Bonaire After our long delay in Cape Verde waiting for our new autopilot, we finally got our weather window to make the 1,800-mile voyage across the Atlantic. We made landfall in Barbados and reacquainted ourselves with the warm, crystal-clear waters of the Caribbean, the steady breezes, and the spectacular sunsets. We had previously sailed the…
“In the vastness of the sea, we find our strength not just in calm waters, but in the storms that test our resolve.” Alison Gieschen It has been a while since my last…
To make a recap my last blog post, Sailing to Cape Verde, the start of the voyage began with intentions of a direct crossing to the Caribbean. We were well provisioned, all systems functioning, and we were eager to get to the next phase of our circumnavigation. We had been forced to wait a month…
Every year, a flurry of excitement engulfs the Canary Islands as sailors from around the globe converge in this Atlantic archipelago, gearing up for the epic sailing rite of passage, crossing the Atlantic to the Caribbean. The Canaries, famous for their expansive harbors and comprehensive marine facilities, serve as the perfect staging area for sailors…
“Attitude is a choice. Happiness is a choice. Optimism is a choice. Kindness is a choice. Giving is a choice. Respect is a choice. Whatever choice you make makes you. Choose wisely.” ― Roy T. Bennett Today, I chose happiness. I may rant about the trouble we’ve had leaving the country of Spain, and their…
“May the winds of adventure carry you to the Canary Islands, where each island is a chapter, and every wave whispers tales of timeless exploration.” Alison Gieschen We spent two seasons sailing Portugal, Spain, and the Mediterranean. When it came to time to take the pilgrimage to the Canary Islands to prep for crossing…
“Our plans are often a loose interpretation of our intended route. As always, my motto is, as long as we are still alive, still in love, and still afloat, it’s all good. We get wherever we are going when we get there.” Alison Gieschen Once again. This played true. Dan finally found a five-day…
Ah, the pitfalls of boat parts. When you’ve been sailing long enough, you know the motto, “It’s not if, it’s when” an essential part on your boat will break. Even though you may have a spare part for just about every system on your boat, there will always be something that breaks that you didn’t…
Before we left on our sailing adventure, our Yoga instructor, Lumi, rolled her eyes when we announced to her that we were selling everything and heading out to sea. We looked at one another and cocked our heads at her response. She seemed agitated by our announcement. “Yeah, my husband’s parents did that,” she explained…
“When something goes wrong in your life, just yell ‘Plot Twist’ and move on…” Anonymous After 5 days at sea in challenging weather, the sight of land peering at us across a misty, wave strewn horizon, was a welcome sight. The stormy entrance to this island perched in the middle of the sea was…