INTRODUCTION
An old idiom says, “Life gets complicated,” and so do partnerships on an old wooden sloop. Changes in the partners’ lives lead to new ways of imagining living and new destinations and those changes can reduce time to maintain and sail Freyja in some and make staying in the partnership impossible for others. Take me, for example, I’ve returned to commercial fishing in Alaska in the summers and Lorelie and I have an increasing commitment to a cabin and a garden in the mountains. Where does that leave Freyja? When a sailboat is dead in the water headed into a stiff wind it’s called “IN IRONS.” Not good! Freyja is “IN IRONS” tied to the dock. When it’s time to think of alternatives another idiom says “It’s been a good run,” and we make the decision to sell Freyja.
Now skip ahead several years.
The phone rings, “Is this Tim Olson?”
“Yes.”
“I’m Marty and did you own a sloop named Freyja?”
“Yes.”
“Well, I just bought her and I’m doing some research on her past.”
“Sure, what would you like to know? How is she?”
“Well from the excellent condition of the sails I’d guess she had some care at some time, but I bought her partially sunk down on the Lake Union Canal.”
. . . . . silence . . . . “Where is she now?”
“I have her tied to a dock with a pump going to keep her afloat at my Boat Shop on Mystery Bay on Marrowstone Island. I’m a shipwright.”
“Could we see her?”
“Next Saturday?”
The following Saturday Lorelie and I are walking down a slope to a dock on Mystery Bay. “Oh, my poor baby.”
The following Tuesday, Lorelie and I are out to dinner with Karl and Michelle reminiscing about the good times, remembering that Karl had proposed to Michelle on Freyja. Karl leans over the table, “Would Marty sell her back to us?”
We, “Are you kidding?”
“I don’t think so.”
The next morning I call Marty, make a quick call to Karl and we are on our way to Mystery Bay.
We hand Marty a check for 1000 dollars together with the agreement that he and his crew will restore Freyja.
Marty says, “Thanks, 1000 is what I paid for the for the sails and Freyja came with them. You can think of it as a down payment.”
We didn’t have Freyja surveyed. We didn’t check the bilges. We didn’t have her lifted out of the water to check the bottom. We just grinned at each other.
After Marty moved Freyja from the water to the shop, I got another phone call . . .
Marty, “Amos and I laid out the interior earlier (in terms of confirming a variety of basic dimensions) and he is hard at work framing the forepeak berth…working his way aft from the stem. I think you’re really going to like the finished product–and the new cream-colored overhead surface brightens the interior tremendously when compared with the dark, drab old unfinished wood. (It took three coats to cover the bare wood, and the effect is not only brighter, but a lot “cleaner” looking.)”
I would say that is true love.
Wonderful heart-warming story about the circle of life. The pictures detail what went into the labor of love that is the repair of your “poor baby” to return her to beauty and seaworthiness. She’s more than a boat to you and your family. Thank you for sharing. Loved it!
Small world as I have connections to each of the major players in this saga of FREYJA…with good friend and Port Townsend Neighbor, Christina getting together with Marty. They as long time boaters are a perfect couple. and then , of course, my family by marriage connection to you, Tim and Lorelei and their son, and new part owner, Karl Olson. Small world and makes me so happy to see such a reconnect and a beautiful boat that goes on with adventures on the SEA, the SALISH SEA and beyond. Such a good story in this time of so many trying times and disheartening stories. Thanks for posting.
It was a privilege to be there for the launching. I had not seen the pictures of the work in progress. Thanks!!!!