Remembering my 5 years sailing the Bahamas/ Caribbean

[JTHAW]

Hi All.... In Oct. 1978 after working 3 years in the sailboat industry, (Irwin, CSY, Endeavor dealer, Ross Yacht) here in Tampa/ St. Pete, Clearwater, and after doing a Total refit on my 1971 Morgan 35 cb sloop ...I sold everything...and left out of Tampa Bay....spent 5 years sailing...Island hopped thru the Bahamas, Turks, Dominican Rep. P.Rico, V.I.'s all the way down to Bequia and back... part of the refit was installing by myself, a brand new Yanmar 15 hp I bought at Mastry Marine in St Pete..... I skipperd big Morgan 41 and 45 Ketch's at CYC charters in the U.S.V.I.'s for 10 months or so..I crewed on a South African 51' Cat out of St. Martin to St Barts 5 days a week... for 3-4 months, and so much more......
I look back on it today...and say, Wow!...I did it...the world was a much different place back then...
Now, I find myself fantasizing about leaving on a 36 footer... would love to liveaboard/sail a 35'-37' again...If you are cruising on a boat or getting ready to ?....I envy you...
I love the early 80's shoal draft Endeavor 35, and the late 70's shoal draft Heritage West Indies 36...gunkholing and freediving in the Bahamas was priceless...

[brownoarsman]

Sounds like an awesome five year trip at a time when those cruising destinations were still coming up! Awesome to hear about it, and hope you get a chance to get back out there!


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[monte]

nice, and welcome to the forum!