It’s not about the destination, it’s about the voyage

Just over 6 months ago we decided to take a break and go on a sailing adventure. We sold the house, got rid of most of our belongings and put the remaining in storage. We notified our work and the kids’ schools of our soon departure and are now waiting for hurricane season to pass. This blog will capture our adventure, and bring friends, family and anyone who wants to follow along on the journey with us.

Why are we going?

Some have asked why we decided to do this and my response is, why not. I believe life is what you make of it and we need to create our own opportunities. So this is an opportunity to enjoy time with and get to know our kids. It is the opportunity to see a part of the world, to experience different places, cultures and languages. Last but not least, it is the opportunity to expand our horizons and learn new things. Sailing, or “cruising” as it is known, is the means by which we felt we could attain these things. Eryk and I always wanted to live on a boat when we retired, so in a sense we just accelerated our plan a bit to have these experiences with our kids.

Where are we going?

We chose the Caribbean for a few reasons, one of which is, it’s warm. If we’re taking a break we might as well get a break from the Canadian winters and enjoy some year round warm weather. The Caribbean also offered some intermediate sailing grounds. Meaning we don’t feel we need to be advanced sailors with a ton of experience, there are no big ocean crossings required, we can follow the chain of islands and stay within a short distance of coastal waters. And finally, Eryk is hoping the Caribbean will offer up some nice surfing spots. He is looking forward to getting back to a sport he fell in love with years ago during our time in Australia. Other than that there are no real plans. We will start cruising from Antigua, since that is where our boat is, and will figure the rest out when we get there.

When are we going?

The plan was to start in fall 2018, but we need to finalize the purchase of the boat. Eryk will be going to Antigua with Tia, our daughter, in early November to do so and I will follow later in the month with the boys and the dog.

If you would like to hear about our adventures as we discover the ins and outs of sailing, cruising life, the Caribbean, homeschooling and much more, follow us by subscribing below to our blog. We look forward to sharing with you the good, the bad and the ugly of our time at sea.

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