Jan 11, 2022

Naming a boat is harder than naming your children. A one or two-word name introduces the captain, the crew, the vision, the sought-after experience. It’s broadcasted over radio and appears in official ownership documents. Can you imagine hailing the coast guard with “Mayday, mayday, mayday this is sailing vessel Nauti Buoy, Nauti Buoy, Nauti Buoy or Aqua Holic, Aqua Holic, Aqua Holic”! Or radioing the bridge attendant to open a bridge saying, “7th Street Bridge, 7th Street Bridge, 7th Street Bridge this is sailing vessel Happy Hooker, Happy Hooker, Happy Hooker”. Kid you not these are in the top 100 best boat names.

We had a long list, and then a short list but it wasn’t until we signed the US Coast Guard Documentation papers that we knew our vessel’s name had to be Bistari.

Bistari - ADJECTIVE Org. Nepalese

1. slowly

2. Sherpa mantra repeated while trekking the Himalaya’s.

The Story

Several years ago, we trekked the Annapurna Range in Nepal. Arun, our guide and Pom, our porter were the epidemy of Nepalese kindness and grace as they guided us on the gorgeous, exhausting, rugged, spiritual five-day trek.

We were not Arun’s typical customer. We were on the downhill side of the age curve which caught Arun’s attention. As we walked up, up, up, down and then up, up and up he softly whispered “bistari, bistari, bistari”. After the first few hours struggled by, I asked Arun what Bistari meant. He answered “Slowly. We’ll just take it slow and easy. We’re in no hurry.” I mentioned this to Ken over lunch saying Arun seems worried about us because he keeps repeating slowly, slowly, slowly.

Our five days with Arun and Pom were the very best. Each day we hiked the most beautiful trail with vistas that looked to heaven. It was extraordinary.

As we learned over time, Bistari, Bistari is local lingo for ‘slowly, slowly’. It is a phrase sherpas and guides often use because they want you to realize that the whole point of trekking in the Himalayas is to take your time, enjoy the walk, savor the views and get there when you will get there. Gratefully, we weren’t the old folks, rather we were the students of patience, perseverance and joy.

What a perfect name for a sailboat. Bistari, bistari as savor the journey