The New Year and the Planning Begins

January 7, 2014

Okay,  we are now in the new year and at a 9 month countdown stage….A little over whelming right now with everything we are trying to wrap our heads around.  The kids are starting to ask a lot more questions and are getting excited in looking and dreaming about our new home on the water.

We are showing them more about where our ideal journey will take us and also emphasize that this is only an idea and depending on our journey it will change readily and many times.  We have been gathering as much information as we can about all the places we will be going and trying to  make sure we are prepared as much as we can…  Also relying on the information and experiences from all the boating community that is out there..

Here is our plan for our journey and time line… Again this is just a dream and a direction, it may change several times depending on where we buy the boat, weather patterns, and sailing experiences with the family…

If we buy the boat on the west coast (ideal departure location):
Start with the Baja Ha Ha from San Diego the last weekend in October and end in La Paz.  Then there are 2 known circuits the cruisers follow the Tropical Circuit or the Pacific Circuit.  In choosing one of these our factors will be our experiences in crossing the big blue.  So either one we choose we will start with joining the Puddle Jumpers sailing group and start our journey to the South Pacific.  This group ends in Taihti the Last weekend in June for the Puddle Jumper Rally Party.

The Tropical Circuit:
Start: October 26, 2014 US - Mexico
February:  Mexico to Galapagos
April:  Galapagos to Marquesas
May/June:  Marquesas to Tahiti
July: Tahiti to Tonga
August/September: Tonga to Figi
October: Figi - Vanuatu
November/December: Vanuatu to Papua New Guinea
January/February:  PPNG to Micronesia
March: Micronesia - Kiribati (Line Islands)
April/May:  Kiribati to Hawaii
June/July:  Hawaii to US West Coast
END:  August in San Francisco or sell boat on North America West Coast

Start: November Year 1
Return: June to August Year 2
Distance: 14,000 - 17,000 miles
Duration: 18 - 20 Months

The Polynesian Circuit: The Most Favored because of favorable seasonal weather and locations
Start: October 26, 2014 US - Mexico
February:  Mexico to Galapagos
March:  Galapagos to Marquesas
May/June:  Marquesas to Tahiti
July: Tahiti to Tonga
August/September: Tonga to Figi
October/April: Figi - New Zealand (for 6 Months)
April:  New Zealand to Australs
May: Australs to Tahiti
May/June: Tahiti to Line Islands
June: Line Islands to Hawaii
July:  Hawaii to US West Coast

Start: October Year 1
Return: August to September year 2
Distance: 14,000 - 17,000 Miles
Duration 22 - 23 Months

If we end up purchasing a boat in the Caribbean then we will begin sailing from Florida in November/December and make our way down the Caribbean chain then over to the ABC Islands and then through the Panama Canal Picking up one of the above circuits to be in the Galapagos by March…

To list just a few items on our list of things to do:

Gathering Homeschooling information for 8 grade levels
Purchasing Electronics for the boat and setting up all music and movies
Preparing our boat for resale
Land Home:
   Inventory list of what to pack and what to sell
   To do list of all the repairs and updates we need to get the house ready for renting
Medical
  Registering for Emergency Medical Classes
  Preparing a Primary Medical Kit and then one for each crew member
  Getting all of our Base Line Medical Files
  Gathering and getting all Travel Immunizations
  Taking care of all surgeries that have been put off, and dental issues...
Registering for Sailing classes:  advanced storm prep and weather classes for chris and another basic         class for me.
Finding our New Floating Home and trying to find a perfect balance for comfort and speed
   Space, solar, battery bank, water maker, refrigeration, speed versus comfort, I would like to have my cake and eat it to!

Anyway, we are all so excited and it is very difficult to not think about next year and what it will hold.. It really came to a reality as we were putting away our christmas things and deciding what to put away to take with us on the boat.

I have some anxiety melt downs when it comes to the thought of leaving my friends and family for that long.  I know that the time will go by so fast but this is going to be so hard and I am already missing them…