Cabin Cruise Epilogue - the Real Story

Mom Having Nightmares...

Two Weeks After... getting better... Now being Able to Sleep All Night, My Mom is OK!

The articles about my mother accompanying me on a 600-mile ocean trip up the coast of California and into the Sacramento Delta did not reveal my mother’s feelings. I did not know at the time….

The first morning back from the adventure my mother told me she did not sleep well “last night.” I asked her why. She replied, “I had night mares…” I asked what about. She replied, “The boat trip.”

My mother had never complained during the exciting, at times sheer panic boat trip. Notwithstanding the first night after a couple of drinks in Morro Bay – the first day of the trip – she said she thought the boat was breaking up when it became air-borne. The crash back into the ocean was a shattering “bang.” Things went flying. She thought the stuff flying around was the boat breaking up! She never came out and told me her fears. She is one tough woman.

The boat is obviously a very tough boat. It would hurdle through the super high swells clearing the top of the crest to crash down to the troughs every swell. It was unrelenting. It was not for the faint-of-heart… The swells were higher than the cabin cruiser – at least 15 – 20 foot high. Imagine being dropped 20 feet to a concrete pavement. Water does not compress. It is a bone-jarring experience. The boat never complained. Neither did my mother.

I did not have autopilot. This requires 100% concentration to the helm (steering). Some waves knocked the boat 90 degrees off course with a huge swell. Despite holding the wheel steady, you were going right angles to the correct direction! I have just had knee surgery the second time in 5 months for torn meniscus… To have the “heck” beat out of my knee and to not complain was easy. My mother never complained. I could see my knee was swollen…

My mom has instilled into me to never complain. It is not always a good thing. She never complains.

The Nightmares

The first three nights after the boat trip she was constantly being awakened by her trying to get the boat “bumpers” (large balloon like things to keep boat from being damaged when docked by movement of boat) out while she was steering. She was not able to do both. This reflected a couple of experiences she had when I had her hold the helm while I either switched gas tanks, or tied “bumpers” to the side of boat just prior to docking. She always panicked trying to steer the boat. She would yell, “Dallas” in a high voice. I knew immediately I had to do or say something. It scared her.

Now Only “Bad” Dreams!

My mother is sleeping better now! She still dreams about the boat. However, it is not the life, or death dreams she has been having.

We each have experienced a trip that everyone said they would never do. Is that an accomplishment? We would not do it again, yet we have no regrets we experienced the challenge. The experience will last for a lifetime! Next time, we will drive!!

See First Chapter of Boat Trip:

http://dallas93444.hubpages.com/hub/cabin-cruiser-ocean-odyssey

Sacramento Raft Trip Down Sacramento River into The San Fransico Bay:

http://dallas93444.hubpages.com/hub/Sacramento-River-July-4th-Weekend-on-a-Raft-To-San-Francisco