Floaters

Their friends warned them. Colleagues offered alternatives. Her mother tried to talk her out of it. For twenty years, the couple had thrived floating between campuses, ships, and ports, but geography was about to become their destiny.



The happily married, middle-aged couple had only lived together for eight years yet had been married for twenty. Joe and Paula Martin's marriage had succeeded even though Joe was away at sea for months while she taught at Juniata College. After decades as captain of sea-going ships, Joe was about to take a shore-side job, 5,000 miles away from Paula's college. She had a sabbatical and would join him for a year. It would be the first time they'd live together for more than three months in a row. And they'd do so in Alaska, on a 331/2 foot boat.



Floaters travels from central Pennsylvania, along the Alaska Highway, to Juneau, Southeast Alaska, the Inside Passage, and then beyond. Joe worked as a Port Captain while searching for a ship's pilot position. Paula worked on her book in between field classes. Alaska travels, wildlife, boat maintenance, conflict avoidance, and dreams of a dog arose during their year together. Would their romance survive the experience? Would their marriage? And would the boat?