They set off their EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean, and help came running (or rather floating and flying). Then soon thereafter, so did an outpouring of criticism, some sympathy, and a sizable amount of media-whipped frenzy of outrage.

My son, Brendan, the wilderness escapist, has a camper van he has named Koda. This is his fourth camper vehicle in the past ten years, each one an improvement over the last. Koda is a brand spanking new, custom-built, masterpiece.

Both my sons are now married and have two children each. Both my sons are driven to spend as much time as possible outdoors. Both my sons have soul mates who share this yen. Both my sons are raising Cowabungans 3.0, our grandchildren, a third generation of Cowabunga spirit-imbibed adventurers.

Cowabunga! She changed our life dramatically over 10 years. Such a loaded word, such a loaded name. Originally attributed to use by a character in a 1950s TV children's show, "cowabunga" is now commonly accepted as an exclamation of pure joy, a yell of exhilaration. Surfers are said to have adopted it in the 1960s to punctuate their delight and enthusiasm when catching the perfect wave.

"Mama, don't let your sons grow up to be cowboys" the song goes, or in our case, sailors and rock climbers—but then again, why not?

What happens to two young boys in an "afterlife"? Life after Cowabunga? Life after living 10 years sailing and exploring parts of the world via a sailboat? Now what? That's what this new blog, Spirit of Cowabunga will explore. Stay tuned, as I transition this website from my previous profession-oriented purpose to the home base for my upcoming book Sail Cowabunga.... (the rest of the title to be determined). The original Vignettes From Cowabunga have now been weaved into one story. Spirit of Cowabunga will explore the "fallout" of such a life 25 years later.