A new journey in the making!
Welcome to 2019!! A new calendar year begins. Albert Einstein wrote in 1955 that "...the distinction between past, present, and future is only an illusion, however persistent". Maybe. But despite that much debated perspective, I certainly feel what it means to grow older! The body reminds me constantly as does the energy levels of my nephews and nieces! I also believe that the future certainly is full of surprises and its up to each individual to open their arms and minds and embrace that randomness. My life's journey has so far been chock full of unexpected happenings and while I may do my best to implement a plan, life rarely unfolds according to my determined scheduling. C'est la vie!!
Notwithstanding that, I accept it's in my nature to need a plan and over the last few months, while indulging in the fabulous company of family and friends, I have been busy with my Excel spreadsheet, charts and world maps. Between organising yacht insurance, Australian yacht registration, doing battle with government maritime agencies both in Oz and overseas, and ordering parts and various servicing, I have also been attempting to put together a plan for exploring the Mediterranean.
So what does 2019 have in store for Inelsamo and the Chaotic Compass duo? Well, I attempted to be terribly tech savvy and chart a route on Google Earth for you. In the end it was simply easier to print it off, pull out the marking pen and do a wriggly line. Mr Squiggle would be proud.
Inelsamo, if you recall, is currently resting up in Portugal on the Algarve coast. In early February, she is going to have a bottom job and a cut and polish so she will be looking fabulous for her new sailing season. This year, she will also proudly fly the Australian Ensign and carry the home port of Mooloolaba on her butt! The British red ensign will get folded away with gratitude.
Craig continues to work out of Kazakhstan on a 28/28 rotation so that will once again influence how our sailing year unfolds. However, we plan to set sail out of Albufeira in mid March heading for Gibraltar or Morocco pending marina availability. From there we will meander up the Spanish coast, through the Balearic Islands, and up to the border of Spain and France. After a short absence, we then plan to sail over to Corsica, down along western Sardegna and over to Tunisia where we have a long term berth arranged. For the remains of the year and over Christmas 2019, we hope to cove-hop along the Tunisian coast and perhaps over to Malta. And then 2020 brings adventures over in the Eastern Mediterranean and perhaps up into the Adriatic. Thats too far ahead to worry about though.
So I hope you will join us again in our meanderings and that I can keep you sufficiently entertained. I have no doubt that this life that we lead will throw us some curve balls but I have chatted with the various Gods of the seas and I trust that we are on good terms. I have certainly shared enough champagne and sparkly with them!
Because of the wonderful Schengen Shuffle I must do, I also hope to have some side trips out of the Schengen area so I may get to visit back with UK and USA friends.
Anyway, it's a blank canvas really and my arms are open wide.
