Midnight Revelations Aboard Ragtime

This past weekend, I got to be a part of a sailing team instead of a hospital code team, the latter space where I’ve been for 26 years.

Sailing and coding a patient both require a deep sense of teamwork, trust, and communication. On a sailboat, every crew member has a crucial role, whether it’s trimming the sails, steering, or navigating. Success depends on seamless coordination, with each person relying on the others to execute their tasks precisely. Similarly, in coding a patient, the medical team—including doctors, nurses, and techs—must work in perfect sync. From assessing vitals to administering life-saving interventions, each action is dependent on clear, rapid communication and trust in one another’s expertise.

Just as a sudden change in wind or rough waters can test a sailing crew, unexpected complications in patient care challenge a medical team. In both settings, adaptability is key. A crew must adjust their sail plan and shift weight to stabilize the boat, just as a medical team must pivot quickly when a patient’s condition changes. The ability to remain calm under pressure and support each other through high-stakes moments is what defines a strong team, whether on the water or in the hospital.

Ultimately, both sailing and coding a patient foster a unique camaraderie that comes from shared responsibility and high-intensity decision-making. There’s a deep respect among teammates who know they can depend on each other in critical moments. The trust built through these experiences creates bonds that extend beyond the immediate task, forming a connection that lasts long after the boat docks or the patient is stabilized. In both arenas, success isn’t just about skill—it’s about the team working as one.

I was nervous and excited all in one breath. With one very big detail that made this experience even more fulfilling is that it was on a boat called Ragtime. This boat was the thing that has required and taken so much attention from my sister. It has been her deepest and most precious legacy that she wanted to achieve to honor my brother-in-law.

For the past several years, our conversations and time spent together have been sometimes postponing or cut short due to this boat. It’s something I’ve come to expect but never quite understood until around midnight in the middle of the water, staring up at the stars. A place on earth where there is no reception. Where the dolphins play at your feet, singing sweet songs as they swim and jump in the wake. Where the Bioluminescent glow and the wind is gentle. This is where she finds Chis. And this is where I felt him too. His big gentle hugs and silly, mischievous smile. I got to see one of the reasons why he loved sailing so much.

Thank you to each of you. For meeting me as a novice sailor and giving me your trust. For teaching me and letting me ask a million and one questions about sailing and each of your lives. Each of you are such amazing humans in your own lives and then came together as a team in such a seamless way. I witnessed kindness, respect, positive reinforcement, camaraderie and love. Thank you for giving my sister a chance to fulfill her goal of refurbishing and racing Ragtime.

I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to give DoJo and Cody a big hug before your return.

This was a chance for me to see this sailing world and I’ve fallen in love because of you guys!

Sending each of you much love and kepless waters!

Love, nurse JoJo!  Ragtime Islands Race Executive Chef and Chief Medical Officer