My Blue Sea

In 2013, on a little island in the Spanish Virgin Islands called Vieques, Jennifer and I were sitting at the island's main Ex-pat bar, Al's Mar Azul.  In the summer months, being on the north side of the island, that's where you go for a sunset, a beer, and usually a conversation or two...and another beer.

That day we had taken a sailing/snorkeling tour on a Hoby 16.  There was an old salt, Captain Bill, sitting next to us at Al's, and the conversation turned to our outing on the Hoby.  Not impressed with how much we had paid for a half-day sailing trip, Capt. Bill offered up, "Ya wanna go sailing on a real sailboat?"  My inner urban cowboy spoke up, "Depends on what you think a real sailboat is!"  The next morning, for $50 total, we spent half a day aboard S/V Willo, a Pearson 323.

Right then I told myself that one day I'd learn to sail!!!

3 years later, my buddy John S. and I bought a Phantom 14 (Sunfish clone).  The affliction spread rather quickly from there.  Later that year (2016) I got a Boston Whaler Harpoon 5.2 (Yep, Whaler produced some sailboats).  In 2017 we got a Catalina 30.  In 2018, while delivering the Whaler to its new owner in New Orleans, we made the fortunate mistake of going to "look" at a 1995 Hunter Passage 42 (love at first sight), and that is where we are now!

The Phantom and the Whaler never got names, but Vieques' mark on our sailor's hearts is very evident in our choice of sailboat names.  The Catalina 30 is named Esperanza which is the Caribbean-side city on the island (and also means "hope" in Spanish).  The Hunter 42 is named Mi Mar Azul (My Blue Sea) which is taken from the name of the little bar where our fateful meeting with Captain Bill took place, Al's Mar Azul.

Esperanza is docked on a Lake in northern Mississippi, and Mi Mar Azul is in the Gulf Region of Mississippi.  Update:  As of July 2022, Mi Mar Azul is docked in New Orleans, LA.

I need to give credit where credit is due.  Back in about 2005, my good friend Stephen C. took me sailing on a Sunfish at the Pass Christian, MS Yacht Club.  That was when the seed was first planted, it just didn't sprout until Vieques.  Two grown men crammed into...well, maybe onto...a little ole Sunfish must have been quite comical to see!


Jason