A couple of years ago, when Henrik tried to persuade me to go cruising with him, it was the promise of visiting the big cities of the world (at least the ones on the seaside) that became an important argument for me, and I was particularly tempted by spending the summer/hurricane season in New York. Now that I'm here, I'm truly enjoying myself!

First of all it’s nice to be in just one place. Since June last year we've been constantly underway, and I sometimes get a little restless never belonging anywhere. Now I'm enjoying not having to move anywhere for a while and getting settled – at least for a couple of months. We've have joined the local gym, and I have started learning tap dancing, which is great fun.

Secondly, I’m enjoying staying in a big city, where I can wear other things than flip-flops and washed-out clothes!

For a while, I have exchanged my cruiser’s wardrobe with dresses and stilettos, which means that Henrik needs to invite me out, so I can show off my new clothes. I’d like to think that you can't tell that I live on a small boat in all my new outfits, but Henrik always has the kill switch from the dinghy in the waistband, so for the sharp eye, I guess you can tell we’re
cruisers!

Compromises
Last winter, when we lived on the boat in London, I dragged Henrik along to several ballets and operas, and by the slightest discontent, I reminded him that after all I was now living on his boat and had agreed to go cruising. Going to the ballet was just the compromise he had to assent to because I was living on a boat. I had planned to repeat this “success” in New York, but luckily for Henrik, the Metropolitan Opera is closed during the summer. However, I did manage to get tickets to two ballets before the season closed, which Henrik wasn't too thrilled about. In the break he asked me, if I realised how long he thought two hours in the ballet was.

I answered that it couldn't be as long as I thought 31 days across the Atlantic was. He had to agree with me on that, and another sailor from the marina also thought that Henrik had got the long end of the stick, as he expressed it. I must admit though that living in New York, even if it’s on a boat on the Hudson, is worth the 31 days - even though I of course will bring up the Atlantic crossing again, when I book tickets in the fall for the opera!

Signe Storr - freelance journalist and friend of Boatshed