It’s been a long summer of silence here on sailingjace.com. We have been busy with work and travel and a lot of prep for our trip. Kristoffer graduated from high school and moved to Tokyo for his 9-month internship at a game development company and Anika started her last year in Middelburg. We are so…
Author: Andy
Leaving Grenada
I am at the airport, all checked in and through security. Plane is here and it looks like an on time departure. It’s been an exciting two weeks: completing purchase and final repairs (well, almost), sailing her down to Grenada, getting to know the boat much better, and then getting her hauled out and prepared…
Off the grid living
Growing up in Germany in the 80s, the ultimate super nerd was this guy Murray Bosinski, from a terrible US TV show, dubbed into German with an even worse title. He knew all about technology and not much else. For this post, l’ll be Murray Bosinski. Today we have Brad’s friend Aaron over on JACE….
On the hard
A long and successful day: JACE is safely out of the water and strapped down on the hard, secure for hurricane season. I get up at six before it gets too hot. I have a long list and work through it. Brad soon joins me and together we make good progress. Wash deck and all…
Caribbean lives
We get incredibly locked into our beliefs of how life needs to look, based on the environments we live in and the people who, like us, follow those norms. Being here in the Caribbean reminds me again that “our life” is not the only recipe to follow. Through this boat buying process we’ve met a…
Passage with a few challenges
Our decision to stop overnight at The Saintes was brilliant. Not only are we finding the most picturesque bay with lots of red-roofed houses studding the lush green hills all around; not only are we enjoying the swim off the back of JACE, a most amazing sunset, and a wonderful fish dinner in town; not…
Lessons in motoring
Our first night at sea was mostly uneventful. A few squalls to dodge, a couple of freighter to watch out for. But otherwise benign. Mostly! It is 2am during my 12-3a watch that our engine suddenly but gradually loses RPMs. From 2,500 to 2,000, then just 1,500 and after a few minutes it drops and…
Leaving St Maarten
We are off! Au revoir St Maarten! Tony does us one last favor and picks us up at 7:15 with his car to drive us to the French side, where are are officially, to go to immigration and check out of the country. We use the opportunity for a “manifique petit dejeuner” before we return…
Ready for departure
I think we are actually ready! Today was a busy day and I am so glad I have Brad here as my advisor and companion. He really is a great guy, calm, patient, good sense of humor and – importantly – a lot of experience. He and I are a good team and have genuine…
Final repairs dragging on
When the repairs that were commissioned over two weeks ago still weren’t done on Saturday, I asked our broker Tony if we should push out our flights. “No, come one down. All will be well”. Then it came differently. It’s a long and complicated story which I won’t attempt to explain. Suffice to say the…