Guest Books
Random sunset shot. Because who doesn’t appreciate those?
We’ve almost always carried a guest book on board. The original one was a leather-bound small notebook embossed with GUESTS on the front. We carried this on Calypso’s first cruise, an envelope taped into the back of it where we stashed any boat cards that people handed to us. Rainy day memories . . . i’m just sorry we didn’t bring that one along with us this time.
Collection of cards spilled out from Calypso’s original guest book
When we were in George Town, Exuma, in November, we had a couple of delightful evenings with Elise and Cristian from the Dutch boat Elza. They brought over their guest book for us to sign.
Elise and Cris in Calypso’s cockpit in George Town
This wasn’t the “hand over a book while you’re on board and write your name and a single line” kind of guest book. This was a treasure trove of a memory container. The book is a blank book and every boat that’s invited to sign it is handed the book with an overnight stay (or longer) possible. We saw photographs and beautifully drawn sketches. People we both knew! Lovely letters to Cris and Eiise. Boat cards. I wish I’d seen this as an example of a guest book before November of 2024, but better late than never.
My friend Lisa cruises on the catamaran Dragonfly; she had gifted me a beautiful handmade notebook with a chart on the cover. Seemed like a perfect vessel for our new guest book.
Handmade book. Indonesian chart cover. Is this a nudge?
We started this guest book as a way to commemorate our “forever cruise”, though I think I started it for real after we arrived in French Polynesia. Ah the entries we missed out on! I think there are more “place holder” ones, pages where I just listed a place and the people we had on board but no “real” entries.
The very first one is a beauty, though - our friends Ben and Lauren and kids Norah and Alexandra came for a glorious dinner aboard, and they were the first to christen the new book. Perfect way to begin a new tradition.
Starting the new guest book in style! Thanks, Dovka!
Now to get a photo printer and stick pictures into each entry!