When I married my husband, boating came with the guy. He had grown up on boats and saved his money to buy a little boat when he was a teenager. He went to a maritime college. So over the years, we’ve owned a number of boats.

Both of my kids grew up sailing on the waters of the Cape and the Islands. Once, after a day of boating, while we were on our way back to the dock, my four-year-old son fell sound asleep while he was standing up, right between my legs. He couldn’t bear to miss a minute! The motion and gentle waves on the ride home lulled him peacefully to sleep.

My daughter earned her Coast Guard launch tender license and worked at a few yacht clubs during the summers. I love it when she drives me around on our boat. We play music and happily sing out loud. For us, the water is all about freedom and fun. It means jumping off the stern into the water to cool off. It means a picnic lunch at sea. It means family and friends and nature. The water connects us to our true selves and to each other. It’s just who we are.