NKOTB - "Down Under"

NKOTB (New Kids On The Boat) ... A Weekly Series Sharing Our Thoughts and Questions as Beginner Sailors and Future Cruisers.  NKOTB or Experienced Cruiser ... Tell Us Your Thoughts!

When writing about this past weekend's "catch", I started wondering about what cruisers do when they have to go "down under" ... you know, under the water and beneath the sailboat!  Not only does one have to go"target="_blank" below when something inevitably gets wrapped around the prop, but then there's the need to keep your boat's bottom clean.  There's barnacles to scrape off the prop and shaft, and algae to wash off.

Does cruising require a set of iron lungs?!  I always lost those competitions at summer camp, staring at each other while sitting on the bottom of the swimming pool.  I don't know if it was poor lung capacity or just the fear of being "down under" that got to me, but I was usually the first one to race back to the surface.

Ken's lungs seem pretty good, especially considering that he's a smoker (ugh)!  This past Saturday he unexpectedly went "down under" to remove a crap trap from our prop while sailing in the lake.  On Sunday, he went there again, about 10 times, to scrape the barnacles off of our prop and shaft.  After two visits in one weekend, we both started wondering if there's an easier way!

We're not divers (although it sounds awesome), so we don't have tanks to help us breathe underwater.  Also, the thought of large and heavy tanks taking up precious space on our sailboat doesn't appeal to us.  Somewhere along the way, Ken heard of some sort of underwater breathing apparatus that runs off of 12 volts ... any suggestions?  We'd love to think that there's an affordable option for us.  If not, we'll suck it up ... and hold it!

I have heard that some cruisers actually sail their boat into an area during high tide, then wait for the low tide to expose the bottom of their sailboat for washing.  Ken and I aren't fond of that idea, especially with our lack of experience!

So, what do you do when there's the need to go "down under"?  How often do you find yourself holding your breath or using some sort of device?  Maybe I'm making a big deal out of nothing, and going "down under" in clear, blue waters will be less intimidating?  We'd love to hear from you!

Hasta luego ... until then.  Mid-Life Cruising!

Note:  Here are the previous posts from this series.  Check them out and feel free to give us your advice.  We've really enjoyed reading your comments!

• NKOTB - Bad Weather!                                               NKOTB- The Anchor!
• NKOTB - Sailing Experience Required?!             NKOTB - The Right Boat!
• NKOTB - How Much Will Cruising Cost?             NKOTB - Cruising ... The Guilt Trip
• NKOTB - Private Space                                               NKOTB - Overnight Passages
• NKOTB - Hygiene!

We Caught One!

Nope, we're not talking about a fish!  When Ken and I went out for a quick sail Saturday we didn't plan on "catching" anything, but we did.  We caught one of the hundreds of crab traps floating in Lake Pontchartrain ... ugh!  With an invite to a barbecue Saturday afternoon and not much time (and perhaps feeling a little lazy), we only used our head sail on the lake.  The little bit of wind would come and go and we were able to just float along at a very slow and easy pace.  We've gotten a lot of practice dodging the crab traps while sailing, but just as we were about to get on the side of one, the wind just died and we were just floating ... right over the crab trap!  All of a sudden we heard a thump ... uh-oh.  We both sat with our heads sticking over the stern anxiously awaiting for the floating ball to pop up out of the water ... but it didn't.  Crap! 

We quickly realized that we really weren't prepared for catching anything on our prop.  The dive mask was at home and so was the long pole that we've been meaning to put on the boat.  (I'm not sure a pole would help, but when you don't have something you'd swear it would!)   I did point out to Ken that I did remember to bring a towel so he'd be able to dry off!  I don't think he was amused.  Luckily (for Ken I should say) the weather here in Louisiana is still in the mid-eighties and the water is still pretty warm.  So, Ken reluctantly stripped down to his underwear and jumped in the water.  He threatened my life when I joked about taking a picture of him in his skivvies. 

Anyway, Ken knew exactly where to dive to find the prop, and somehow he managed to quickly find the crab trap in the dark and muddy waters.  Since we hadn't started the engine, the trap was easily removed and that ball popped up from the water about the same time as Ken's head. 

No harm done, but this little incident made us start thinking about the "what-if's".  What if were were in really cold temperatures?  What if the trap had been really wrapped around the prop pretty good?  We now have one of our dive masks on the boat ... not to be stored in the house!  The pole is also now onboard, which I've been wanting to have on Nirvana for docking and such.  Now, we really need to get a good knife onboard ... for this and so many other things that could get tangled.

After watching the Saints win their game on Sunday, Ken went diving again!  This time he went "down under" to scrape the barnacles off the prop and shaft.  He'd been wanting to do this, and figured he'd better go ahead and get it over with since it won't be getting any warmer till next year.  With a dive mask, a crow bar, and about ten dives while holding his breath, Ken was able to scrape most of those pesky (and pointless) creatures away.

With the barnacles removed from the prop, we then motored around the canals of our neighborhood to see if we noticed a difference, which I'd say we did.  After stopping at a friend's waterfront home for a little visit, we then headed back home for the night while asking ourselves, "Can't today be Saturday"?  The weekends just go way too fast! 
Oh, and we bought our ....         Tow Boat U.S. over the weekend!  We've been wanting to buy this, but not until we planned on venturing out past the lake.  We wouldn't think about going any further without this towing insurance, since one tow would easily cost hundreds of dollars.  (You can click on the picture for more info on this cheap insurance).   Hey, I guess this would be an option if we were to catch another crab trap that couldn't be easily removed.  We see a cruise to "somewhere" soon! 

Hasta luego ... until then.  Mid-Life Cruising!

NKOTB - Hygiene

NKOTB (New Kids On The Boat) ... A Weekly Series Sharing Our Thoughts and Questions as Beginner Sailors and Future Cruisers.  NKOTB or Experienced Cruiser ... Tell Us Your Thoughts!

When thinking of cruising, we've wondered about the ease of keeping clean and "odor-free" when living on a sailboat away from a marina.  I say "we", but the guys really have it a lot easier, so I don't think Ken's even given this a thought!  My long and hot showers will be missed!  I may not miss the hot water so much since we'll be in a warm climate (and plan on having a solar shower), but I can imagine that trying to keep my long, wavy hair clean and tangle free will be difficult.  Just getting all that conditioner through my hair is an ordeal already.  How will I manage when soaping up in the salty seas?!  I've teased Ken and said that I was gonna start working on dreadlocks ... he said I'd have to walk the plank if I did!  I guess I'll be wearing baseball hats and ponytails pretty often!  I may also have to invest in a bunch of leave-in conditioner.

Then there's the dreaded shaving!  Even though I'd like to think of myself as carefree and low maintenance, I do draw the line when it comes to hairy legs and armpits.  I guess I'm not a hard-core hippie!  As much as I hate to shave, I reluctantly go through this routine every week.  I should be thankful that my body hair is light and I don't have to do this every day.  If so, I probably would look like a hard-core hippie!  Anyway, I would imagine that shaving will take place in the cockpit with a razor and a bowl of fresh water.  Trying to do this in our little "head" (bathroom) ain't gonna happen!

While we're talking about hair ... I shed constantly.  It's a wonder I'm not bald!  When I get out the shower I have a pile of hair to throw away, and I still find it all over the house.  I can picture red hairs all over the cockpit and throughout the boat. 

Then there's the task of keeping clean clothes.  Since we really don't care for the idea of hauling dirty laundry onto our dinghy and spending our day at a laundromat, only to have to haul our clean clothes back ... we (there's that "we" again ... I'm sure this one is an "I")  plan on using a bucket and a plunger to wash most of our laundry!  I believe I've read that I can do this with water and vinegar, but I wonder ... can I use saltwater?  I don't think we'll have a watermaker at first.  If so, I think this will be a lot easier than the laundromat (and cheaper), and maybe even a little therapeutic!  Also, seeing clothes drying in the sunlight brings back childhood memories at my grandmother's house.  Something so "simple" (not easy) can really be rewarding.  I do realize that we won't be able to avoid the laundromat entirely, as sheets and towels will probably require that dreaded laundromat!  But, our daily clothes should fit in a bucket cause they'll mainly consist of swimsuits, shorts and tank tops ... and I'm already working on a wardrobe of "quick drying" fabrics.

So, what do you cruisers use and recommend for shampoo and conditioner in salt water?  How about soaps and body washes?  Any tips on showering, shaving or washing clothes?  We'd love to hear your advice, as well as any information on products that aren't hazardous to the environment when gettin' clean.  Also, after reading other blogs I wonder just how many places have water that's clean enough to swim and bathe in.  I know the Bahamas is great, but what about further South or Mexico?

Oh, and deodorant ... we're gonna need lots of deodorant!

Hasta luego ... until then.  Mid-Life Cruising!

Note:  Here are the previous posts from this series.  Check them out and feel free to give us your advice.  We've really enjoyed reading your comments!

• NKOTB - Bad Weather!
• NKOTB- The Anchor!
• NKOTB - Sailing Experience Required?!
• NKOTB - The Right Boat!
• NKOTB - How Much Will Cruising Cost?
• NKOTB - Cruising ... The Guilt Trip
• NKOTB - Private Space
• NKOTB - Overnight Passages

A Winning Week!

The winning photo for SailorBags competition!

I've been meaning to post this for a couple of weeks, but thanks to an unexpected visitor from "Lee" this post was pushed aside for a little while.  I try to post only twice a week because I believe that many of you that give us your time (we are so grateful) by reading our posts are also reading a lot of other blogs.  I don't want to take up too much of your time.  So, with our NKOTB series taking up every Friday, I sometimes get a little behind.

Anyway, even though this post is a little late it's a very important post to us because Ken and I very much appreciate all the support the we receive from you, the reader.

If you have been following our blog, you know that we competed in a Sailrite competition for a $250 gift card.  We really wanted to win this gift card because we've been having our eye on Sailrite's "Sail Pack Kit", which costs about $260.  Our sail cover sucks, and this would not only replace it but also provide an easier way for us to store our main sail ... just lower into the sail pack and zip!

The winner of this competition would be chosen by the number of votes received.  If you haven't heard on our FB page, we won!  (Check out our winning entry). Thanks to all of you who voted for us, and thanks Sailrite!  We were really surprised at the number of you who not only voted for us, but were kind enough to ask your own friends to vote.  We couldn't have won this competition without you, and we are truly grateful.  We wasted no time in ordering our sail pack kit, and we received it a few days ago.  Today, I'm bringing the sail pack kit to my awesome step-mom, who has so generously agreed to sew this for us.  She's an amazing seamstress and once again we are so grateful for her help.  We'll post pictures of our new sail pack in the future.

The very same week that we won the Sailrite competition, we were informed that we also won a contest from SailorBags that we joined!  What a great week it was ... we felt that finally luck was on our side.  The SailorBags competition required that we send in a picture of sailing fun.  No votes were required and SailorBags would choose the winner.  We sent in the picture above, which won us a new SailorBags duffel bag ... woo hoo!  We were told that this picture won the prize because we looked like we were having a great time and were genuinely relaxed ... we were!  This picture was taken back in March (I think) and it was a great day on the water with friends.  Thanks SailorBags!

We recently received our SailorBags duffel bag, and boy were we impressed!  I'll write a post about their bags in the near future, because they really do have a fantastic product.  We may just have to order a large tote bag soon!

So, "Gracias" to all of you.  We really needed some good luck, as our personal life with work and "landlord hell" was really taking its toll on us.  BTW, I think we found a new tenant for yet another vacated rental.  We sign the lease today.  We're keeping our fingers crossed that the drama is over for a while!

Oh, we did squeeze in some sailing this past weekend ... finally!  The weather was perfect and the relaxation was much needed to de-stress.  Like an addict, we need more this coming weekend!

We also had to get more of the French Quarter this past Friday night.  This time we were at Margaritaville for another blues band.  We sat by the bar as the band was just about to start playing.  The bartender told one of the band members as he ordered another round for the band ... "Tell him to be patient, he's already had 10!"   Ten?!  Yep, the guy with the captain's hat was getting his share.  That explains why he was so mellow with a little shit-eating grin on his face the whole time!  I don't remember his name, but evidently he's traveled the world playing music.  Those drinks must agree with him, because he was amazing.  His hands just flowed across the guitar strings ... sooo smooth!  It's amazing how much talent is in the French Quarter!  At any given time you can walk into place after place (or street corner) and hear all types of great live music.  We will miss the French Quarter once we "sail away", and we'll have to get our fix when we visit family.

The "Captain" ... comfortably numb!

Hasta luego ... until then.  Mid-Life Cruising!

NKOTB - Overnight Passages

NKOTB (New Kids On The Boat) ... A Weekly Series Sharing Our Thoughts and Questions as Beginner Sailors and Future Cruisers.  NKOTB or Experienced Cruiser ... Tell Us Your Thoughts!

When thinking of cruising, overnight passages seem to be inevitable at some point.  While Ken and I plan to hop along the coast as much as possible, we realize that there will be times when we'll need to sail overnight.  We don't plan on sailing the world, and at this point we can't imagine tackling more than two nights in one passage, but perhaps our feelings will change with time and experience.

We've not yet sailed at night, so the thought of overnight passages is intimidating and exciting.  I can imagine that the first time we continue sailing as the sun sets will be like going up the hill on a roller coaster.  We'll be excited about the amazing experience to come, but we'll also have the anxiety that comes along with doing something out of the norm.

When we anchored overnight for the very first time, it was awesome!  Watching the horizon disappear into the dark, while the moon and stars popped up overhead was such a beautiful experience.  Even though we've enjoyed the moon and stars while camping or sitting outside, it's a totally different experience when you're on a boat in the middle of a large body of water.  We were lucky to have a clear night, and we couldn't stop peeking our head out of the companionway throughout the night to take in the sights one more time.  We felt like we were let in on a secret and that we were so lucky to be looking at the world "from the other side".  With that experience in mind, we think that sailing throughout the night will be something we find to be exhilirating and wonderful. 

At the same time, we know that there will be a certain amount of anxiety and fear while sailing in darkness. That feeling in my stomach that makes me want to vomit while going up that roller coaster ... I'm sure we're gonna have it.  I had it when we bought my motorcycle (which I love to ride now), and I know I'll have that feeling when sailing overnight.  That feeling will increase as the sunlight decreases, and I'll wonder why I'm doing such a thing.  What if we hit something?  What if one of us falls asleep while "on watch"?  I guess these fears are a little illogical since we can hit something just as easily during the day while on watch.  Also, we're thinking of having some sort of alarm that is set to go off every 15 minutes if we're really tired and feel like we may fall asleep.  And of course, we'll have some sort of radar and/or AIS.

Just like the roller coaster, once it's over I'm sure we'll be excited about our experience and looking forward to doing it again.  And, just like the roller coaster we'll have a certain amount of excitement and anxiety every time we sail overnight.  Once the sun starts to rise and we realize that we survived, we'll be proud of ourselves for overcoming our fears of something new and "just doing it".  After all, isn't that what living is all about?  There's nothing like the adrenaline rush of doing something out of the ordinary.  All the money in the world can't buy those types of experiences! 

Have you sailed overnight?  What precautions do you take?  What do you do to ease your anxiety?  Do you have a glass of wine, say a prayer, wear a lucky shirt ...?   We'd love to hear from you!

Hasta luego ... until then.  Mid-Life Cruising!

Note:  Here are the previous posts from this series.  Check them out and feel free to give us your advice.  We've really enjoyed reading your comments!

• NKOTB - Bad Weather!
• NKOTB- The Anchor!
• NKOTB - Sailing Experience Required?!
• NKOTB - The Right Boat!
• NKOTB - How Much Will Cruising Cost?
• NKOTB - Cruising ... The Guilt Trip
• NKOTB - Private Space

A Polar Weekend!

No, this past weekend wasn't cold!  I call this past weekend "polar" because it was both carefree and somber.  It started out carefree, then ended on a more somber note. 

After a wet four-day weekend over Labor Day thanks to a visit from "Lee", Ken and I were ready to get out the house after a hectic work week.

The weather was perfect and we started the weekend with a visit to the French Quarter on Friday night.  We love a good bargain, so we stopped at the New Orlean's House of Blues.  Every Friday night they have live music and a great happy hour with half-priced drinks and appetizers.  The band played the "Blues" on the back patio (Voodoo Garden), and they were really great.  We love the blues ... lots of guitar!

Afterwards, we roamed the streets of the French Quarter and took in the sights.  I've said it before ... the French Quarter never gets old!

The House of Blues wolf lurking in the "Voodoo Garden"

The band and outdoor bar

Mural of the Voodoo Priestess ... in the Voodoo Garden!

Since Ken and I longed to continue to be around people outdoors and our daughter was in town, we were back in the French Quarter on Saturday!  We were easily amused walking around in such beautiful weather, and enjoyed a late lunch at Margaritaville.  This was another bargain with our 20% off "locals discount".  (We're always living frugal for the future!)

The crazy sights in New Orleans ...

and the beautiful sights in New Orleans ... the St. Louis Cathedral!

Sunday was the somber ending to our weekend, as it was the 10 year anniversary of  9/11.  We spent the morning watching the television coverage of the ceremonies in New York, at the Pentagon, and in Pennsylvania.  The New York City memorial was beautiful, yet so sad.  Seeing the fountains where the twin towers used to stand, and the names of the victims etched along the side was really moving.  Then there were the faces and words of the families that lost a loved one that really brought the emotions back.  My dad is a retired New Orleans firefighter, which makes me realize that this could have been my town, and my father.   As Americans our lives will never be the same, yet those that lost a loved one have been affected in ways that we'd never want to endure.

After grabbing lunch Ken, myself and our daughter spent the remainder of the day sitting out back and enjoying a peaceful day on the water.  We listened to classical music that was part of our daughter's homework assignment, and Ken kept an eye on a pork butt that he put on the grill.  Thoughts of the victims and their families entered my mind throughout the day, and I was so thankful to be spending time with my family.

Ellwood, our daughter's addition to the family!

While the food finished cooking on the grill, Ken and I took Nirvana out for a quick ride along the canals.  We brought along Ellwood, our daughter's dog, and wished we could have stayed out longer.  But, Ken had a butt that he was keeping an eye on so we reluctantly headed back home.

We wrapped up the weekend with a great meal before our daughter headed back to college for the next week or two.  We will never forget where we were and what we were doing on that fatal day 10 years ago.  I was in our bedroom getting ready for a new job while watching "Kelly n Regis".  I watched the twin towers go down in flames on television with those two guys.  Since I was headed to a new job, Ken was bringing our daughter to school on his way to work.  He and our daughter heard of the news together on the radio.  I remember calling him in disbelief and listening to the radio in a daze during my hour drive that morning as more bad news continued to come regarding the Pentagon and Pennsylvania.  I could not wait to get back home later that evening to be with my family.  We will never forget!

Hasta luego ... until then.  Mid-Life Cruising!

NKOTB - Private Space!

NKOTB (New Kids On The Boat) ... A Weekly Series Sharing Our Thoughts and Questions as Beginner Sailors and Future Cruisers.  NKOTB or Experienced Cruiser ... Tell Us Your Thoughts!

Our Own Private Space ... Forget It!  When we tell people that we'll be living on a 30 foot sailboat ... full-time .. as a couple, the responses seem pretty consistent.  The eyebrows raise and we're told, "That's tight quarters for two.  You're not going to be able to get away from each other" ... as if we've not given this any thought. We know that living on a 30 foot sailboat in marital bliss will be a challenge, but private space ... we don't need it!

Ken and I are currently living in a house, and we rarely go into separate rooms to "get away".   I'll retreat to my "zen den" a few times a week for exercise and we'll get caught up in our chores around the house, but other than that our time at home is spent together.  In fact, we often feel that much of our home is wasted space.

If we do need to have some privacy while cruising, we do have a master bedroom (v-berth), a guest bedroom (aft cabin), a living room (salon) and a roomy patio with beautiful views (cockpit) to escape.  As far as privacy in the bathroom, well there's no modesty between us!  I must admit the bathroom door is never shut unless we have company.   I would think that our lack of modesty is a good thing since the "head" in our sailboat is not much larger than a matchbox and it isn't a place we'd want to stay any longer than necessary.

From what we hear, we'll probably need to be more concerned about our private space from other cruisers!  Stories of cruisers with binoculars and anchorages packed with boats come to mind.  I guess we need to get a good pair of binoculars so we can stare back!  We do love to people watch. =)   Actually, we don't think we'll mind others nearby ... just not so close that we can hear their conversation!  (We don't want them hitting us with their boat either but that's another topic).  I've read that it gets pretty packed in the Virgin Islands.  I wonder ... just how packed is it?  Will we have to whisper?  Will we be able to take a cockpit shower in our "birthday suit", or will we have to do others a favor and shower in our bathing suit?

It's our understanding that there still are places that have isolated anchorages for those times we need our private space.  While we don't plan on traveling to a lot of those places in a Catalina 30, we hear that the Bahamas is a good option.   I guess I'll have to go there to get rid of tan lines!

Hasta luego ... until then.  Mid-Life Cruising!

Note:  Here are the previous posts from this series.  Check them out and feel free to give us your advice.  We've really enjoyed reading your comments!

• NKOTB - Bad Weather!
• NKOTB- The Anchor!
• NKOTB - Sailing Experience Required?!
• NKOTB - The Right Boat!
• NKOTB - How Much Will Cruising Cost?
• NKOTB - Cruising ... The Guilt Trip!

Labor Day with Lee!

View from our back door Sunday morning.  Luckily this was the highest the water got.  Our storage box was almost covered!

This past Labor Day weekend did not go as Ken and I had hoped!  We had planned on taking advantage of the extra day off by spending some time on Nirvana and the water.  Instead, we had an unexpected guest who wore out his welcome and was not pleasant ... Tropical Storm Lee!

The rain started Friday morning and pretty much did not stop until mid-day on Saturday.  While lying in bed Friday night listening to the rain, I thought about Noah and his ark!  It seemed like the rain would never stop, and I was thankful that we had a sailboat in our backyard.

Ken making adjustments Saturday

Some visitors in our backyard!

The rain finally did stop every now and then, only to start and stop again for the next 3 days.  Ken and I were thankful for the breaks, which allowed us to check on Nirvana and make any necessary adjustments.  The breaks were also a great time to run to the store for food and errands, and just to have an excuse to get out the house.   Four days in our house gave us a little taste of what life will be like on our sailboat when anchored on a rainy day ... boring!  I can pick up a book and get lost in it, but Ken is a different story.  He does not like to read and has a lot of nervous energy.  I told him he'd better start learning to enjoy reading or playing Scrabble or he's gonna go crazy!

 More adjustments on Saturday!

Oh, and the rentals!  Thank goodness we only received one call regarding a broken pipe to a water well pump!  Although we were not happy to spend the first 4 hours of Sunday morning running back and forth between our rental and Home Depot, we were very happy to have the well pump back up and running for less than $30.  I am so thankful that Ken knows how to fix just about anything!  However, in between runs to Home Depot the song "We Gotta Get Out Of This Place" by The Animals kept running through my mind.  You know, the song that goes ...

We gotta get out of this place

If it's the last thing we ever do!

We gotta get out of this place

Girl there's a better life, for me and you!

I had to laugh and tell Ken about this song running through my head.  We do need to get out of here!

Another view from our back door Sunday ... the water at its highest.

On Labor Day, the fourth day, the rain finally stopped and the water started going down ... ever so slowly!  By last night the water was almost off of the dock, but Ken had to keep checking the water level and adjusting the fenders.  Around midnight we both woke up and the water was finally off of the dock!  This allowed Ken to make one final adjustment to the fenders, and allowed both of us a good night's sleep.

This morning Ken and I woke up to sunny skies, low humidity, and temperatures in the low 60's ... just in time to go back to work!  Before heading to work, I checked the interior of Nirvana for the first time in days.  I was afraid that I was going to find a lot of water damage since we have a lot of leaky ports (windows).  However, I was pleasantly surprised to find a dry boat!  I couldn't believe it!  The wind must have blown the rain in just the right way to avoid leaks ... another thing to be thankful for.  We can't wait for our new retrofit windows to come in within the next week!  In fact, Mike from Cruising Concepts just called while I was typing this post and we should have our new windows very soon ... woo hoo!

So, although "Lee" put a damper on our Labor Day weekend plans we can't complain.  Our house, our rentals, and our future home (Nirvana) all made it through without any damage.  After going through Hurricane Katrina, we know things could have been much worse.  And, we'll be able to enjoy a week of fall-like weather ... that's unheard of this time of year in Louisiana!

Hasta luego ... until then.  Mid-Life Cruising!

NKOTB - Cruising ... The Guilt Trip!

NKOTB (New Kids On The Boat) ... A Weekly Series Sharing Our Thoughts and Questions as Beginner Sailors and Future Cruisers.  NKOTB or Experienced Cruiser ... Tell Us Your Thoughts!

When I was thinking of a title for this post I thought about "Preparing the Family", "Telling Loved Ones", "Family Reactions", etc. but the topic of this post revolves around one thing ... guilt!  Although there are plenty of topics about cruising and cruising trips, there's not a whole lot about the unexpected trip to guilt.  However, we believe that this trip is taken quite a bit by cruisers, and is probably the reason many dreams of cruising never evolve or are cut short.  Therefore, we think this trip is a very important topic of cruising and should be a consideration when deciding if cruising is for you.

When we made the decision to start working towards selling everything to live on a sailboat and cruise full-time, we kept it to ourselves for a while.  My parents were born here in New Orleans, and all of our family has pretty much stayed here.  We knew that our decision would not be popular with my mom, and we weren't sure how our daughter would feel.  At the time, she was in the middle of her senior year in high school.  So, we could either wait until we were ready to "sail away" to break the news to our family, or we could tell them before we even bought our sailboat and give them a lot of time to accept the idea.  After a couple of months, we were ready to start looking for our sailboat and figured it would be best to tell our family before we found one. 

Our biggest concern was our daughter.  We love her so much and we didn't want her thinking that she was being "abandoned" by us.  As with the rest of the family, we casually mentioned that we were looking for a sailboat ... then casually mentioned our cruising plan.  We really didn't want to make a big deal out of this, as that would just make it more dramatic.  We don't like drama!  After the news was "out there", we rarely spoke of our plans.  I think we weren't taken seriously at first, until the sailboat was purchased.  Even then, we rarely spoke of our plans in front of others.  In fact, our family didn't know about this web site for quite a while! 

My father was accepting of our plan from the beginning, as we thought he would be.  However, my mom and our daughter were not so happy.  That's when the guilt "trip" came in.  Without coming out and saying it, I think they called us selfish!  Can you imagine?!  Well, we could understand and even expected their feelings.  After all, our daughter hadn't even graduated yet and my mom had always been around for her mother.  However, we feel that we're not just someone's child nor just someone's parent.  We love our family, but there's a whole world out there waiting for us to explore!  We've worked hard since high school and figure there's got to be more to life than the same old routine of working 80% of the time, while spending most of the other 20% maintaining everything! 

Two years later (has it been that long already!) it seems that our plan is more accepted.  We think it was a good idea giving our family a lot of time to let this sink in.  After assuring them that there is such a thing as telephone, internet, and nearby airports in most of the places we'll be visiting,  they seem to be dealing with it better.  By the time we leave near the end of 2012, we're hoping our trip to guilt will be less often!

Our very independent daughter is now living in a college town and just started her second year at LSU.  We've stressed to her that we will always be around for the big events in her life.  In fact, we'll be able to spend more time with her during her wedding and the birth of her children (if she chooses to do so) since we won't have to report to a job 5 days a week.  We'll just sail back home to her ... in our home!  If she does bless us with grandchildren, we plan on getting to really know them by sharing our cruising world with them.  Oh, and another good point we made that she seemed to like ... she gets first pick of anything in our house that she wants before we sell it!  And one more perk ... she can have a trip to paradise whenever she wants for as long as she wants with just the price of an airplane ticket!  How cool is that?!

We're sure we'll be making the guilt "trip" several more times before we start cruising, and even afterwards.  We're preparing ourselves for this trip, and we're sure it will be intense around the time we leave the dock.  Even though we'll be living our dream, we know we're going to miss our family and friends.  However, is there really any better time to go for a dream than the present?  We've already lost a few friends, and the older we get the more often we hear the sad stories of a life cut short.

Have you made the guilt "trip" in achieving your dreams?  What did you incur and how did you handle it? 

Hasta luego ... until then.  Mid-Life Cruising!

Note:  Here are the previous posts from this series.  Check them out and feel free to give us your advice.  We've really enjoyed reading your comments!

• NKOTB - Bad Weather!
• NKOTB- The Anchor!
• NKOTB - Sailing Experience Required?!
• NKOTB - The Right Boat!
• NKOTB - How Much Will Cruising Cost?