Authored by Kiki Bosch

It is 0400, and under the dim red glow of your pilothouse navigation lights you sit comfortably at the helm from which normally you have a commanding view.  What a moment, the culmination of your dream to voyage and live a life of adventure by sea.  Just one phone call a year and a half ago began the journey from your dream to reality.  It was so easy that you can’t believe you hesitated for so long.  Now here you finally sit living the dream, knowing that your crew sleeps safely and comfortably below with your only worldly concern being straining to see any emerging detail on the horizon on this very calm and moonless night.

Nothing but a pitch black surrounds you, though you know that hidden within that darkness and on that very horizon there is an island, an island with an X marking the spot just offshore where you plan to drop the anchor.  Within a few hours you will be arriving but until then down in the engine room, and deep in the background the single Cummins diesel that has become the muted heartbeat of your beautiful new Selene has been beating without hiccup hour after hour, and day after day.  This now familiar quiet drone reassures you that while at times druing this night it did not seem like you were moving at all, your new Selene has indeed been pushing the miles under keel at a steady 9 knots.

Since your first sea trial you had been amazed at how easily and efficiently the Selene hull travels through the water.  Without reference from instruments or objects outside the pilothouse it can almost seem like you are standing still.   Disconcerting to those that just can’t seem to slow down to enjoy life, but as far as you are concerned there is nothing better.  Just another bonus as you had already been sold by the layout, attention to detail and warmth of the expert joinery of the interior.  By no coincidence those same qualities had also been a favorite of your crew whom you noted upon delivery of this fine vessel quickly received a self-promotion to “Admiral”, and you best not forget it.  Secretly though that was always the plan.  A beautiful and comfortable trawler on which everyone would be thrilled to voyage and explore.

(to be continued in part 2).