Early in their relationship Jim, an experienced sailor, and Angie, a neophyte, set out on a yearlong journey aboard the thirty foot sailboat Escapade. Leaving from the boat's home port at the west end of Lake Erie, they took the boat across two great lakes and then, by way of the Erie Canal system and the Hudson River, down to New York and the Atlantic Ocean. From there, they sailed out to Maine, then down the coast to Chesapeake Bay, where they experienced their first brush with a hurricane. Leaving the Chesapeake, they followed the Intracoastal Waterway to Florida, crossed the Gulf Stream, and spent several months cruising the islands before returning to the Chesapeake.

Thirty years later, they meet unexpected challenges when they try to recreate an experience which they both considered to be a highlight and turning point in their lives. Refitting their new boat, Bel Canto, a thirty year old Tayana 42, the type boat they had dreamed of having thirty years earlier, turned out to be a monumental task. And dealing with the boat's size and ideosyncrasies on the waterway created more stress than they had bargained for. Nevertheless, the couple finished the year feeling satisfied with what they had accomplished and an increased appreciation for their relationship.