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Day 2512
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Mar
17
Written by:
Alex
3/17/2010 8:11 AM
 Wow, it's hard for me to put the last month into words. I've felt so
disconnected from cruising over the past few years but I feel at home
and free once again. The days are slowly drifting by to the sound of
laughter, wind, and the taste of salt on our lips. We gaze at the
brilliant colors of the turquoise waters during the day and an
unpolluted sky filled with brilliant stars at night. Guinevere and
Samantha are as happy as 2 peas in a pod. All Guinna wants to do is
snorkel, snorkel, snorkel. Guin got the opportunity to swim with a
giant spotted Eagle ray the other day, she cant stop talking about it.
I cant wait for the warm waters of the San Blas where she will not
have to get out of the water after thirty minutes or so. Even in her
little wetsuit she gets a chill after a while. She was crying in her
mask and snorkel the other day because it was time to get out, it
really was the cutest thing. Sam is knocking down books like nobodies
business. She also makes us 3 baguettes a day so we always have a good
supply of bread around. Guin and I are chomping at the bit to taste
the piping-hot baguettes as soon as they get out of the oven. Life is
so good it almost hurts. These girls really have stolen my heart, I
love them so very much!
I've been learning how to sail a ketch since we left Miami. Balancing
the boat is not so easy, however I'm sure I'll get get the hang of it
soon. I'm also trying to get the windvane up and running. I've found
myself on more than one occasion sailing with just the jib and mizzen.
I really need a new set of sails. I don't like the high-cut of the jib
and the mizzen is worn and has no reef points. The main is okay but
only has 2 reef points and I don't like where they are and the cloth
is a bit light. If I can ever afford it I'll order a new set of
tanbark sails. I'll also look into the kits that are available from
sailrite and do the stitch-work myself. I don't have a main sheet
track as the main sheet is just connected to the mizzen. A common
configuration, but I'd like to have a few vangs to give me better
control of the main sheet system. All that being said I'm not
complaining and I'll happily make this all work for now.
George Town is really cool. The anchorage at Stocking island is
beautiful and the holding good. There are about 250 boats here and
plenty of room for everyone to have enough swing. It doesn't feel so
crowded and Guin is easily finding other children to play with. There
seems to be more kids cruising around these days, or perhaps I'm just
more aware of them?
I'm not able to post logs as often as I'd like. I couldn't afford to
get a card for the satellite phone (email modem) before I left and the
orbcomm system is down for the moment. I have to rely on internet
cafes when they are available. I am working on another video to upload
and you should see it in the next few weeks.
We will continue South in mid to late April. I'm going to work on a
few projects while we are here.
Sam should have a new log posted as well.
Sail far and live slowly.
Peace, Love, Sam & Guin.
- Alex
Tags:
10 comment(s) so far...
Re: The cruising life.
Very Cool...
Really enjoy reading your updates. My wife and I miss them when not posted regularly.
I know...I'm putting you in that 9-5 box...sorry...
Have fun
Andy Hemlin
Mariposa II
Toronto
Union 36
By Andy Hemlin on
3/17/2010 1:57 PM
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Re: The cruising life.
Great to hear you made Georgetown and that there are some kid boats there. We are in Key Biscayne waiting on weather to cross, Saturday morning is looking pretty good. If all goes as we hope, we will be in Georgetown within 10 days or so and hope to see you guys there. Taylor is SUPER jealous of Guin and dying to go snorkling. As cold as the water is here both kids put on their wetsuits and played around with the paddle board today. I have yet to brave the cold and give it a try but the windsurfing rig looks like a ton of fun. You will have to try it when we get there. I would love to chat on SSB, I got Chris Parkers weather on 6221 USB this morning. Let me know if you want to try and post a time and frequency.
Terry
By Tspringer on
3/17/2010 5:23 PM
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Re: The cruising life.
Terry we will be here a few weeks, wood love to see you guys, George town is AWSOME!!!
By Alex on
3/19/2010 8:32 AM
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Re: The cruising life.
Luso, I lost your email address. If you read this please contact me. I want to make sure your getting your boat ready to go
By Alex on
3/21/2010 3:54 PM
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Re: The cruising life.
Alex, I am rather new to your blog but three weeks ago I found it and started at the beginning, Feb. 1, 2003 and read everything up to date. What an amazing journey you have had! My wife and I are both 32 and I have two girls, 8 & 10, from my privious (sp) marriage. I have had the cruising dream since I was 15 and just have not made it happen yet. I have talked to them about taking on the cruising life and its not time for them yet. I just aquired a 17 foot weekender to practice sailing on and teach them on. We went out yeasterday and it was amazing! We live on Tampa Bay and I grew up sailing Charlotte Harbor FL so it was all familiar weather/wave/wind configurations, we had a nice time. We sailed out to a small island and went exploring and made a picnic lunch to take along. I relaxed and stared at the clouds from the cockpit for awhile while the kids explored and my wife laid in the shade of a sea grape tree. "This is what life is about" I thought. We have a pretty big house and alot of "stuff". I made the resouloution to start getting rid of all the "stuff" and learn to live much simpler with a nicer (bigger) boat and less "stuff". I am going to set sail on the rest on my life the day after my youngest daughter turns 18. June 6, 2020 is D-Day! Thank you for the inspiration and the mental "kick in the butt" I needed to start the final planing, I have heard that once you make the decision to go, you often leave before your selected date, I hope so! If you guys are ever in Tampa Bay, let me know so I can offer you a place to stay and home cooked meals for a few days. It would be an honor and my pleasure to treat you guys and hear some sailing stories. Untill then...
Sailing Dreams,
Warren
By wkeenan78 on
3/21/2010 7:35 PM
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Re: The cruising life.
Warren, Why are ylou waiting for your daughter to turn 18? Why not give her an amazing childhood? If I can answe any questions please feel free to ask. Maybe you would want to come for a week charter at some point?
Cheers.
By Alex on
3/22/2010 6:36 AM
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Re: The cruising life.
Hi Alex,
How much would it be for a weeks charter? We do much sailing in the puget sound with our two sons (4 months and 2 years 4 months), but have done none in the carribean yet. Let me know.
Mark
Splendiferous
By Markvnuk on
3/22/2010 9:29 PM
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Re: The cruising life.
Mark,
It depends on the situation, I'm going to keep it affordable. I'm thinking $225 per person per day. That is the same price I charged for charters on Namaste. On Namaste I was teaching guys how to cruise and single hand. On Splendid the concept is more teaching families, family cruising.
Cheers
By Alex on
3/23/2010 6:20 AM
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Re: The cruising life.
Mark,
It depends on the situation, I'm going to keep it affordable. I'm thinking $225 per person per day. That is the same price I charged for charters on Namaste. On Namaste I was teaching guys how to cruise and single hand. On Splendid the concept is more teaching families, family cruising.
Cheers
By Alex on
3/23/2010 6:21 AM
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Re: The cruising life.
affordable would be like buy some groceries or something alex. 450.00 a day for 2 people to sit on your boat and breathe in the air? For someone who disses the american way of life and wants to live green and off the land you are pretty interested (all the time) in garnering more american dollars. good luck on the tan bark sails. Why not come out and say send me your money so I can sail and eat out for free? at least you'd be getting back to honesty
i do enjoy your log but sometimes the irony of it is too much.
By wv420 on
4/5/2010 9:38 AM
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