I’m alone on board and waiting for the remnants of the Christening crowd to return from Coronado. When they arrive we’ll reassemble and take the kids to family-friendly Mike’s Place for dinner. But not before I lobby for a “pizza harbor cruise” instead.

It was windy all day as we caught the outer winds from hurricane John to the south. I think most of our guests are probably watered out at this point. Not me. I’m ready to go. Let’s point this puppy west and see what’s out there!

Yesterday was nearly perfect. We officially christened The Global Adventure. Lynn flat out missed the boat with her first swing of the champagne bottle. She scored a direct hit on her second try, however! Did you know they actually sell breakable champagne bottles for boat Christenings?

About 40 friends and family members, mainly from Arizona, assembled here for the ceremony. The Kilpatricks, neighbors and friends, catered the event through the restaurant they co-founded, Ra.

Two days prior, on Thursday, August 31, we brought the ship down from its commissioning dock at the Dana Point Marina. When we arrived here at 17:00 we discovered that half of our 39′-wide slip was already occupied by another ship at least 19′ wide.

Our beam is 18′. It was cocktail hour and the local live-aboards were out in force, cocktails in hand, for the show. Miraculously, I nailed the docking exercise perfectly on the first try. Not bad for my first head-in docking experience on our brand new 55′, 168,000-pound Nordhavn. We had less than 8′ to spare on each side. No kidding. Chances are I could never repeat that feat!

The next morning, the Kona Kai Harbor Master, volunteered to move us to the transient dock where all the mega-yachts hang out. We were dwarfed by a couple of beauties, but we had our own new, cement party dock right near the hotel pool. Really, we could not have asked for a better location.

Doug Harris, a great young fellow who is crewing for me this weekend and all next week, and Steve Miller, my Nordhavn agent, were on hand to lend moral support.

My 22-year-old daughter, Laura, just walked in. She and her boyfriend, Mike, have been jet skiing. She looks happy, fit, and wet.

Our 13-year-old, Sam, went jet skiing all day and has the bruises to prove it. He is totally exhausted. He’s playing video games in the master stateroom.

Tomorrow, after Lynn and our youngest son, Mac, head back to Phoenix, Sam, Laura, Doug and I will head for Catalina. We intend to test various systems on the boat including the flopper-stoppers, the anchor system and windlass, the davit (crane), and the 14′ center-consoled dingy, or “dink.”

Yesterday after the Christening, we rounded up a ton of life jackets — literally one for each person, and drove the whole crowd out to the three-mile marker, and back.

I turned a bit too abruptly and a few items and people went flying, but no one was hurt, and I think my 25-year-old son, Chris, who was video taping the event for the website, managed to convince most of the passengers it was a planned maneuver.

I’m pleased to report we lost no one! A good time was had by all; and we could not have asked for a better inaugural excursion. Yep, I love this boat. I love this life!

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