Introducing Serendipity!
“Serendipity – An unusual word that means a lucky discovery made while looking for something else; the ability to make unexpected and happy discoveries.
It comes from the old name for Sri Lanka – Serendib or Serendip – from the Arabic Sarandib, which in turn is from the Hindi Silan; the island was named by the ancient Arabic seamen who traded in that region.
The place name appears again in the English translation of a Persian fairy tale called “The Three Princes of Serendip”. In 1754, Horace Walpole coined the term serendipity from the title of that story, the heroes of which, he wrote in a letter to a friend, “were always making discoveries, by accidents or sagacity, of things they were not in quest of...” Walpole’s happy coinage has become a permanent part of our language.”
- from Ship to Shore by Peter D. Jeans
The girls all loved the idea that the word serendipity originated from the sea, and that we would be like these three princes, making many unexpected, but happy discoveries along the way. This feels like the essence of our philosophy: while exploring and adventuring in new places, we will be discovering incredible things we didn't dream of, having experiences that will enrich our lives beyond words! So, we have decided to name our boat Serendipity!
Just for fun, here is a partial list of some of the other names considered before deciding:
Dream Seeker, Brown-Eyed Girls, Sail Away, Sea Star, Whimsey, La Dolce Vita, Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, Big Bertha, Pretty Women, El Mar (the ocean), Cats’ Meow, Moonlight Serenade, Five Girls and a Guy, Mid-life Crisis, Serious Fun, Moondancer, Bewitched Bothered and Bewildered, Nothing But Time, Symphony, Gone with the Wind, Reflections, Tranquility, Serenity, Endeavor, Odyssey, Traveler, Wanderer, Explorer, and such.
Our Serendipity is a 48' custom French-built catamaran. Our plans are to sail her north to the Chesapeake Bay until the end of hurricane season. However, it is getting so late in the season that we may have to sail her south instead, out of tropical storm areas completely. We are currently doing research on both alternatives, and will make a decision when we have finally closed on the house and boat, and have checked out the weather in both regions at that time.
For a more thorough explanation of the origins of the word serendipity, and why we're inspired by it, check out the More Serendipity link above!