Newbies first Cruise we survived!!!!

[Dulcesuenos]

Just a short recap of our Awesome trip we just completed. The wife and I sailed our 31 bombay clipper from New Port Richey to Key West and back. Our original plans were to also hit the DT's but the weather was not favorable. We had wind on the nose anywhere from 10-25 knots throughout more than half of the journey to say it was challenging would be an understatement. We had planned on taking 50 hours to get there and it was closer to 70. The 30 westerbeke ran awesome and sipped fuel!, the boat sailed great and we even hit 7.5 knots at times on broad reaches. We took tons fo video and pictures, and we fished almost the entire way down and back and caught fish non stop. We did sail through the night going down and it is not something I reccommend in rough weather. A better route would have kept us closer to shore and closer to anchorages to get some rest, but we learned many valuable lessons. It was magical sailing at night and the 6 day stay in KW was Amazing. We met many new friends, and had a blast. The return trip was great too, with a nice stay in Venice at the crows nest, and a night off Anclote. This trip was life altering for us as we werent 100% sure if we truly wanted to live aboard etc,,, This trip was one of the toughest adventures in stamina and patience and respect for mother nature that we have ever faced. It tested our ability to work as a team, and our ability to dig down deep to pull through some nasty stuff out there. This journey has helped us to decide to without any doubt to move aboard ASAP. We are sad to say going to sell our Bombay that we love and that has treated us so well, in order to move up to a larger vessel. To anyone that is hesitant in making a trip or taking that first step, I urge you to do so. We have not ever taking sailing classes, we are experienced power boaters who know how to sail. We love sailing it is more peaceful, relaxing, calming, thrilling, terrifying, and exhilirating then anything else we have ever done. Our place is on the water, if only we had known sooner.....

R&R, Dulce Suenos