all around considering the pandemic situation. We and the other sailors from the other boats were about the only tourists on the island as they were not allowing many flights to enter the island. While we were there, a few cases of Covid had surfaced from those coming in on flights and by the time we were to set sail for the states, they had closed down Bermuda again. I myself was able to spend ample time with Alan and his wife Joy, which was both a blessing and a refreshment. They took me out to eat, invited me into their home, Joy drove me to the other side of the island to shop in Hamilton and they even let me join them on their daily night walk through the town. Much conversation and hospitality! They were an answer to prayer. The island of Bermuda is full of color both naturally and via brightly painted buildings. Of course, the water is a beautiful mirage of blue and turquoise against sharp, white limestone with vegetation of green all throughout the island. (Many pictures to come in future posts!) We enjoyed our time in Bermuda but were ready to sail home after 4 days.

THIRD LEG: (Sail to Huntington, NY)

July 17th: Day1. We departed Bermuda in the morning with little to no wind. I would have loved to go snorkeling or scuba diving as we sailed over the many reefs before we entered the open ocean. We could see the reefs from above the water making for excellent visibility underneath. Absolutely gorgeous. The ocean went from turquoise blue to a rich, cobalt blue as we entered the deep. So smooth, it was calling to me to jump in! I was happy to be back on the boat and on the move. We were feeling rested and refreshed as we sipped on various flavors of San Pellegrino fruit sodas. We motored all day as there was no wind. I love to sail, but I didn't mind it at all.

July 18th: Day 2. Still no wind. This was another full day of motoring! It did get a bit hot but their was still enough air to cool you off occasionally. This was a stark contrast to the first leg of the trip! I was amazed at how different the ocean could look and feel. A body of water so huge was as smooth as glass. Visibility again, I'm sure, was pretty far as I could see the rays from the sun penetrating down into the water a decent amount. Being on watch in these conditions is a piece of cake. The motor is on, along with the auto pilot. All we had to do was make sure we didn't hit anything at "breakneck" speed of 6 knots! I believe it was on this day I saw a barrel float by off in the distance while on watch. It served for some excitement as we couldn't tell what it was immediately. We got the binoculars out and everything! Pilot Whales! I was chatting with my watch mate when I looked out in front of the boat and saw a whale tale! I had been waiting to see whales on this trip! Pilot whales are smaller and very chill in their demeanor. We saw them a few times on this day! Later in the evening sun we saw the spray from their blow holes as they breeched the surface. Surprisingly, the Bermuda Longtails (birds) were still flying with us, even miles out from land. They have a long tail just like their name says and are native to Bermuda. I enjoyed their company.

July 19th: Day 3. Frustration. The sail back to the states was much better overall, however, today was a full day of heavy wind. Heeling big time once again and all day. It was pushing me to my limits. At the helm I had a very difficult time keeping the boat straight. Trying to heed to all the instruction I was getting from various voices and still not being able to do it, I was done. At this point I was over the trip and just ready to go home. It had been 16 days since I left home, in a very new environment with 4 guys, tensions building and all of us very fatigued. I cried to myself a few times while off watch, in my bed. Even in my cabin I could not find solace as the boat was leaning over, dumping me out of my bed and beating down on waves. All. Day. I did go a little bit insane on this night as conditions continued.

July 20th: Day 4. Fog. By this point, we were closer to the coastline of the US and you could just feel it. The water had changed in color. Instead of a tropical cobalt blue, it had turned to a dark blue; almost black. We were about 100 miles offshore where all the commercial fishing lanes were. Because of all the fog, I did not apply sunscreen like I did on all the other days. I knew better than to do that but I let my guard down and paid for it later. The fog kept us on our toes as it was pretty thick for most of the morning. By the late afternoon it had dissipated but we still had to keep a sharp eye out for other boats and fishing lines. We did see quite a few on the AIS tracker and a good many above deck. It's at the end of a long task where mistakes are made and accidents happen. But, we sailed on successfully throughout the day and Captain Hank made a large pot of spaghetti and meatballs and garlic bread for an early dinner in celebration for almost being home! It smelled like Olive Garden below deck. After my afternoon watch I went below to get some rest however, I struggled to fall asleep because I was too excited. Of the 5 hours I had off before my next watch, I tossed and turned anticipating my homecoming and seeing my loved ones again! I smiled and even got teary eyed as I pictured seeing all the kids I have missed for18 days; seeing them run towards me and all of us embracing in a giant hug! After a while, I was finally able to fall asleep and catch about a half hour of shut eye until I hear a knock on my door and Rob saying, "Wake up Kayla, we made it to Montauk!" I finally felt like I could sleep and here I had to get up again. But, I am so glad I did, because the second my head came up into the forward cockpit I was greeted by the Montauk Lighthouse in a beautiful evening light! LAND!!! We made it back to the United States!! My hair, looking like a lion's mane and my face bright red from being sunburnt in the fog, I didn't care! Although the crew probably was wondering, who was that coming up from below!? I cannot tell you the feeling I had seeing land. Not just any land. The UNITED STATES - Home. I felt a sense of pride and an overwhelming sense of familiarity. This is the land in which you know and live. The land that holds the people you love. As we sailed passed the lighthouse (one that was authorized by George Washington to be built) and into Long Island Sound I took time to write in my journal. I had many hymns come to mind as I reflected on the entire journey, thanking the Lord for safety and the opportunity to go. Songs that express the character of Christ ones that served as a timely parallel. We sailed through the night only to have a beautiful sight for sore eyes when we awoke the next morning...

July 21st: Day 5. HOME. As we sail in the very early morning hours of our last day knowing today is the day we'll make it to Huntington, the watches are calm and easy. With land on either side of us, Avocation glides smoothly through the Long Island Sound with hardly any chop or wind. Captain Hank points out various places along the shorelines telling us history and showing the local landmarks. For the next few hours Bill and I take over and take turns at the helm. This being my last night watch, I start to think on those hymns...the lyrics' filling my mind, I couldn't help but sing...

"My soul in sad exile was out on life's sea

So burdened with sin and distress...

Then I heard a sweet voice saying make me your choice

And I entered the Haven of Rest!

I've anchored my soul in the Haven of Rest

I'll sail the wide seas no more...

The tempest may sweep or the wild stormy deep

In Jesus I'm safe evermore!"

This song in particular was fitting as I believe I did do spiritual battle with myself while out at sea and in Bermuda. I was wrestling with God on a few different matters. Things that I was bound by and needed to change in order to move on and live in that liberty where Christ already has made me free! This trip served as a spiritual checkpoint for me. It was do or die. It was time to face these struggles of life once and for all. I had been living with these chains for so long and was determined by God's grace and mercy to change. It was time for me to stop living in Satan's lies that caused me to struggle with much with fear, anxiety, envy, jealousy and depression. A domino affect of wrong thinking based on passed events in my life that caused me to be paralyzed for far too long. My soul was in sad exile trying to live out on life's sea on my own...always burdened with sin and distressed...then out on that sea where we are called to do business in great waters, I heard a sweet voice saying "choose." Make ME your choice! And I entered the Haven of Rest...OH, how I've anchored my soul in the Haven of Rest! I'll sail those wide seas no more....the tempest may sweep or the wild stormy deep....but in Jesus I'm safe evermore.

As I stood on my last watch, it was hymn after hymn that filled my heart and I quietly sang my way into Huntington Harbor at 8am. These were the songs that comforted my soul and brought every element of this tip full circle.

-Haven of Rest

-My Anchor Holds

-Jesus, Savior Pilot Me

-What a Friend We Have in Jesus

-Simply Trusting Everyday

-Jesus is All the World to Me

-Oh, Jerusalem

-Amazing Grace

-Leaning on the Everlasting Arms

-Trusting Jesus, That is All

-Make me a Blessing

-Nearer Still Nearer

-Nearer My God to Thee

-Coming Home

Once we unloaded the boat, we all went to the bathhouse to cleanup and then we ate one final breakfast together. We exchanged phone numbers and emails and said our goodbyes. It felt so good to jump in my car and take off for PA! My vision of what was to be my homecoming came true...many children that I hold so dear to my heart came running out of their houses and hugged me before I could even get out of my car! This welcoming brought such joy and tears in my eyes. Friends and family greeting me at church with questions and salutations of "glad to have you back!" It's true...absence really does make the heart grow fonder. I am so thankful for all who prayed for me and the fact that my Lord was with me the whole time...

Mission complete. 12 days of sea time to put toward my Captain's License and a whole lot of experience. Not to mention a new, personal understanding and fresh look at the One who is at the basis of all of this. For "...the good hand of my God is upon me."

STATS:

Boat - 48" SWAN

Nautical Miles - 1,500

NY to Bermuda - 6 day sail

Bermuda to NY- 4.5/5 day sail

Sea time acquired - 12 days

Total days of trip - 18

Wildlife - Dolphins, pilot whales, flying fish, Man-o-War jellyfish, sea turtle, Bermuda Longtails, tropical centipede

**Pictures of the entire trip to come in future posts