Last Laugh: Finding Myself Between the Tides

I bought a yacht. Not a little weekend toy, but a real, sea-worthy, medium-sized yacht named Last Laugh.

I’d never sailed before—not really—but that didn’t stop me. I threw myself at the sea like a madman, determined to learn everything: tides, currents, wind, weather, anchoring, reefing, radio use, and plotting courses. And I did. Clumsily. Blindly. Terrifyingly.

Moreton Bay was my classroom. Some days, she was kind. Others, she was a cruel mistress who taught through failure. I got things wrong—often. I misjudged the tide once and grounded myself on a sandbar for six hours. Another time, a squall reminded me just how small I was. But I never quit. Each mistake was a lesson. Each success is a badge of courage.

Over five years, I became more than a sailor—I became someone I could rely on. Alone at sea, confidence took root. I found myself out there.

And while the waves crashed and winds howled, I wrote. In the calm between storms, the first chapters of SEETHINGS II came to life. The darkness, isolation, and reflection I lived became pages. Last Laugh wasn’t just a boat. She was a floating writing desk, a therapist, and a teacher.

She gave me stories. And, more importantly, she gave me back to myself.

-M (Author of SEETHINGS, downloadable and free for a limited time)