Wow, it feels like forever since we’ve had the wind in our sails. We are so excited to get back on the water again, but before we head out, we have to make sure everything is in order. As we prepare for our longest passage yet, we have made lists of everything we need to do and have. Of course prepping and planning are tedious and we would rather just go, but it helps to ease some anxiety. We also want to know/remember what to do in case something out of the ordinary were to happen.
Something that will be a little different for us is the new restriction due to COVID. Once we pull off of Grenada we need to make sure we do a two week quarantine. This means that we will not be able to get off of Calypso throughout the voyage. Even when we make stops along the way, we will have to stay on the boat. We will not be able to get off until we finally make it back to the US mainland. This shouldn’t be too difficult for us as we are used to isolation at this point (and I am sure most of you are too), but it will still be strange not to get off and go exploring.
One thing we don’t want to be while sailing is hangry! Since cooking while rolling isn’t ideal for me or the food, I have been planning meals to pre-cook. Having food that we can quickly heat up or keep in the crock-pot has always been a life-saver while we are on a passage. On the menu I am planning for some sausage tortellini, stew, chili, burgers, sandwiches, and some pre-cut fruit! This will be sure to keep our bellies full and our spirits high.
We have also been studying-- yes, studying! Antares has a sail crossover chart that goes over everything you need to know for each situation. It tells you which sails to have up and when to have them up depending on wind direction, speed etc. It helps you with times to reef (reduce sail) and reminds you how to have everything stored and prepped. It’s a really smart idea to re-familiarize yourself with this before every passage-- but especially because we have not sailed in a long time!
We are feeling antsy and excited about our plans but are so ready to cruise the coast of the US!
Photo: The Salty Dawg Rally, which we are a part of! Enjoy this feature by using the link below!
Calypso's Tracker:
Salty Dawg Rally: