http://tinylink.com/?uvfnK9CZdI

I think I've told the story before of the tragic figure of Marsha. Of
course, John always asks crew to fill out a sailing resume. Marsha had come
down to Lauderdale several days early to look at offshore boats, I believe
she mentioned looking at a boat that John had written a "Used Boat Notebook"
column on, quoting the owner as part of the article. Marsha had traveled
extensively during her lifetime, courtesy of a handsome divorce settlement
with her ex, and she had done some sailing, was heavily involved-at least on
the social end-with one of the clubs in Chicago, she had hosted the Pardeys,
blah, blah. She had a lot of stories to tell, but the truth of the matter
came out when we left Miami for San Sal-if she ever had done any sailing, it
wasn't recently, and possibly never offshore, maybe not even coastal. She
disappeared into her cabin, basically didn't stand any of her watches. At
San Sal, we had to drag the boat right to next to the dock so that she could
debark, the swell making it imprudent to tie the boat snug to the dock. And
of course, when we left San Sal to return to Lauderdale and ran into the big
wind and swells, she disappeared entirely, not appearing until well into the
following day when the seas and wind had subsided. She mentioned that she
was again planning on doing the rounds in Lauderdale-a great place to shop
boats, BTW. Couldn't help but thinking at the time, what an asshole. I know
firsthand what a pita it can be to sell a boat that you own or are selling
for a living, this lady was looking at boats that she would never be buying,
wasting everyone's time. I think on some level she honestly believed that
she was legitimately shopping for a boat that she intended to buy. Oh well,
takes all kinds.

John Cairns