So they have begun the circumnavigation...exhale.

Just over one week down and the boys are in Nassau {read Eric's Blog for the real sailing/spearing stuff http://www.sailblogs.com/member/sailingspearo/}. They don't love being in that busy port but they are enjoying the broadband they are boot-legging from Luciano's restaurant (when, in an aspiring first-world way, it intermittently works). They are there to attend to repairs (already?) to our NEW anchor (really?) which they bitched-up (nautical term) in their last port, both setting and then freeing it from an unforgiving hard-rock bottom. Thank goodness for spares. Taking advantage of this "vibrant" hub's marine services, they will not only have the anchor bent back into usable shape, but also service the dinghy outboard that is slipping, and stew on why the water-maker that has proved utterly reliable for three years, has now decided to churn out nasty tasting water just when we need it most. If the professed draw of round-the-world sailing is in leaving behind the harried American way, it will be interesting to see how the crew deals with the Bahamian repairman's island timeline.

During our very brief daily iridium phone calls, I can hear David's mounting frustration over these equipment issues, especially given the countless - really - hours (and dollars) he has spent outfitting, repairing, refurbishing, every inch of Andiamo.I remember David once read that cruising was basically "fixing things in exotic ports"...out of the gate, so far, so true. Knowing full-well that all of this is part and parcel of cruising, I secretly (and unrealistically) hope that they will have the de-bugging done by the time I join them.

At our realtor's suggestion, I am stuck home dealing with workmen/painters attempting to further gussy-up our not-selling-house. At the rate that all occurs, I am probably not commencing my part of the trip until after Christmas. {I cling to the diminishing hope that somewhere in this throw-away culture there is still some couple/family who does not want to take on the burden of building a new home and sees the value in a lovely existing home minutes from Naples Bay.}While I was actually looking forward to a few planned weeks of quiet to continue packing and tidying the house (after the chaos the trip preparation and their departure left), extending the stay - AND WORK - to six weeks seems like a huge anti-climactic let-down. It feels like severe penance, but for what? For this solo woman here alone left to deal with workmen in my house - already at the bottom of my list of how I wish to spend my time on this earth - the hassle mixes with a strong dose of irony as my Mr. Fix-It Husband is off doin' his thing. I kept telling David we needed more time to tend to the house, but alas.... the cyclone season dictates North American circumnavigation departure schedules.
......For now, the house-bound Sacrificial Sailor, Dede.