Murmurings during a short passage.

Mental effort must be exerted to sail our mobile home off into the sunset, (or dawn, if you’re in a glass is half-full metaphorical mindset). Despite all those questions, of hurricanes a thousand miles away, or of our sanity to aim in their general direction, we set off again.

Friends and family know us by now, but still wonder. Wonder about our wanderlust they do. Hmmm? (gratuitous Yoda voice).

I’ll admit that every time, no matter how many times we depart, there’s a bit of anxiety. Why are we leaving this comfort of friends, family and home? We could just buy another piece of property and settle down. We could be more supportive of friends and family by staying put that way. But despite pangs of remorse, we can’t wait to get back out there.

Of course, we know we’ll likely be back in a few months, or maybe a year? Or two?

Why not just fly to wherever for a week, and get the pampered tourist treatment. Save the anxiety? We’d be back too soon – too soon to really breathe in the culture and local beauty more than what we could simply get from fighting a crowd to hear your guide dispatched by a cruise ship or bus. We’d worry too much about cramming too much into the brief visit. Life is way too short for waiting in any lines, when there’s so much more to discover away from the beaten path if you just go with a vague itinerary. We take ample time, drop the hook wherever, and get way more bang for less bucks.

Reasons driving us? Selfishness?

It’s getting colder. We like the warm weather, especially the Caribbean. Is that a selfish thing to go after? We try to share the experience, as we always share our itinerary and invite our friends and family to visit us. But they almost never do.

Fayaway has been growing a beard – a beard of nasty Merrimack River slime. Korykory has a black ring around his waterline. What is that stuff?

It’s a bigger traumatic event every time that we haul, winterize and re-commission again. That’s much more work than just sailing away! We wonder how people can do that every year! Whew!

The biggest reason for us is wanderlust. That adventurous feeling of getting out into the world, or at least into the Atlantic. We always mix new coves and routes in with the old, no matter which direction. It’s never without a thrilling rush.

But there’s reality to balance.

We expect a few obstacles, rough seas, and for things to break, regardless of how much money and effort goes into maintenance. After all it’s a boat, right? We purchase costly boat insurance, covering liability , and stuff on the boat everywhere we travel. But we do everything reasonably possible to keep from making a claim. Safety first!

I’m putting the finishing touches on this post while slowly motoring (fact: wind is more of a problem being too little – not too much). It’s been a pretty simple day so far, except for bleeding air from the water maker (today’s crisis averted!). I still worry about the new alternator – a never-ending saga. But we just keep swimming. (Gratuitous Dora quote).

We’re about 25 nautical miles east of Atlantic City, New Jersey, on a bright, warm and sunny autumn day.  I can’t see the shore from this distance during the day, but we’re reminded of other life by seemingly endless calls on the radio, and of the occasional commercial fishing trawler we call to discuss how we should pass each other.

We hope you enjoy your day – make the best out of what you have.