H-Season Spoiler Alert
16 April 2016 | Green Turtle Cay, Abaco, Bahamas
Alex, raining with a Chance of Bloggin Spoiler Alerts
Marks your Calendars. Ex-aka-laka-lactly ONE MONTH from today...
****
There's a Hurricane Season mnemonic that, if you're a cruiser, might be firmly ingrained in your brain, and goes something like this:
June is too soon (First Month)
July Standby (Listen to the Weather)
August You Must (be prepared)
September Remember (to stay prepared)
October Its Over (Last Month)
And it's roundabout this time of year that chit-chat, probably over sundowners while watching the sunset, turns towards the up'n'coming H-Season whereabouts of all Aboard in the Anchorage. Perhaps some even being so bold as to slowly starting to turn the bow of the boat in that direction. There are many good-bye hugs exchanged, with much anticipation afoot.
H-season is a time when, if you're flying home, you'll be looking to reserve marinas or mooring balls for your time away from home, perhaps in order to comply with Insurance regulations. You're getting excited at seeing family and friends back home, or there are other commitments to attend to. Lists and appointments are being made and scheduled. H-season for others might mean you're at standby & listening to weather, whilst enjoying a few months in one place (or environs), such as Camp Grenada perhaps?
Which is what we've done for the last THREE H-Seasons. And what Fantastic & Fun times we've had, with some pretty Amazing people, doing some pretty Amazing stuff, all in all living some Amazing Adventures.
"Where shall we go for H-Season this year" asked my Capt'N, as we hemmed, and hawed as to our own whereabouts. "We could stay here, do Camp Grenada again, or perhaps, go South to Trinidad for H-Season?"
"But then that leaves us Cruising back up and down the same Chain of Islands Next Year, just as we've done for the last four years" we both said at the same time, which arguemented and solidified our mutual desire and agreement that we were both looking for Something More. Something Different. In Search of Some New Adventures.
Not that we haven't had an Amazing Time doing this. Not that we've seen it all (we certainly haven't), and not that we wouldn't love to do it again (we certainly would), but...
"We need to get some work done on Banyan" said the ever vigilant Capt'N, as he walked about performing his system checks.
"Ugh..." I replied in the face of Reality, knowing full well that repairs and/or replacement of our Canvas, Rig Inspections, Bottom Job, LifeRaft ReCertification and other boat related big boat bucks (as well as where to get the work done?), would put a significant dent in our budget, that was already suffering with the Canadian Dollar being at an all-time-low.
"But it's not ONLY about the Boat Work" said the Capt'N, to which I agreed, "It's about the Where, and the What and New Adventurings?" Right?
"We could go Western Caribbean" we both dreamed. Yet the prudent sailors in us knew that the boat work needed to come before we headed in that direction, to areas that are a tad more remote. Areas that would require us to have more spares without worrying about safe passages and all.
"So what are we going to do this H-Season?" we raised our eyebrows at the same ole question, as once again, we were back at Square One.
And that's when Sailing Banyan turned to her list of Bucket Dreams. And picked a Dream. A dream that quickly turned into an Idea.
And, with each passing Day, the idea grew and grew. It grew Larger and Bolder and Bigger, as we researched and planned and analyzed.
We've spent the last year taking small baby stumbles towards that idea, and somehow, somewhere, the baby stumbles turned into steps, which had us walking towards turning that Dream into Reality. And now we're almost galloping, full Sail Ahead, all in pursuit of our H-Season plan.
A Plan that has us, as you might've guessed for those that are following us, turning our Bow Northwards (yet still remaining faithful to our own mnemonic of Somewhere South of Somewhere).
A Plan that has us all Excited for H-Season. A Plan that has us, Ex-aka-laka-lactly ONE MONTH from today, doing something totally New And Different, for H-Season only.
We Can't Wait to Share it all with you, but want your excitement to build... just like ours has.
So for now we'll say... Th-th-that's All Folks!!
Stay Tuned for More Spoiler Alerts...coming soon to This Blog, Just For You!
And for those fortunate few in our immediate family and friends that have been with us on our Journey this past year, and might just be aware of what we're doing, we kindly as that you keep the answer to yourselves !! For those that don't feel free to guess away...