When we start showing sunsets over our bow in the Gulf of Mexico, that can only mean one thing. We are on our way home.

We left Charlotte Harbor on Sunday morning. We arrived in Galveston Bay on Saturday morning. That is 6 days and nights of continuous travel and very little sleep. Gulf of Mexico crossings are never to be taken lightly. Like every Gulf of Mexico crossing, something had to break. We have a 6 inch tear in the main sail from flogging.

Our trip started with light and variable winds, but the waves weren’t light and variable in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico. We needed fly sails while motoring to keep the rocking down to a bearable level, the flogging that ensues isn’t good for sails.

We chose to hug the Northern Gulf Coast, dodging oil rigs, crew boats and fishing boats. The forecast for the Western Gulf of Mexico was for brisk winds. Therefore we didn’t want more than one day travel to escape to a safe harbor. We are unsure of the strength of our temporary bobstay. Thankfully, the brisk winds didn’t hit until Friday afternoon thru Saturday morning. We reefed down, and we got hit with 30+ kts of wind and big waves (crash and bash). Amazingly, the tear in the main sail did NOT expand.

Nicki and I are both proud of our seventh Gulf of Mexico crossing. We have yet to follow the same route twice across the Gulf.