Our flights to Richmond were very straightforward, and we arrived at our hotel without event before heading across the street for some good old Southern cooking. Fried food is the local delicacy in these parts, and spicy fish is particularly good. Always one to stretch our culinary boundaries we even tried Budweiser’s new brew – a pale ale – which I’m almost ashamed to admit was really tasty!

Thursday was thanksgiving and we woke up to a ghost town, not unlike Christmas morning only one shop open on main street, few cars on the road. Realising that dinner prospects in Deltaville were almost non-existent we called ahead to the B&B and arranged some food there – lovely roast dinner as it turned out. A peaceful afternoon followed as we chilled in their lounge, walked along the docks, and reading cruising guides to the Inter Coastal Waterway and Bahamas. We tried to get to bed early that night to prepare for a big day, but we were both over-excited and lay awake chatting and pinching ourselves, and each other.

On Friday morning we headed to the boat yard at 9.15 to spend some time inspecting the boat before our surveyor arrived at 10 to head out with us for a seatrial. We were both really wound up, a mixture of complete excitement and anticipation, coupled with the memories of Rhode Island and an awareness that this boat also had the potential to disappoint. We met Jonathan and Ann, the husband and wife team who run the yacht brokerage, and got onboard the boat for our visual inspection.

Much to our relief the boat was great. We’re buying a 1985 boat, so it’s not going to be in perfect shape, but what we’re looking for is a robust platform from which we can build a boat that really works for us. Janus was just that. The electrical system, water and fuel tankage, galley (that’s the kitchen for all you landlubbers) and rigging were key areas for the inspection, and they all functioned well. The boat doesn’t have much by way of navigation systems or other electronics, a fantastic excuse for me to spend some cash, but the things that were there were adequate.

The seatrial was where we got to see how the boat handled. Don joined us for this part, and we headed out of the marina with Jonathan at the helm – partly because we didn’t own the boat yet, and also because he had previously entertained us with tails of customers who had phoned 5 minutes after leaving with their new boat to say they’ve just run aground just outside the narrow channel!. Kel had her eyes peeled incase we had to do this ourselves in future. We got out into the Chesapeake Bay, a stunning cruising ground, and hoisted the sails to get moving. The sun was shining, we had 15 knots of breeze, and we our breathing had returned to normal. It was wonderful.

Then we got the bad news. While travelling on Wednesday I had received additional pictures of the boat by email, one of which showed a substantial amount of rust on the keel at the joint between it and the hull, something Don had noted this in his survey. This was a high priority during the seatrial, and as Don and Keli inspected the bilge as we were under sail it became clear that the boat was taking on water. Kel and I had suspected that the rust was more than just a surface issue, and Beneteau’s steel keels are prone to this problem. 

We motored in to shore having checked over the instruments, engine, water system, and the faulty keel; to sit with Don and talk through the rest of his survey. Overall the boat was great. A good price, a lot of boat for our budget, and a layout and accommodation that we were happy with. It was a simple platform to build from and had better sails than we had expected. Don left us to think things over and headed home to finish writing the survey.

Over the weekend, with help from our broker Ian, and Jonathan and Ann, we agreed to split the cost of fixing the keel with the seller and have bought the boat. It’s amazing news, and we’ve been beaming from ear to ear all day. Both of us were starting to get a little stir crazy in Vancouver, and the snail’s pace approach to boat buying had placed strain on each of us. We’re both quite action-orientated, so sitting at home talking about boats, instead of being out there doing boats, didn’t quite suit our style. We’re breathing easier today!

And so tomorrow marks the start of a new phase of our life, our first boat and one less excuse as to why we’re not in the Bahamas already. It will take a day or two to swap over the titles on the boat and transfer the money, but we should be floating home owners by Wednesday. In the meantime we’re going to be busy pricing the keel job and other maintainence in two boat yards in Deltaville and one in Oriental, deciding where we will get the work done, and getting moving.

It feels like the blog will at last have some worthy content, and we will have no legitimate reasons to feel lazy or bored! People get your diaries out and book your holidays, this puppy has twin aft cabins and sleeps 9. Nearly enough space for the Lowly Knights!

We’ll keep you posted.

I’ve held back from writing much about our latest boat buying adventure mainly because of the disappointment of the last one, and a little faux superstition that talking too much about it might be tempting fate. But I thought a proper update was due before we head off to Virginia tomorrow morning.

The boat is a Beneteau First 38, and is actually 40 feet long, which was our original goal actually, although we revised this down when our money started to get tight. We found it online after our last purchase fell through, and weighed it up against the boat in Alameda that we had been considering. The main benefit in the end was that it was on the East coast of the states, Deltaville Virginia, and we could just sail it out of there instead of having to put it on a truck, an additional cost of up to $10k.

We offered on the boat at the start of November, and we signed off on it with a completion date of the 3rd December – tomorrow week. Having learnt a lesson in caution after our first failed purchase we decided we would arrange for a surveyor to inspect the boat first and give us a report on its condition before we booked flights and travelled out to view it ourselves.

Our surveyor gave us a verbal report on Saturday and the boat is in pretty good shape, with a few minor issues that we will need to examine carefully when we get there. We’re buying a 1985 boat, so it’s never going to be perfect, but we need to ensure that it’s in good overall condition, and all the essential electrical, mechanical and structural systems are sound.

Tomorrow morning we fly to Richmond Virginia, and then drive across to Deltaville to view the boat, and then take it out for a seatrial on Friday morning with our surveyor. If all checks out and the seller is willing to work with us to resolve any issues that arise from the survey and seatrial then we will be boat owners. At this stage it’s too early to tell if that will work out, but Keli and I are confident that this model of boat will make a fantastic home on the ocean.

So today is all about packing, getting things finished, and saying goodbye. We’re taking Dennis and Pat out for dinner tonight at the Boathouse for a celebratory dinner. They’re in the process of boat buying too, so they’ve been a great support in this difficult process, and despite having a fair idea of the perils we’re getting ourselves into have been overwhelmingly positive in endorsing our mad plan.

More details to follow soon, but for now it’s back to work.

Stu.

After what feels like a month of goodbyes we’re finally at the night before the big trip.

This is without question the boldest, maddest thing i’ve ever done, and yet it feels so right. It is risky, challenging, and pure fun. I feel fully ready to jump off onto the unknown.

Can’t wait!

And so we begin.

It’s taken an age to get here…and at many times along the journey I think we both doubted our capacity and commitment to making this happen. Keli and I are finally on the way to Canada, to buy a boat, and make a new life of travel, adventure, self-sustainability and sailing in the Caribbean.

We’ve been talking about this for over 3 years now. Each of us ready to leave at different times, and the sucked back in to life in another place, another job or cause to volunteer for. Leaving friends and family was always going to be a challenge, and in the final stages of our departure from Belfast we’re both feeling this in different ways.

On Sunday we had a barbecue at the house for friends to come and say goodbye to what has been a great home, and to buy some of our furniture to reduce the number of boxes we will need to put in storage. The Saturday before we got out of bed early and headed to the nearest car boot sale to get rid of some surplus items, at an average price of 75p per item. It’s amazing how little others will pay for things that feel valuable to us.

We depart on the 14th August, and every day between now and then is somehow connected to the common theme of leaving, adventure, and sailing. Keli’s an experienced sailor, having sailed from Hawaii to Vancouver with her dad aged 14, and spent all her childhood summers off the coast of British Columbia. I am a novice, just 2 weeks with Dennis and Pat in BC, and 2 days with Ocean Youth Trust in Belfast, delivering a boat from Bangor to Newry in Northern Ireland.

And so this blog will be a place for stories and reflection, for photos and videos of our travels, and to open a window for the outside world to peek in on our daily happenings and send their comments of support should they feel so inclined.

So here goes… Thanks for reading, we really hope you enjoy the updates and want to stay involved in this little adventure. You are of course welcome to visit at any time, just ask and we’ll try to fit you in!

Stu.