PLEASE NOTE that this post and those below are older posts from our SUMMER 2011 FLORIDA-to-MAINE Trip.

Since no boatyard here in the Naples area was able to accommodate Andiamo's 20-foot beam, she was haul-out in Fort Lauderdale over two weeks ago. David has enjoyed the break at home and has been busy with honey-do projects accumulated over our three-month absence. With the boat laid up four times longer than anticipated (and at least that many times over budget), once it was finally completed my home-based commitments meant he would need to sail this final leg solo. Racing to be home for Katie's brief weekend visit, he packed in 60-80 miles a day in "boat-delivery" mode to reach Naples in a speedy 3 days. As he pulled in late afternoon today after an unusually rough day on the Gulf, Katie and I gladly greeted him serving as relieved dock-hands.

And so, coming full circle, in perfect symmetry, our journey ends as it began with the Captain - a lone figure at the helm - safely docking Andiamo behind our house. After 4052 nautical miles (a whopping 4662 statute miles) to Maine and back, visiting 13 states and cruising for 99 days, even the Captain says he is ready for some restiamo.

But tonight at dusk, sitting on our lanai peering at Andiamo's silhouette while enjoying a celebratory cocktail in the especially satisfying company of our two adult children, we were already beginning to play out the "what if" scenarios of our next trip.