SV Kavalea: What's in a Name?

What’s in a name? We names our 2020 Leopard 40 Catamaran: Sailing Vessel (S/V) Kavalea.  Kavalea is a confluence of names and concepts.  Kava was the name of Stacey’s Maine Coon cat that she rescued from a snow storm in Connecticut while in graduate school.  And Lea is Stacey’s middle name.  David bridged these names together, thereby naming our new cat after a cat (Kava) and giving her a more personal and feminine touch with the -lea ending.  Kava, the Maine Coon cat, also had a namesake.  He was named after a pepper plant (Piper methysticum) in the South Pacific.  The root of this plant, known for its calming, soothing, and euphoric properties, is made into and served as a traditional drink shared in Fijian ceremonies.  While the name Kavalea comes inherently from our personal stories, its connection with customs experienced on the other side of the world symbolizes our intention to travel and personally experience such customs all around the world – aboard the S/V Kavalea.