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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.
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.
