A bit of retrospective catchup. We decided to sail through the Bahamas in November 2023 and then head for the Panama Canal. Sometime between leaving and arriving in Turks and Caicos the plan changed , no canal but headed along the “ thorny path” against the trade winds to the Caribbean. We left the Turks and Caicos headed for Dominican Republic and stopped over at big sand cay waiting for weather. It was such a nice spot , just us, lots of swimming and walking the beach very relaxing just hanging out with no where to go. After 3 days we got a weather window and headed for puerto plata. The Dominican Republic was great, everyone was friendly and welcoming even if some people had guns. A quick hop found us via sosua in Samana, we were too early for the whales but enjoyed a very hospitable marina and surroundings waiting for the trades to slow and let us go east and south. When the window opened a small fleet left and we all had an easy passage to the bvi. Our goal was to get to Guadeloupe which we did enabled by some easy conditions.

Where did it go?

I started the year in the Caribbean cruising around the French Islands. Had great fun with Stephanie and Jim on Seal boat buddying for a week. Then Rosanna, Ben and Molly came out and we did a lovely whistle stop tour of Guadeloupe and islands but climbing the volcano still eludes me....

After a lovely winter i started a leisurely sale home from Antigua to the USVI where i hung out with Emerald and friends for a while. After a short hop to Puerto Rico i met Matthew and Peter for a bumpy trip to the Bahamas. I enjoyed the bahamas, that were a lot bigger and more diverse than i expected. One minute it was like the third world next was Disney. Nick and Holley joined me at George town and we sailed to Marsh harbor via all the usual spots. Lovely.

Marc and Suzanne sailed with me back to New York and then its was summer. I hoped up to Maine and left the boat in Portland for the winter.

The idea of paying lots of money to put the boat in the deep freeze for the winter was not a winner so we headed to Antigua via Hampton va. The journey as ever had high and low lights, the highs being an early tide on a sunny day that whooshed us through New York and out to the NJ coast, a bumpy night was followed a day or so latter by a beautiful sail down the Delaware coast and early morning arrival in Hampton. After a quick pit stop home we headed out with the salty Dawgs to Antigua. Crossing the Gulf Stream was lovely, the temperature leapt up by 10 degrees and we started to peel off our layers, then the wind stopped. Given limitless time and crew we should have headed to Bermuda to wait for wind, but that was not to be so we motorsailed for days, emptied all the cans of diesel from the deck and heater, until the wind arrived. At two liters ( half a gallon per hour) our big tanks served us well. Seeing Barbuda appear was a treat, quickly followed by Antigua and a few days in the sun and lovely clear water to swim. Thanks to nick and Alec for catching many fish and good company.

I left the boat at Billings yard in stonington for august, nice guys who know what they are doing, but as ever I would recommend being present when they are working on your boat. I think it was the beginning of September when I headed south via Camden, a delightful spot, then to boothbay harbor and a great breakfast at blue moon cafe, where I chatted to motorcyclists who thought solo sailing was dangerous, ha ha. I then found myself back in portland and nice visit to Cushing island and some time with Maisy and the gang, lovely. I set off on a clear windless morning for rockport ma, one of my favorite harbors, where you are always welcomed by someone from their lovely deck. The wind filled in and I had one of those perfect days sailing . After the years most expensive lobster roll I headed to Plymouth, a beautiful entrance through the dunes, but not exciting itself. A quick sail the next day took me to sandwich and dinner a lovely dinner with Lesley and james, so nice. The next morning started foggy but it quickly cleared and I found myself in port Judith eating in a nice seafood cafe. Newport keeps on eluding me, this time it was the boat show and no space. Somehow I caught a manic tide that pushed me passed my planned stop in mystic and all the way to the thimble islands and a beautiful night where Rosanna met me and a full moon. Next day I was home for lunch after an early start.

After a few days of rain.... I headed east, yes not north. Popped in at Christmas cove and then sailed to rockland, that was full of surprise. It's kind of re invented itself around boats and tourists without forgetting its self. More rain I think...then Rosanna came up with some sun and we hoped to rockport, home of many pretty wooden boats and some nice food. My next stop was stonington a delight where fishermen meet art galleries, but with a seemingly good result. Then to center port , a first to be asked to take my motor off and row to the dock"rowing only" at the dock of this Mecca of wooden boats. They made a special exception for my battleship. Visited the wooden boat school where thousands of people are learning to build wooden craft, more fog and rain. Maine has so many different faces, we went to ne harbor that is full of everything fancy but still a few fishermen. Rosanna came and we spent a day with Catherine and Whitney, I went swimming, took a delightful outing to frenchboro, where the walking is fantastic.Boat back in stonington waiting for my return