Once upon a time...

There was a sailboat in and out of the harbour, and this one particular docking took so long she started thinking about the barnacles and comforts she found there. In between talking with other boats, teasing the seagulls, and taking extra credit courses on navigation, she hardly heard her captain mention a new eastern voyage. The next few weeks were spent in new maneuvers, loading supplies, and making the most of last hours with her sailing friends. But then one day she woke up to an odd sense of calm over the harbour. She told herself it was because she'd finished her course and the others were still busy with theirs... she took some good draughts of freshwater while it was handy... and still the quiet remained. She finally looked around and realised that everything was ready for the trip... except for her. She had hardly thought about what it would mean, only what it would not mean... less friend boats around, less quiet evenings at rest during the sunset, less mornings of impatience. What the trip would mean, who knew? New horizons and stories, evenings and mornings, boats and seagulls... she would find out soon enough....