Kids Corner: Looking Forward

Alright people, UPDATES: ok so right now we’re recently through the Panama Canal, annnnnd SURPRISE we’re back in the water! Oh, wait I didn’t tell you did I… ok so we had to haul to boat out again (for the FOURTH TIME. IT’S LIKE A CURSE OR SOMETHING), replace some things, etc., etc., but this time it wasn’t the Engine’s fault! We just had to replace the (shaft bearings), and we had to sand the toe rails because they were starting to peel, and they were lookin’ NASTY.  But anywho yeah, that’s pretty much it. We just got back in the water a couple days ago, and while we do still have the engine sitting in the middle of the salon and the stairs on the couch (interpret that as you will), we’re doing pretty good. We just got the dog back on the boat again today (she’s been in a kennel since right before the Canal), and we’re going sailing in these cute lil mini boats tomorrow!  We have only basic ideas of what’s next, depending on weather and such, but we have two options. There are only two major weather windows that happen around here: either in November or April. Option #1, we could leave in November and go up and around Mexico and get to Florida in around five weeks. However, we would skip the major locations like Jamaica, and the BVI’s, and Columbia, and would rush to get to Florida. Option #2, we wait till April, take in the San Blas islands and the surrounding area in that time, then head to Columbia, then up to the Dominican Republic.  Then it would be on to the BVIs, a cluster of islands that our family has been excited to visit because we rented a catamaran there in ’2018, and cruised around there for a month or so when I was a kid; and the memory is with me, filled with highlights like giant Barracudas, virgin strawberry daquiris, the Willy T., the Soggy Dollar Bar (they actually have a really cool live camera there on their website if you want to see what’s happening right now!), and the Tarpon sharks (pronounced with a Caribbean/Jamaican accent), which actually turned out to be large shiny fish just looking for a snack in the middle of the night. While I realize that mob mind has probably chosen to only remember the best from that trip and that a lot has happened in, wow, seven years, I’m still excited to go and see what’s changed. After that, well Mom and Dad definitely want to go back and show us Jamaica, and we’ll eventually reach Florida, but currently our plans are written in the sand at high tide, so who knows what will happen?

Written by Kids, For Kids…or those who know they are kids at heart.  Yep, Tulum is back in the water but we’re only about half done with our largest project and have numerous side projects going at the same time.  All the while, we live on a older (experienced) sailboat with no A/C and currently no fresh water….cause in our infinite wisdom the engine was set on top of our water valves, which are set in the wrong position to even fill the right tank (which is now empty).  So….we’re living 5-gallons at a time out of a jerry jug and loving the pioneer life just for now.  At the same time, we’re trying to figure out where we have a major fresh water leak coming from and stop it and of course….I’m nearly done strippin wood and will soon move on to light sanding, taping and eventually varnishing.  And, our (large) 120hp engine is sitting the middle of the salon (read: living room) and takes up just about the whole thing…so you have to nearly crawl over it to move around the room.  And yes, our ladder is sitting on the couch and we have to jump on top of the engine to get below.  But, this is our normal so we laugh it off and move on-