Circumnavigation Complete!

What a journey! Almost 7 years, 35,000 nautical miles and 35 countries!

We crossed our path at Sandy Cay, Abacos a few days ago……fireworks and hoopla? No, not really.

So, how does it feel?

Michael: ahhhhh, I don’t know.....well, there’s what I told a friend who I used to work with when he asked me, “How was it?” “Would you do it again?”..... and I thought about it and emailed him back later saying “work is good,” referring to a job and “sailing around the world with your family while your kids grow up is better!” He asked, “Why did you do it?” I answered, “There are no guarantees. My dad died when I was 9 years old.” I think our timing was good. I guessed that the kids were going to get older, but I didn’t think they’d be almost grown up, like Zoe who is only just over a year from leaving home.
We first had the idea 20 years ago. And now it is complete. What next? This is the end of our family living so closely together......it is coming to the end that we are living so closely together......this is negative and positive. The cosy confinement will be gone, is over. Whether that is good or bad.....set them free....

Zoë: the future is kind of scary. I’ll be missing the past....missing travelling.....going to cool exotic countries.....not sure how land life will be.....there will be so many stories to share and I’m not sure if people will want to hear them......I don’t want go back, but I’m ready to go home. The circumnavigation....it was really anticlimactic. Take me travelling! In a nutshell, I’m sad and nostalgic about the past...I just want to go back to travelling....I’m excited but also scared for high school.....I’m stressed out because this summer...it’s going to be insane and beyond that I know nothing about what my life will hold, like, it’s a big question mark....I don’t know what I’ll be stepping into......so it’ll be an adventure at the beginning and then it’s going to get boring....not really boring...it’ll get repetitive......and then I’ll just want to leave, so that’s it in a nutshell.

Maïa: first of all, it is kind of weird because it doesn’t really feel like we’ve circumnavigated. I’m excited for normal house things and maybe school, I don’t know. Happy, stressed and sad. Happy: 'cause, we’re sailing with our friends and we are heading home to a house. Sad :'cause we’ll be leaving the boat and no longer sailing and it’s going to be weird. Stressed: there is so much stuff to do before the school year begins like: getting this year’s school done, getting Gromit unpacked, getting back into our house and getting ready for the next school year and getting used to land life.

Liam: well, it feels weird that we’ve finally done it after years of saying that we are going to do it. And it’s kind of sad that it’s almost over, but at the same time I’ll be glad to get home. My fishing days are numbered, so I’ll have the have the lines out day and night! I’m looking forward to going home and seeing our family and friends. It will be awesome to have all this open space to build awesome giant sling shots, giant catapults and a giant bow and arrow target. And maybe even a trebuchet. So watch out neighbours!

Cornelia: for me, it’s a quiet thing. I don’t feel like jumping and yahooing, but I feel excited. It’s not only that we experienced such an amazing journey, but that we accomplished our goal and realized our dream.
It is bitter-sweet. With our circumnavigation comes the reality that the dream is soon to be over. I always knew that it would end. So, now I stand before that reality and have very mixed feelings. So many times when I was frustrated or tired of the challenges brought by this lifestyle, I would imagine how easy shopping, laundry, searching in an upright fridge would be on land, but I would instantly remind myself that if I were to have that ease, I wouldn’t have this…..and by ‘this’ I meant, as I swept my hands around me, what I have close at hand: my family, water and beautiful places, peoples and experiences so numerous they would fill volumes.
There is a sadness deep in my chest that I can’t describe because I’m continually suppressing it. I know it has to come out and I’m sure it will....I guess I’m just not ready for that yet.

We are currently at what we affectionately call ‘Club Med’ at Tilloo Bank. We came here 6 years ago when we were in the Abacos, after having finished our repair of Gromit’s bow stem.
There is a small, simple beach with a few chairs and a picnic table. We’ve have some beautiful evenings with the Salty Ginger and Tahina gangs and are so grateful that they are with us. These last moments we have cruising are so much more enjoyable with friends…..and wonderful friends they are!!!