Rear View Mirror - The Right Way

2004 after passing ASA 101, 103, 104 - on our way

1-1-13.  Read all the magazines, books, blog and such about cruisers out cruising and they will all tell you the same thing....there is no right way to do it, just do it.  But most then go on to say "but here is how WE recommend you should do it."  I am not going to do that here.  I am just going to tell you how and why we did it the way we did.

2005 s/v Ad Astra -Panama City FL

We decided to go ahead and purchase s/v Honey Ryder well in advance of our castoff year for several reasons.  First, was the feeling that we had outgrown Lake Perry.  I don't say that to sound snobbish or a know it all.  We certainly enjoy ourselves and the sailing community that is there.  But we felt like we were no longer growing our sailing skills to the level necessary for our cruising plans.  We knew we needed experience with tides, currents, navigation, coastal weather, storms, various marinas and such.  On Lake Perry there are no navigation markers, tides, currents, and such.  We also wanted time and more importantly $$ to make the boat our own.  Boats cost money.  Upgrades cost more money.  Unexpected items cost even more $$.  While we are short on time on the boat as commuter cruisers, we do still have income coming in to pay for expected and unexpected items.  Another KEY element is access and exposure to a whole different level of boating/cruising community.  The marine industry experts we have deal with so far have been good and in many cases great.  The knowledge of other cruisers we meet is vast and they are so willing to share whether it's to loan a grinder, or help us tune in our SSB or share their various routes and waypoints.  Knowledge like that just can't be gained by reading still more books, blogs and magazines or sailing around Lake Perry.

2005 s/v Ad Astra -Panama City FL

In the past, Tom kept asking Kansas sailors that have left to sail on bigger water "when do you know you have outgrown the lake?"  Finally I said to him, "you kept asking and I think ultimately that means we have."  He agreed.

2008 soloing s/v Ad Astra out of Rockport TX -expanding our skills

We say it often now.....the time for reading it over.  The time for doing is here.