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Bahamas Bound An Interview with the Heyers by Lisa Borre
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ill and Muffin Heyer lead a double life of sorts. During the summer, they can be found in and around the Chesapeake Bay, but come October, they head to the Bahamas for the winter with their dog Lucy aboard Antares, a 1983 Gulfstar 36. Married for 27 years, the couple has lived in Annapolis since the late 1970s. They were some of the first people I met when I moved to town in 1997 because (full disclosure) Muffin is my husband’s cousin. Both are semi-retired from long careers in the marine industry. Will, 61,
and Muffin, 56, now hold down part-time jobs at West Marine and Bert Jabin’s Yacht Yard, respectively. Both have been boating for years, and in her youth, Muffin’s parents sold the house and took their three kids and dog cruising to the Bahamas and Central America for several years. In addition to being able to fix anything on a boat, from diesel engines to electrical and boat carpentry, Will loves fishing, cooking and rum. Muffin’s petite appearance is deceiving in terms of her own appreciation of good food and a glass of chardonnay. She also has extensive
What motivated you to go cruising again? Muffin: We thought we’d try it. We had been paid to deliver a lot of boats before and weren’t sure if we would like cruising anymore. We got the boat all fixed up, so I told Will to quit his job. I was more excited about it than he was at first. Will: We didn’t know if we still had the energy of youth, so we thought we’d see if we still liked it. Even though we both have a lot of experience, we had never really gone cruising together outside the Chesapeake Bay. I had sailed to the Virgin Islands 11 times but never spent more than a day or two in the Bahamas and really wanted to go there. We celebrated when we got past Solomons Island because that’s where most people turn around.
What do you enjoy most about cruising? Will: I’d have to say it’s the people you meet. You will meet more people cruising in six months than you will probably know in your entire life. We’re surrounded by like-minded people in a way that we don’t find on land. Muffin: I agree. You’ll meet everybody in the harbor, and yet you don’t know half the people on your own street. When you’re on a boat, you’ll go up and talk to the guy anchored next to you. It’s a lot different than being on land. What’s your cruising life like? Will: We’ve gotten over the need to go sailing all the time just to see yet another island. We’re on the water already, so that’s usually enough for us. We
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knowledge and experience with all aspects of maintaining and operating cruising boats. The skillful couple salvaged Antares from a charter fleet when it sank shortly after leaving the dock more than a dozen years ago. All of the electronics and wiring had to be replaced, but they managed to use the original engine for 10 years before repowering in 2011. They started cruising to the Bahamas in 2007 and now spend most of their time in picturesque Hopetown, in the Abacos. I talked with them at their home in Hillsmere in late July.
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