Network for Families Crusing the Bahamas 2010 / 2011

[familysailing]

Please let us know if you are a family with children interested in forming a network for exchanging information on cruising and family activities in the bahamas for dec2010 thru april 2011.

We are in the exumas with children 16, 12, and 9.

thanks,
tim, tracey, eric, brian, and lucy
s/v folie a deux

[Jon Hacking]

There are, apparently, a gazillion kids in the Georgetown area of the Bahamas. You should be able to do some good networking there. We also found lots of friends for our kids in St. Martin & in Panama (the kids formed their own radio net for the long crossing to French Polynesia).

FWIW, we've also published an article on Cruising with Teens (ours were 12 & 15 when we moved on board in 2001).

[sirlandsalot]

Well I am glad to see I am not the only one.....I have a 9 and 12, and we are looking to get a boat to live on in about 2 years, mono???multi???? oh boy, will the kids like it??? They love sailing on our 18 foot beach cat.

[familysailing]

Originally Posted by sirlandsalot

Well I am glad to see I am not the only one.....I have a 9 and 12, and we are looking to get a boat to live on in about 2 years, mono???multi???? oh boy, will the kids like it??? They love sailing on our 18 foot beach cat.

check out familysailing.me to see how it works

[sirlandsalot]

I am currently sitting at work in a tent in the middle of the amazon jungle in northen Peru, thoroughly enjoying your website. It is a wealth of great information. Very well done too! I am on days off soon and will meet up with my family to continue our 6 month backpacking trip through south america, Chile and Bolivia are next. I am excited to show your website to my wife..."our next adventure!"...cheers, washington, home is just up from you in BC.

[Jon Hacking]

Originally Posted by sirlandsalot

I am currently sitting at work in a tent in the middle of the amazon jungle in northen Peru, thoroughly enjoying your website. It is a wealth of great information. Very well done too! ... I am excited to show your website to my wife... "our next adventure!" Cheers.

Thanks! It takes us a LOT of time. Nice to know someone enjoys it.

BTW, we also used the website for the kids education - they were responsible for all the demographics & the history of the places we visited. Of course, they also learned the ins & outs of how to put together a website, & they each put together their own sections.

Sounds like you lead a pretty adventurous life as well! We only go around once here, so we might as well have the most fun we can! Go for it!

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Tim, Tracey, Eric, Brian, and Lucy.

Hope you enjoy your winter in the Exumas.

[sirlandsalot]

well, Gord, I hear you are having quite the winter in thunder bay! My crew out for work is 5 days behind, can not get out of Toronto airport.......

[Jon Hacking]

Originally Posted by familysailing

Jon ... we are taking some time with the kids, 16, 12, & 9. There are very few kids so far... What part of your blogs should the kids read?

Let me join Gord in welcoming you & your family to the cruising life (& CF)!

Time is what it really takes. Our kids, at 12 & 15, took at least a year to fully engage the cruising lifestyle. After all, pulling teens away from their friends is arguably child abuse.

We included them in boat equipment & buying decisions, so they felt some ownership in the whole process. We got a boat big enough for them to have their own cabins, so they could get some privacy (which teens need). We got a boat with a guest cabin & encouraged their friends to visit (most needed their parents). We tried to sail with other kid-boats, & the kids knew & appreciated that. When the kids are happy, the whole boat's happy.

The website isn't just a blog, of course, which is why it takes us so long to write it. Not sure there's any part that's more inspiring for the kids, but their sections are written by them, without us editing, so it's all from their perspective (although we requested some stuff - Chris's whole Energy Budget was a school project that we assigned). Chris tended to focus on what he didn't have (mostly high-speed internet). He would have loved 3G back then! But he does write about the Cruising Life from his perspective. Amanda's Journal section was only started recently, but has some of her opinions & feelings. Hope this helps!

[Bambaclot]

We will be in the Bahamas beginning in February. We have three kids... 5, 4, and 2. Though they are a bit younger than your crew, we would still love to cross paths.

Hope all is well,

Jenny