When we got married and Lilly moved aboard Tiger Lilly we had a progressive three-stage sailing plan to get us and our boat up to speed and ready to explore the world:
CRAWL - cruise the ICW of the United States, with some short 2 and 3 day offshore coastal passages.
WALK - we were off to the balmy Caribbean via a 14 day ocean passage from Cape Canaveral to the island of Antigua, and then day-sailing Tiger Lilly through the Lesser Antilles south to Trinidad.
RUN - off to see the world, exploring off-the-beaten-track destinations which this year will include tropical river exploration on the east coast of South America, and next year some high latitude sailing in Patagonia.
The accompanying photo was taken at the Trinidad & Tobago Sailing Association Dock - that is our brand new MACK Sails storm jib. Another one of those high latitude preparations we have completed with a great deal of expense and effort - all the while hoping we never have to take this sail out of the bag. While all this is going on, our marriage is moving forward (like a freight train rolling down a steep mountain pass), as we face many exciting new challenges together.

Lilly sez: OH MY GOSH ladies, you KNEW there was a Three Part Plan in here somewhere didn't you? At least he spared you the charts and graphs that go along with it. And I cannot tell you how much I am sooooo looking forward to making sure that there isn't an Anaconda in the toilet when I get up in the night - who LIKES Discovery Channel's Snake Week anyway, much less having to live there!

We have completed the first two phases of our Master Plan, and we are ready to run! At first light tomorrow morning we will depart Chaguaramas and sail for South America. Our first stop will be the Rio Macereo in the Rio Orinoco Delta of Eastern Venezuela. The Delta is a mystical and vast place where circuitous canos wind through impenetrable foliage as the eighth largest river in the world runs to the sea, monkeys and toucans live in the tree tops, and the principal human inhabitants are the Waro Amerindian tribe. There are not many places in the world where one can cruise a sea-going sailboat through mangroves, rain forest, and jungles all on the same day - but that is exactly what we intend to do for the next few weeks. Our Picture Gallery on this blog contains some photos from Tom's 2008 cruise to the western part of the Delta, up the Rio Manamo - a cruise that covered some 250 miles of this magic place.

A word about discouragement. We cannot get over how few Caribbean cruisers have even considered trying something so different as the Rio Orinoco Delta and departing from their yearly up-and-down the Lesser Antilles routine - and then we hear so many discouraging comments from these same folks regarding our plans. Most of them just seem to be happy with the unchallenging, unchanging routine of Jimmy Buffet land. To each his own - but that is certainly not for us. It is true that we will be working our way against the Trade Winds and against the strong Guiana Current, and yes, there is no support in the Delta (it is pretty much a come-as-you-are destination - if you did not bring it with you, then you will simply have to do without); but we have worked hard and prepared our boat and ourselves for the challenge. What about the pirates they cry! (We know of only a single bad guy issue in the last two years, and it did not occur anywhere near the Rio Macereo.) There are security issues virtually everywhere in the world (including Suburbia), and we have prepared ourselves for those eventualities also. We have a Security Plan, and like all of our preparations we do our very best, and then we trust in the Lord. Each morning we go to our Bible and Psalm 91 to remind us that we are children of God, and that our Heavenly Father loves and protects us. "If you say, "The Lord is my refuge," and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent." The Lord also says right there in Psalm 91 "Because he loves me, "I will rescue him; I will protect him for he acknowledges my name." Folks, we truly believe this - we will certainly continue to do our part, but we know that at the end of the day, "He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart." This Vital Truth of Life will work for us in the canos of the Rio Orinoco Delta, and it will work for you - wherever you are.

All is well aboard S/V Tiger Lilly. In a few hours we will hoist Grace the dinghy aboard, secure our little ship for sea, and then get a good rest before we set out. We will try to post some text-only blogs here via the Ham Radio WINLINK system; so stay tuned and we will fill you in, tell you what we see, and where we are. (Do you think that the Waro Tribe is ready for Lucy - I mean Lilly?) The WINLINK system will also provide us with detailed weather information each day. Our blog also has a locater map, so you can get an idea of where Tiger Lilly is located - also check out the Delta on Google earth, it is absolutely amazing. We anticipate an exciting year exploring the rivers of South America; and then we have a date with our friends Alex & Jen (Chilean man and his Thai lady - nice eclectic combo) of the S/V Perfect Blend at their blueberry farm in Uruguay for Christmas.

We hope that the Tiger Lilly story will inspire others to get up, get out, and go for YOUR dream - whatever that is, and no matter what "they" say. We have over 5000 miles to sail in the next 9 months, so we better get moving!