We have been home for a few weeks since our first trip on Unspoken, and I have finally found the time to reflect on our 26 days of living on the boat. Being on the water was so peaceful and relaxing, once we finally got our auto pilot up and running (thanks Rafael and Kenny for spending what seemed like countless hours troubleshooting!). We were treated to so many wonderful sunsets, dolphins swimming on our bow (never gets old), quiet anchorages, the hustle and bustle of Key West, and lots of stories to tell.
Being on the boat it was pretty easy to forget about everything. Our routines usually consisted of waking up around sunrise, pulling up the anchor and setting our course for the day. Most days we tried to do about 25-40 NM depending on where we were along the Florida coast. Once we were sailing we would eat breakfast, take a nap or read, we usually always had music playing, prepare lunch and then aimed to pull into our stop for the night around 3-4pm. This gave us plenty of time to try to take London to land so she could do her business, enjoy sundowners and crack open a bottle of wine to enjoy with dinner. As Mike liked to say we adopted the sailors schedule. Up early and to bed early. So most nights we would play a round of cards after dinner and then call it a night to start the routine over again. To some this might seem monotonous, and I have to say I would have agreed. Except for the pure joy that comes from being on the water, seeing places you can only get to by boat, and the sense of accomplishment you feel when you arrive at your new destination.
I laughed at Mike when we made it to Key West. After we were tied up at the marina, he came and gave me a hug and said congratulations. I said for what…his response we made it to Key West! While I never doubted making it there, looking back on it now it was something we should pat ourselves on the back for. Just 1 year ago we didn’t know what a boom was, or a clew, or the difference between port and starboard, but we had just sailed for 300 NM, without a captain, planning our own route and determining our points of sail without someone looking over our shoulder.
Unfortunately for Mike and I, we still have jobs, and while I am not sure we will ever be full-time live aboards we will be continuing to enjoy extended trips on Unspoken. The bucket list of destinations is still there and slowly we will start checking them off the list, but until then we are eager to keep learning and exploring the Florida coast because there are so many wonderful treasures to see!
Glad to hear you guys had a good time! Keep up the fun and looking forward to hearing about your next trip down.
Amy.. We are still following your trip.. and still jealous 🙂 Our learning curve has been so steep, and we still use your blog as a reference.. We will cross wakes at one point.