We’ve been dreaming of this week for many years, planning it for many months, and just lived it in every way that we never thought or planned. I guess it’s true, the first rule of cruising is to expect the unexpected, be ready to adapt, and then adjust again.

The plan – Stop working Friday, provision the boat over the weekend, then have a sending off party on our anniversary three days later, where good friends and family wave as we slide out of Portland harbor, round Portland Head Light and set sails on beam reach with 12 kts of wind. Shortly after we’d enjoy a beautiful sunset and toast to our new life while listening to some Kenny Chesney.

The reality – Quit work Friday, spent an entire week finishing projects, where we spent our anniversary running in different directions, and finally leave Portland 7 days later. There was no bon voyage, no rounding the Portland Head Light, and no Kenny Chesney music. We didn’t head south, but instead quietly sailed north into Casco Bay, as Hurricane Florence was just strengthening and early forecasts were too uncertain for a possible Northeast arrival to justify sailing south.

That said it was a week full of highs and lows, and a great experience for the entire family. Some of the highlights:

• We spent three days at Linekin Bay, a great resort near BoothBay Harbor with friends on sailboat named TouRai.
• I made our first water (50 gallons) with our reverse osmosis water maker, only to leave a valve open so it emptied the tank overboard an hour after making it
• We hooked our first dog. Yes, Summer, our four year old lab, got hooked in the nose with a fishhook while we were off the boat.
• We completed our first overnight passage. It was about 120 NM from Linekin Bay to Provincetown, MA. There was no wind, we motored 90% of the way, it was cold, it rained, but we made it.
• We saw Humback Whales on Stellwagon Bank. One surfaced so close its blowhole spray got me wet and I could actually smell the fishy smell of the whale.

Here are some photos of our first two weeks: