When SetSail suggested we write about romantic happenings on the boat, serious or funny, our daughter’s first suggestion was that we write about our wedding anniversary celebration in Espiritu, New Hebrides, July 1, 1978. This was the anniversary from hell where the four of us, plus our friends Jim and Cheryl Schmidt and their visiting brother Tom, piled into their inflatable dinghy on a moonless night and proceeded to lose our way going ashore for dinner at a French hotel. We had to find a river opening, which turned out to be difficult. Once found, the water was confused, and we got soaked. The dinner was one of the worst and the most expensive ever and we also got lost going back to the boats.

Sarah’s valentine to Skip and me. She made this card when she was seven years old, while sailing from Cape Town, South Africa to Tortola in the British Virgin Islands.

The most romantic moment happened some years later on SUNDEER, when Steve left a magnificent dinner ring on my pillow one night-for no special occasion-a complete surprise.

But what I really love are valentines, especially homemade ones.

Valentine’s Day, 1980, found us on board INTERMEZZO in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, seven days into a 37-day crossing from Cape Town, South Africa to Tortola, British Virgin Islands. Elyse and Sarah were ten and seven years old at the time. We all gave one another handmade valentines, which I kept, and happily discovered while looking through my journals researching this piece.

So I would like to share them with you.My journal reads that day:

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"Got up this morning to beautiful cards handmade by everyone to everyone. Elyse and Sarah wrote poems on theirs-Elyse’s card to me said: ‘Loving is a beautiful thing

It’s more beautiful than a diamond ring. I’m sure you know all this is true

Oh, something else-Mom I love you.’

to Steve: ‘As sure as the cow says moo as sure as the dove says coo

I Love You.’"

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The rest of the journal entry:

"We had our worst mileage yesterday-125 miles. Light air. Last night we lost the halyard from the spinnnaker and it dropped into the water. The guy line got caught under the keel and broke off the log spinner. Steve went aloft and fixed the halyard first thing this morning.

Yesterday we mended chafed spots on the drifter and mizzen staysail. Light airs, overcast skies-just a few miles from the tropics.

Today we’ll celebrate Valentine’s with a pork roast dinner and lemon meringue pie. The first week has gone by very fast."

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Love is weathering the little irritations in life like dropping the spinnaker halyard overboard, and enjoying the yummy things like sharing a lemon meringue pie.

Happy Valentine’s Day, Everyone! Linda