First last day

Well we are still stuck in Brighton at our pontoon berth (or dock/slip if you are from across the pond!). This is due partly to weather and partly to a seized main halyard and partly to schedules of other trips. All in all there aren't enough hours in the day to get the boat done, hold down the job, get enough sleep and see our friends......... never mind plan the wedding!!!!!!!!!!!!!

However there is light at the end of the tunnel!! We have today entered a new and VERY exciting phase of the escape plan.

We aim to work to the end of July next year to build up the cruising fund, and pay for an extra year of marina fees up to 1st of May 2009. That will mean I've been living in Brighton Marina for exactly 7 years and on boats for 8 years...... doesn't time fly.

So what is this new and exciting phase? We have less than a year to go! That means every day we work will be the last calendar day we have to work on eg today being 1st August means this is the last 1st August we ever have to work!!!! What a wonderful, wonderful thought!
Every day now is one less to work towards our goal. Suddenly the pressure of all of this is beginning to lift and we can truly start to believe it is really going to happen.

The list of jobs on the boat is as daunting and intimidating as ever but in reality once we finish next year we have all the time in the world to get them completed. Imagine that (all you full time cruisers out there already know this I guess) we will never have to work to anyone else's schedule but ours, we'll never have to deal with pathetic office politics and pecking order, or drag ourselves out of bed at 5am for a 2 hour commute from the haven of the sea to the city and the endless pursuit of wealth. I can begin to taste the true meaning of Freedom.

Sure we won't have much money.... But we will have enough money to afford a bottle of wine with dinner, a trip home to the UK every so often to see the family and all repairs on the boat (all being well). We haven't budgeted for marina stays, and are thinking probably one night every two weeks in the med to pick up fresh food, water and laundry. And perhaps a winter stay if we can find a good enough deal, if not we'll tuck ourselves into a river near a town or city.

So now we're over halfway on our first last day!


Skip out.


PS the picture comes from APRS which will allow friends and family to follow us.