Me, You, And A Dog Named Bodhi

Fifty-one days. That's how old Bodhi was when Benj Tromberg adopted him. It would be three more years until Tromberg bought his 37-foot Pacific Seacraft Crealock cruising sailboat, and another couple before he got two new hips and found the love he was really looking for — with Bodhi's help.

The aforementioned Bodhi is a miniature Australian shepherd who is precocious, curious, fearless, and fun, says Tromberg. "98% amazing and 2% challenging," he jokes. When he got Bodhi, Tromberg didn't know he'd buy a sailboat (although that was definitely on his mind), and had no idea he'd find Sheila, his love and sailing partner. Actually, it was Bodhi who found Sheila.

Tromberg had recently had his boat shipped from North Carolina to San Diego, put Satori in the water, and went for a soak in the marina hot tub. Earlier in the day, he'd popped into a store for a few minutes and tied Bodhi outside. While in the hot tub, he'd learned a pretty woman had offered the dog with one blue and one brown eye some water.

While soaking, Tromberg said to no one in particular that all he needed now was a good woman to travel with him and his dog on Satori. Coincidentally, Sheila happened to be in the hot tub, too, and realized she was the one who'd given Bodhi the water. When Tromberg made his announcement, Sheila's hand shot up and they soon found themselves making plans. She agreed to go sailing the next day and to dinner during the week.

Tromberg sold himself on the skills he'd acquired over the years that meshed with bluewater sailing. He's been a firefighter and paramedic (always handy on a boat), attended culinary school (another great benefit), and taught yoga for several years. Early careers as an attorney and owner of several video stores weren't helpful aboard, but apparently Sheila didn't need any more convincing. A graphic designer, she also had sailing in her blood.

To reach this moment, Tromberg had to navigate the steep learning curve of learning to sail. "A sailboat is a learning experience under any circumstance, more so when it's your first," he says.

"After sailing Satori to Florida and hoping to spend the 2016–17 winter in the Bahamas and cruising through the Caribbean, I came to the crude realization that no matter how beautiful and seaworthy a boat is, 18 years is 18 years, and most of the major systems were ready to be replaced."

A sail from Florida to Bermuda was a disaster, and he was forced to turn around halfway. He considered selling the boat.

"After eight days offshore and a frustrating first eight months aboard, it took a watch where I saw the moon set and the sun rise simultaneously over a settled ocean 200 miles offshore to convince me that my decision to end my travels aboard was a mistake," he explains.

After making his way to North Carolina for some major work, including replacing chainplates and standing rigging, repairing a crack in the skeg and another on the spreaders, replacing the packing seal and a rebuild of the entire LPG system, the boat was ready. The next year he sailed Satori to the Windward Passage and back to North Carolina.

But Tromberg longed for the West Coast, so he needed to decide: spend a year sailing her there, or two weeks shipping her across the country. Had he not shipped the boat, he'd never have met Sheila. Sailing the California coast for now, Tromberg, Sheila, and Bodhi are ready for more adventure. Bodhi loves cruising, says Tromberg. "He curls up in a ball and sleeps underway, but he has keen senses and can smell and hear sea lions and dolphins."

Their cruising itinerary is ever-evolving, but their endgame is the Mediterranean. Regardless of how the adventure unfolds from here, Tromberg knows the where is not nearly as important as the who — and that part is all he really needs.