It’s only November 5th, less than a week after the rally was expected to leave. The bad news is that it is still not clear as to when we will be heading out.
One thing that is seeming pretty clear is that those boats that take the next “window” to head south may very well be at sea for Thanksgiving.
I have no idea how many boats in the fleet just can’t find a way to feel that this is OK, but for sure, this topic is on everyone’s mind.
Of course, it’s not just skippers that are facing this, it’s crew as well, so there is a good deal of shuffling, and hand-wringing going on.
Some boats, like mine, are sitting in marinas in the Hampton area, with skipper and crew having headed home. Others are hanging out in Hampton, ready to go at a moment’s notice.
I have a number of calls from concerned skippers who just can’t, or their family can’t, get their head around the idea of being away for Thanksgiving. I am sensitive to this but to me the overarching question is one of safety and the idea of trying to delay departure to the end of the month, the cutoff for boats that wish to be part of the rally is a bit like “threading the needle” as winter in the North Atlantic gets closer. This trip is tough enough as it is and to add time restrictions into the mix is in serious conflict with the fact that the most dangerous thing on a boat is a calendar.
Even during the best passage things can quickly head south and I want to do whatever I can that maximizes the opportunity to have a comfortable and safe journey.
I suspect that some may feel that all this is driven by my desire to get everyone to Antigua, or wherever they are headed, but the fact is that I want everyone to have as good an experience as possible and arrive safely. The sad truth is that the first big trip is often the last if things don’t go well.
Who knows, but hopefully tomorrow, following our discussion with Chris Parker this evening, I will have more to report.
One good thing about the delay is that I have been able to finish up with the fall leaf cleanup which saved me some money. Sadly, that savings was more than offset by the cost of extra dockage, flights and car rentals.
Such is the life of a snowbird. Yes, I know that it is a painful trut but I’ll take it.
The good news is that once I am in the Caribbean all of this will soon fade from memory.
Antigua is calling and I must go… but when?
At least it’s a sunny day here in CT.
And yes, the plot thickens. More to come, soon I hope, but in a good way.
I cling to that belief.
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