Winter 2011/2012 Cruise was a Blast!

[High Heels]

It has been a long time since I posted last. Chris and I had a lot to do when we quickly decided that Fall 2011 was going to be our departure date when we had been waiting for our house to sell...due to some big life changing events we decided to not wait and to just go!

So we did...hopped down the coast and crossed to the Bahamas - from late November to January...arrived Bimini January 18th - traveled down the Exumas to George Town then Long Island, Cat Island, to Eleuthera and then finally Abaco...trip back we made good in three and a half days from Whale Cut Cay in Abaco directly to Beaufort, N.C. - Schwoo!

It is starting to seem like just a dream now...our house is still on the market and we are not sure what we are going to do at the moment...but right now I am just sitting with the amazing experience and coming to grips with this new perspective that I have and how that affects my daily life now...

So interesting that a mere six months in a country as close by as the Bahamas can affect one's views so much...but it did.

I feel like we are living in the in-between right now...going back to our house which is staged and contains very little of our stuff...our stuff in a 10x10 storage area...and our lives in between the boat and the house....

I need to start writing since I did little of it while cruising...there is so much to tell...

I just wanted to check back in and say hello...and say that all the energy and time it has taken to plan, and get rid of stuff, and stream line our lives has been well worth it...I loved being out there...even on the hard days when we were presented with some pretty big challenges...I learned so much...about myself, about Chris (even after 20 years of our relationship), most of it good, some of it I would like to change...etc...

Anyway, check out our blog if you would like to see some nice pictures that Chris took...maybe he already posted it up here... Sailing Alchemy : Chris and Gretchen

I only wrote 4 measly blog entries...but I am finding that just the experience in regards to perspective is what I want to write about...not as much a this is where we went and when blog...although I am sure I will be sorry I didn't keep a better journal...

Anyway, miss it here at CF - and hoping that everyone is doing well!

[cheoah]

Sounds like a great adventure. Hope your re-entry goes smoothly and everything falls into place. Great way to end with a direct passage to Beaufort.

[Vasco]

It's amazing how cruising changes your perspective on everything. Are you going to be out again in the fall? We're back in Toronto but we'll be out again in December.

[Therapy]

I'll be interested in seeing how you "morphed" when you get around to posting it.

[casual]

Alway's had a hard time coming home.Especially whe the water color change from Deep Ocean Blue to Coastal Brown,Glad you are home safe and full of good stories