On Our Way

It's official. We are finally floating again and on our way. Even though we've been off of the boat for 10 months, the boat felt like home as soon as it was floating again.

Many of you know that we actually left and started our adventure over 2 years ago, and to many of you, it may seem like we aren't any farther along than when we left originally. Even though we've seen and done a lot, and been to quite a few amazing places in these past couple of years, sometimes I feel like we are still right where we started. I have to remind myself that this adventure is a process and sometimes a process takes time.

For the last couple of months, we have been frantically working on the boat, trying our best to visit with family and friends, get rid of our non essential junk, and do our best to stay sane. When the boat was lowered into the water and finally floating again, there was a huge sigh of relief from both of us. All of the sudden, things were looking like they were coming together. It was looking like our adventure was getting back on track and soon enough, we would be visiting far off lands, swimming in warm tropical waters, and cleaning some of that white sand from those white sandy beaches out of our cracks (because that's where it always ends up).

We spent a couple of days tied up to a dock at the Anacortes marina getting the boat stocked with groceries, finishing some last minute projects, and getting the mast tuned (thanks again Brian!). Once all of that was done, it was finally time for us to hit the high seas and set off to see the world.

It's a strange thing to take off to sail the world. We aren't the first people to attempt this and we definitely won't be the last, but it seems like there should have been some sort of fanfare or recognition or maybe a brass band on the dock as we pulled away. There wasn't any of that. There wasn't even a lone straggler roaming down the dock as we left. It was just us on an unseasonably cold and gray day.

And it's not that I was looking for recognition or a pat on the back and a “good luck out there!” as we pulled away. It's just that this adventure seems like a pretty big deal to me. It could be because I have been planning this for about 20 years. It could be because all of the blood, sweat, and tears that went into making this happen seemed to culminate into one moment as we pulled away from that dock in Anacortes. It also could be that I am pretty proud of ourselves for actually making this happen and I sort of wanted to scream, “Hey! Look at us! We did it! We made it happen! WOO HOO!!!”

But the funny thing is that I really didn't want to scream out for the world to hear. If you know me well, you know that I am generally a low key, keep to myself with not much to say kind of a guy. Brenda on the other hand is our loud and boisterous social butterfly. It would have been more appropriate for her to be the one to scream out for all the world to hear. And I know you are probably thinking that I sure do ramble on this blog a whole lot for a guy who likes to keep to himself with not much to say. Well, you got me on that one.


Now I'm getting off topic. My point is this. It just seemed fitting that we left with no one around but us. With no fanfare and no brass band. We got us here and we'll get us to our next destination. We are a pretty good team. It really wasn't an emotional departure, it wasn't overly exciting, and it wasn't dramatic, but it was a moment that I didn't want to share with anyone but us. It was our moment. It was a tiny slice of time that is burned into my memory as the moment we left to sail the world.  
Is this thing on?

Out for a little dinghy ride!  Woo Hoo!!!

Our new mast in action!

And by the way, our newest video is up on Youtube as well.  The link is below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKtyCByQBnI


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