My Independence Day 2013
Abaco Regatta Party at Green Turtle Cay
by Christine Kling
I just dinghied out to my boat as the last blue light of dying day glowed on the horizon. I headed for the masthead light I’d left on. Barney and I had been at the after race party down on the Bluff House beach on Green Turtle Cay. In the photo above if you look between the two blue umbrellas, you can see a tiny boat out at anchor on the horizon. That’s Talespinner.
Today is the 4th of July, the American Independence Day and it does make me think about that word independence. Today, I have more of it in my life than I’ve ever had before, and I feel so grateful. I’m an indie author writing my books for a living wherever I decide to go aboard my sailboat.
This evening at the regatta party I was talking to a friend from Fort Lauderdale, and she told me she wished she could do what I do and sail a boat singlehanded. I told her that a big change came for me when I allowed myself the freedom to make stupid mistakes. And I do make them. But I try to learn each time I do.
Yet I’m still afraid — often. Now as I contemplate another long overnight passage across the Gulf Stream, I’m watching our local weather at BarometerBob and seeing day after day of winds at 20 to 25, I’m wondering what this trip will be like and I worry. Strong winds mean things break, and I won’t always be able to fix them. I always worry and feel nervous before a passage, but once underway, that all goes away. I know I can learn and adapt to whatever comes my way and I enjoy the ride.
Whether we are talking about nations, writing careers or sailing, independence means liberty, and with that comes the likelihood of making stupid mistakes. Goodness knows, our nation has been making plenty of them recently — and throughout its 200+ year existence. And I make plenty of mistakes in my writing in spite of my efforts at research and revision.
The opposite of independence is dependent. America was once dependent on England. Today, lots of midlist writers are depending on their traditional publishers to make their books successful. I know I once was. But since I got the rights back to my Seychelle books and published them independently, I’ve sold more copies than Ballantine ever did.
So here’s to independence! And just before leaving the party tonight, I danced a little with the Junkanoo boys and I’d like to share (at a certain point in this video you will see my friend Matt who volunteered to hold the Yorkshire Terror in the background – and Barney did not like the Junkanoo as much as I did. Note to self – bringing the dog to the Junkanoo was another stupid mistake).
Fair winds!
Christine
Nautical novels by Christine are available here.
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