Even when we lost our wind, and were turning in circles by power of the waves, Garth didn't immediately drop the yawl boat.

"Five more minutes," Captain Garth would ask, looking up at the sails.

Jonathan Franklin, our resident astronomer and first mate, was always on hand to teach something or offer the hope that just around that next island there was wind. When he'd walk forward looking for help, nearly 20 people were often there to set the sails, tack, raise the anchor or just coil the lines. If you just wanted to relax in the sun that was OK, too.

IS THAT COFFEE?'

And breakfast!

When sleeping in the cabin on the first day I awoke to sound in the galley around 4:30 a.m. Jenny Tobin, our cook, and Arielle Bosh, messmate, were up early.

"What time is it?" was my first thought. "Is that coffee?"

I've decided this is the way it should be in paradise. When you awaken hungry, food is ready. With Maine blueberry pancakes, muffins and Canadian bacon you can't go wrong.

Every night after that, I slept on deck. As the boat swung at its anchor in whatever harbor we'd made for ourselves, it was interesting to wake and hear the waves lapping against the ship, or catch the moon in a different spot above you.

Sleeping on deck had its share of problems, though. The first night, I was on an angled surface. When the morning dew set in, my sleeping bag felt freedom enough to slide. When I woke, my feet were dangling a foot off the top.

The next night, I changed spots. Intermittent water drops from the rigging and flag above got me this time -- right between the eyes.

My final night, I was plagued by a single mosquito. Surprisingly, bugs had not been a problem until this night. Brandishing my new and official "Lewis R. French" sweatshirt/hoody, I sought to lock the little fellow out. I pulled the sleeping bag over my head and the hood tighter still. In the effort, however, the mosquito had become trapped inside the hood.

Now I had mosquito in stereo. I'd slap at one side, he'd fly behind my head and come back on the other side to repeat the same process. After a good 20 minutes, I just fell asleep from the exhaustion. But who cares? I was sailing!

PLENTY TO DO

So much had happened already in just three days of sailing. Getting broadsided was only the beginning. In this small a craft, it's amazing how you can still never see the whole thing. There is so much to do, if you want to.