. . . at Last
We’re finally sailing south. Thank you, everyone who has helped, advised, or just put up with hearing us talk about going.
This trip has been long in the making – over two decades
in fact since Kent and I bought our first real sailboat, our beloved 22-foot
pocket cruiser. We trailered it south to Florida for our first week-long sailing
trip with other owners of the same kind of boat. We loved Florida’s beautiful
white sand beaches, blue-green waters, and fairly steady winds, and made many
friends, vowing to come back after that first trip. And we went back. . .
often.
When we finally retired, that’s when Carina, a 34-foot sailboat, came into our lives. The last 17 months
were spent learning her systems, replacing what needed replacing on an 11-year-old
boat, and trying to plan for every contingency. But at some point, you’ve got
to quit planning and – as our friend Paul tells us – throw the lines on the
dock. Paul, you’ll be proud: We are finally saying goodbye to friends and
family Saturday and leaving our slip on Monday. For the first time, we’ll be
sailing south, not trailering south.
Ultimate Destination?. . .Who Knows!
We have dreams about places we want to sail to. Our
dreams have been influenced by friends who’ve done the Great Loop, calling it
one of the greatest trips they’ve ever taken, telling us that it’s life
changing.
On the other hand, they also say that cruising for months
at a time is far different from cruising for just a week or two. So for now, we are taking our sailing
adventure one step at a time. We’re sailing south.
At worst case, we may be sailing south to another
dock somewhere in Florida for Carina
to be a floating, sailing condo for a short while. For a worst case, that’s not so bad.
Or we may be sailing south to the Keys; or sailing south,
then turning east to the Bahamas; or sailing south, then north up the East
Coast, then west to Chicago, and finally – you guessed it – sailing south
again. Not having a set destination or schedule is part of the adventure.
You can keep up with our voyage through this blog,
written sometimes by Kent and sometimes by me (Jane), at least that’s the plan.
Like most boater blogs, we’ll post updates and photos when we can. Please check
back often. Words of encouragement are always welcomed.
Those who know us well will notice we are light on some details of our background. The Internet is often misused by rascals now, and we’re
trying to keep that from happening to us. We won’t be light on details of our
adventure.
“Throwing the lines on the dock” is the sailor’s way of
saying, “The longest journey begins with a single step.” We hope our journey is
long. Even if not, we’re taking that single step next week. Follow us as we
sail south on Carina.
I am so PROUD of you two! Talk about following your dreams. Just promise to come back in one piece. The kids & I will miss you, but this blog will help us keep up. Thanks for creating it for those of us who can't follow in person.
ReplyDeleteMuch Love!
You are living my dreams; I hope I make it one day. Fair winds!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHave an absolute ball! Stay safe, healthy and enthusiastic - and keep blogging!
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Tacie (Chinoise - I forgot to identify myself when I posted a minute ago!)
I have been trying to send you a greeting, but have been having difficulties. Hope all is well. I will keep in touch. Linda
ReplyDeleteHi Jane and Kent - Hope all is going well. We already miss you lots, but hope you are having a fabulous time. You have been doing a great job of keeping us updated, so we are all living vicareously through you! Have fun and stay safe. Linda+
ReplyDelete