Becoming a SailorIn short
This was our first Christmas on a sailboat, and this post doubles as a virtual card for readers around the world. Our paper cards had a rough trip: some got soaked in the dinghy and stuck together, and humidity sealed envelopes early. Rick and our friend Carl mailed the survivors. We were anchored in Tavernier, in the Florida Keys, riding out a winter storm with shortbread while waiting to cross to the Bahamas.
This is our first Christmas on a sailboat. We sent out Christmas cards last week, and I feel that we’ve left some people off our list. I’ve really enjoyed writing this blog this past year, and know that there are people in New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Canada and the USA who regularly visit, even though we might never meet in person.
So this blog post and virtual card is for you — happy holidays and all the best for the New Year!
For family and friends who received a physical card, I thought you’d be interested to know that your card may have endured several trips in our dinghy. The cards were eventually mailed by my husband and our friend, Carl, who drove from Miami to help us out.
Christmas on a Sailboat: Cards by Dinghy
Some of our Christmas cards fell victim to the elements. For instance, an entire package of “Let it Snow….But Not Here” cards became stuck to themselves after getting wet in our dinghy. Most of the cards in this package had to be thrown away. If you’ve received this type of card, know that your card is an at-sea survivor.
And, in many cases, the humidity caused the envelopes to seal prematurely. So I used a knife to slice these envelopes open, and then resealed them with tape. Some of the envelopes will present like insider mail theft. But it’s just me loading the cards aboard our boat. I like to think they were sealed — at least originally — by the sea air.
Here is a little bit about our plans, having our first Christmas on a sailboat. Currently, we are anchored out in Tavernier, in the Florida Keys.
We are in a sheltered spot, roughly half a mile from a slim channel lined with mangroves.
We are at the beginnings of a winter storm, brought about by a tangle of winds, creating treacherous sailing conditions. But, we are quite comfortable, bobbing along on our anchor, and wearing warm clothes for the first time in months. I baked some homemade shortbread this afternoon, which suited our mood perfectly.
We are preparing to go to the Bahamas, waiting for a good weather window. We listen to an SSB radio channel for weather information every morning. It’s our 6:30 am wake up call. I like the sense of ritual that it brings, as we hush our kids and listen to other boats calling in from afar to check the weather in their area.
Thanks again for reading. Happy holidays!
← Previous: Offshore Medical Kit List: What We Used in 10 Years AboardPart of Florida and the Bahamas · 43 posts →
Merry Christmas to you too from New Zealand! 🙂