At the beginning of the year, I found out that we had been nominated by members of the Working Waterfront Coalition of Whatcom County for the Whatcom Business Alliance’s Small Business of the Year Award. Jeffrey and I felt honored that our nominators were part of Bellingham’s greater maritime community. It felt good to be recognized for our hard work and dedication, especially by those who understand the challenges of running a marine-based business.
Honestly, we didn’t think the nomination would go beyond that. But then, later in January, I got a phone call from the Business Alliance’s Executive Director informing us we were finalists for Small Business of the Year Award. “Wait, what? Really?” I think I remember saying back to her. I’ve never really felt like we were award material.
The Executive Director explained that we would be contacted by a reporter for their Business Pulse Magazine as well as a video production crew. Each finalist would have a short video produced about them to show at the awards gala. The event was described as a black and gold themed event. “Yikes,” I thought. I would need to shop for a dress, since dressing up is not something I usually do.
As I texted Jeffrey and Sarah to let them know, I experienced a rush of emotion I hadn’t felt since starting to write More Faster Backwards about our startup years. This honor reminded me of the eight years of rebuilding and the hurdles we faced, leading up to the joy of our boat christening party where Jeffrey’s mom, with all her might, broke a bottle of champagne over the bow. I remembered my mom too, and how she found working on the David B with me healing for her as she battled cancer.
Reflecting on our business’s inception and our first years brought back memories of overcoming economic downturns, a catastrophic winter engine freeze, and a global pandemic. Despite new rules and regulations, we are here, stronger than ever, 26 years after buying the David B.
In that time, we’ve forged new connections, friendships, and adventures. The David B has taken us to many places with numerous people. More than anything, I cherish the community that has supported our vision of restoring an old, decaying wooden boat and taking people on wilderness journeys we hope are fulfilling and transformative.
The award ceremony was this past weekend. Dressed to the nines, we enjoyed a wonderful time with our crew and family. While we didn’t win Small Business of the Year, we gained much more. The event allowed us to celebrate our identity and mission, reflecting on what makes our business special and why we approach each day with dedication, focus, and persistence.
My only regret is that this recognition came too late for our mothers to see. I know they would be incredibly proud. Seeing what we’ve built, and the extensive community that is “Team David B” fills me with joy. Your support too, dear reader, during both good and challenging times has been invaluable too, and is what made us shine in front of our local business community. Jeffrey and I can’t thank you enough for keeping our dreams afloat.
With the deepest love and gratitude,
Christine
PS -We are hoping that we’ll be able to share a link of the video they made of our business with you soon. They did a fantastic job.
So, you hear about the once in a lifetime trip your friends took to Alaska on the David B… Or maybe you are searching about small ship cruises to Alaska and find our website… Or you are reading Outdoor Photography magazine and see one of our ads.
while the David B is in Alaska during the summers.) It’s my pleasure to answer the questions you have about our trips. I’m even more delighted when someone I am communicating with signs up.
Then things are pretty quiet after that for a while. I’ll probably do some knitting or play with Harriet.
will look like in terms of COVID-19 precautions and policies. We feel that the virus is still a moving target and it’s hard to know exactly what to expect. Our hopes are that the vaccination rollout will gain momentum and the vast majority of us will be vaccinated soon. For now, we are keeping our COVID-19 policies in place. You can visit our 
Vaccinations: Like many small and large businesses in tourism, we would like to require vaccinations for all of our passengers. However, there may be many legal implications, and there simply may not be enough vaccinations available until later spring or early summer.
do a health check. We were then given permission to anchor if needed due to any weather or mechanical issues. No one was allowed to get off the boat for any reason. If this continues to be the case, our plan is to cruise up the Inside Passage in 4-6 days possibly running 24/7 and anchoring only if necessary. Once we cross the border into Alaska, we will make up the remaining days by cruising in 
There have been a handful of times we’ve waited out a storm while tucked into some comfy cove. As the storm blows through, the gusts of wind pull on the anchor chain and the boat swings. Sometimes a gust will blow so hard it yanks the boat with a big shake. As the storm rages, we shelter at anchor and watch the wind speed. We check to make sure the anchor holds. We wait. We watch. We play cards. We bake cookies. We ride out the storm.