Luedke Vacation Blog

During January 2011 Marie and I again chartered the Catatonic for destinations in the US and British Virgin Islands.  I did not keep a day by day blog this time because I had other plans.  I surprise second wedding for our 25^th anniversary.

The Catatonic’s owner Dirk, Manager Pamela and the crew Captain Rick and Mate Missy were all in on it, but Marie had no idea.  I planned the event months in advance, wrote the vows myself and even had a custom pirate ring made by Tony Creed.  

It was a Pirate Wedding on board and Captain Rick performed the ceremony.  Missy arranged for some pirate enactors to board and decorated the Yacht with black and red streamers.  Pamela provided the bouquet and Missy a nice Pirate Wedding cake.

Several months before departing, I was trying to figure out a way to make it a surprise.   So one day I happened to be looking@Amazon.com and looking at pirate costumes. Marie came up and said hey that’s a great idea let’s get some pirate costumes.

Together we planned to put the pirate costumes on while aboard the catatonic and then come up in surprise Capt. Rick and Missy by taking over the yard and forcing them the sale to South America.

So one day I happened to be looking at Amazon.com and looking at pirate costumes. Marie came up and said hey that’s a great idea let’s get some pirate costumes.

Together we planned to put the pirate costumes on while aboard the catatonic and then come up in surprise Capt. Rick and Missy by taking over the yard and forcing them the sale to South America.

The day of the wedding had arrived and Marie and I were sitting on the bridge of the Catatonic looking out over the blue sea.  She didn’t know it well is looking for the dinghy with the pirate actors.  She said, let’s put on those costumes tonight and surprise Rick and Missy.   Just at that moment I saw the dinghy and I said no let’s go do it now and we ran down into the cabin and put on our pirate costumes.

We came back up with our fake swords Marie still thought that we were going to hijack the crew. But she was surprised to find me proposing marriage again. Within minutes we were on the bow of the Catatonic getting married.  Wedding vows

After the wedding we celebrated with the Pirates and Rick and Missy and then set sail for a weeklong honeymoon in the Virgin Islands.

Until next year…