Finally the big departure ...

[killarney_sailor]

We have been living onboard for a year and a half and cruising (very slowly) since late May but it finally feels that the big trip will be starting at the end of the week. My wife had to go home to China for three weeks because her father had a stroke. She is back on Thursday and we are off for our journey south.

First step is to Annapolis for the SSCA gam. Then a month or so in the Chesapeake before heading offshore to the Virgin Islands. The enthusiastic Valiente has volunteered for this trip which should be fun. After spending the winter heading south to the Grenadines and then north to Florida by May. After that it will depend on whether we are still having fun (and being able to afford the lifestyle).

We certainly have no intention to do a circumnavigation and have no schedule to follow or stick to. Long distance cruising seems to involve a number of turning points that determine what your journey will eventually be. For us, we are thinking about going to Europe from Florida and spending the winter in London. The following summer we would go through the French canals to the Med. Here is an obvious turning point - turn left (east) and you are spending a winter in the Med (Turkey?); turn right and you are heading across to the Caribbean in late fall. When you get back to the Caribbean there is another turning point - turn north and head back to North America and go west to Panama and you are likely committing to a circumnavigation.

Anyway, the first step in all this comes in a couple of days. The weather looks cool and wet but that is ok as long as we get a weather window down the Jersey coast.

[Faster]

Congratulations! And having Mark along is sure to be a great asset, and help him prepare for his own adventures at the same time!!

I noticed in your other thread you're looking at BVIs and west/north of there.. I'd suggest you find a way to do the chain all the way down to Grenada - you won't regret it. As you say, you've lots of time.

[canadianseamonkey]

That is great to hear! You've got the right mindset. Hope you keep us landlubbers posted. Look forward to your posts of your journey, the likes and dislikes and also things you might have done differently. Everybody says that they should have started cruising earlier in life.

[JohnRPollard]

Killarney,

Fantastic! (Although, sorry to hear about your wife's father.)

Having done much of "the Med" as a young man, I hope you'll have time to see a bit of it anyway.

But it doesn't have to be all or nothing. You could hang a left out the canal and head along the Riviera, then across to Corsica/Sardinia, jump across to the Balearic Islands and eventually work out through Gibraltar. You'll get a nice taste for some of it anyway...

Meanwhile, perhaps we'll cross tacks in the Chesapeake this fall!!

[Valiente]

I'm looking forward to this, Bruce. Today I was swinging a large wrench up a ladder trying to coax a rusted nut off a rudder pintle, preparatory to removing it so I can haul out the prop shaft. Liquid Wrench got up my nose, so I'm hoping some salt air will rectify this.

[killarney_sailor]

Originally Posted by Valiente

I'm looking forward to this, Bruce. Today I was swinging a large wrench up a ladder trying to coax a rusted nut off a rudder pintle, preparatory to removing it so I can haul out the prop shaft. Liquid Wrench got up my nose, so I'm hoping some salt air will rectify this.

'Liquid Wrench got up my nose', there is something there, I have to work with it.