(January 1, 2018) New Year’s Eve Wine Toast at sea! We joked about our New Year’s resolutions and started the New Year 2018 with a good laugh. In previous years, I used to go over my old resolution, review, and modify it to make a new one. Sailing in a rough sea, I postponed this task until we arrive at our destination because I want to be sitting down without rolling my body due to the heavy waves. One resolution for sure is “Diligently Keeping good habits and bluntly getting rid of bad habits!” John said his resolution is to drink no more than 5 bottles of rum in any 24 hour period, and shave at least once a month.
Talking about our 2018 sailing plans, we changed our destination from Suriname to French Guiana because our original schedule is too tight to sail to the South Pacific this year. Last June, We had some paint damage from another boat that drifted onto us at night. In July, crossing the Atlantic from Bermuda to the Azores, we have a plate at the top of the mast that got bent. Crossing the Atlantic this time, we have turned the jib pole into a bent up pretzel. We are on low of the boat spare parts and we need to restock them by ordering from the USA.
We originally planned to haul out the boat in Saint Martin but it got damaged by Hurricane Irma badly. By talking to a Marine Service in Trinidad, we tentatively have a plan to haul out the boat in Trinidad and repair all the problems that happened by crossing the Atlantic Ocean twice in 2017. We have a long to-do-list of the boat repair work. Modifying our original schedule, opened us up to a different set of opportunities.
There are three adjacent countries between Brazil and Venezuela in South America: French Guiana (France), Suriname (Used to be Dutch Guyana, Independent Now), and Guyana (Used to be British Guyana, Independent Now). Changing our original plan, we are looking forward to taking time to see these countries. It is also easier to visit these countries sailing from the Atlantic East rather than sailing down from the Caribbean. The rest of our route is depending on the repair work in Trinidad. In a month or so, our fun time will be replaced with running around in a Boat Yard.
Right now, we need to get to French Guiana safely. We are almost there.
Kay Chung @0800 UTC on Tuesday, January 02, 2018
GPS Position @N07.34/W48.35