We didn't plan to set off for a few more years but sometimes things happen and you have to decide what you really want to do in life. So we're not rich in much except time but many far braver souls we have met have begun this lifestyle with less financial security than ourselves and are having the time of their lives.
You could say we were influenced by our children who came back from gap year adventures and the like inspired to do different things with their lives. We didn't want to get to 60+ with a load of cash in the bank but having lost the energy and enthusiasm to have adventures ourselves. We've met plenty of sailors in their late 60's still having a great life exploring the world on their boats.
2006 was quite a blur having left UK in late June after selling our home and buying smaller properties to rent thus providing us with an income and some extra security. Very brief travelogue for non-friends and relatives who've not read our newsletters:-
We spent a month exploring the Rias of Galicia NW Spain which are delightful, before heading south through many of the lovely cities of Portugal including Porto, Cascais, Lisbon and Sintra. We skipped through the Algarve in mid summer and onto SW Spain and the lovely city of Cadiz. We were keen to get to Gibraltar both to leave the cold waters of the Atlantic and move into the warm Mediterranean, and also to catch up with boat maintenance as chandlery items had not been easy to find passing quickly through Spain and Portugal.
After a fruitful boat wise (if uninspiring) stop in Gibraltar we headed for Morocco. We were surprised to see how few European boats stopped there. You have to be prepared to be boarded by umpteen officials.....very polite but time consuming. Also it's not cheap in the few marinas and few places to stop but you avoid the Costa's and see a very different way of life....and crikey you've just sailed to AFRICA!!!!
In a rush to reach Sardinia for winter we rather rushed our way through the Balearic's. Wish we could have spent longer on Ibiza and Menorca where we had a couple of nights each. At last we could enjoy some snorkeling. Nothing beats falling off the boat on a scorching day into refreshing but warm water. Had a fabulously fast sail across to Porto Conte in NW Sardinia from Mahon. Sailed 174 miles in 25 hours. Worked our way south to our winter home in Cagliari which is a great place to spend 5 months in dock! I don;t know why it's not more popular. It's very cheap, great food, cultured city plenty to do and explore and very friendly people. It's also a real place not like many of the marina stops in Southern Spain with their English bars and fish and chips and annoying British tourists. It's also cheap to get to and fro to UK via Ryan air. Have met many people suggesting great places to visit around the island in Spring. We intend cruising the East coast then see a bit of Corsica before continuing onto Elba and the Italian mainland where we will gradually work our way down to Sicily where we have relatives. May come back here for winter again as we have friends here and it's the cheapest place in this part of the Med.
If you have sailed around this area and have some experiences to share (places not to be missed or to sail quickly through, free and cheap places to stop etc) please share with us also.
1 comment:
Your photos and dialog are marvelous. It made me feel as if I were tagging along. Thanks for sharing with us and I will be looking forward to the next episode.
Post a Comment