Kinda Bummed

My Dad. My brother. On a boat. I'm 11 years old taking this picture. 

I planned to recreate this shot last week. Back in the Spring, the three of us planned a week cruising on Mahalo. 

But somehow I knew it wouldn't come to pass. Almost got there though. Dad had to cancel three days prior. He's 84 but reasonably fit and active. He's had a lot of skiing crashes in his life though. He has separated both shoulders, blown up his knee (maybe both?) and even broken his pelvis and collarbone. 

I guess this year the arthritis from all this damage is really getting to him. He's had several cortisone shots. He had driven from his Montana place to his California place the week before our trip. Four days before he was working in his home office and experience severe hip pain and couldn't really walk. 

In the late 60's my Dad and three friends bought this boat. So they each had it one weekend per month. This is the San Francisco Bay. Besides riding my motorcycle, there wasn't anything I liked better than going boating on the Tuaca King (Tuaca being a favored liquor of the previous owner).

Getting a little coaching here from Dad. The boat was a 42 foot Owens Aruba. Twin gas engines (worst mistake they ever made). 

I got pretty good at driving that boat, and my dad would let me drive a lot. Here's my brother and our childhood friend Caroline.

My brother has already been on Mahalo this year, and I'm sure he'll do lots of trips with us. Our Dad is trying to wind down his real estate development operations (www.blacktailranches.com) but he works at that most of the year. Not sure if he'll ever get to see Mahalo in person or not. 

He's always loved boats, had even chartered here in the PNW several times. I was really looking forward to him seeing the boat. Kinda bummed.