Saturday, August 25, 2012

Checking Up on Trillium

Saying "good bye" to a great winter of sailing!
I can't wait! We are visiting S/V Trillium on the hard this week-end. After a long and wonderful winter of sailing in the Caribbean, we returned to Herrington Harbor at the end of May to put her away. We prefer to be in cooler Michigan for the summer and enjoy the Great Lakes! I never thought I would miss being on the ocean as much as I do. Note: I didn't say "in" the ocean. I like fresh water swimming!

Since Dennis was facing surgery for a double hernia which he developed on the trip home, we left a lot of things on the boat. Fortunately, one of our wonderful crew, Captain Ron, stayed with us all the way to Herrington Harbor and helped us put her up. So now it is time to revisit and see what we need to do to prepare her for winter.

Setting up a winter home for S/V Trillium
At this time, our plan is to stay home this winter and work! Oh, yes - that W word! It will give us time to prepare for our next big adventure: World ARC 2014. That is the goal, at least! This will allow us time to get ready: the boat, ourselves and a crew. Since it is a long trip with multiple stops, we anticipate crew coming and going at various stops. Interested?

We would love to hear from anyone who has done the World ARC or sailed around the world. We have heard many things, mostly wonderful comments. Helpful hints and best practices for preparing and sailing are welcome.

Atlantic Cup Rally 2012: A great time was had by all!
Of course, we will be participating in the World Cruising Club World ARC Rally. It is the best way to travel out there on the ocean. Even though you rarely see another boat (they drop off the horizon at about 5 miles out), you are not alone. There are a couple of daily SSB chats to identify everyone's location and assist with problems as well as celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, good catches of the day, etc. I always look forward to checking in and hearing the voices of others. And with the World ARC, there are a number of rendezvous points throughout the Pacific and beyond so you do meet up with the rest of the fleet from time to time for fun and relaxation on land. There are already 30 vessels signed up for World ARC 2014!

My blog entries will be sparse over the next few months. Once we start serious preparations, I will share what we are learning. I will check in for your comments and respond when necessary.