Writing a traditional Christmas letter or card can be difficult for boat dwellers, but I thought I’d post our 2024 year in review in a Christmas card type post, so here goes…
2024 was an excellent year for the crew of the BlueBelle. Without sounding too braggy, both Paul and I feel like we are finally nailing living on the boat. And as we are about to celebrate 3 full years of living on a sailboat, it’s probably a little overdue. But here we; humble, happy, healthy, hanging Christmas lights once again, this time in the USA.
Without further ado, here is our year in summary…
We began our 2024 in Saint Martin- and will close out 2024 in Savannah, Georgia (probably).
Countries visited: 5: St Martin (counting as 1), Dominican Republic, Turks and Caicos, Bahamas, United States.
US States (and territories) visited: 20! Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, DC and Puerto Rico (and flew to: California, Oregon, Washington),
Miles sailed: 4,600 NM
Paul’s best memories: Anchoring at Little Inagua, Bahamas all by ourselves for days and swimming to shore in pristine water. Buying lobsters from Maine lobster men directly off their boat while sailing through the Merchants. Returning to the ocean after months of being in the Delaware, Chesapeake, Potomac rivers.
Lindsay’s best memory: The full moon sail leaving Maine for Massachusetts in 28knots of wind. Whales breaching in Samana, DR. Dolphins 20 miles inland next to our boat on the Herb River in Thunderbolt, Georgia. The sunrise over Cape Hatteras.
Paul’s lesson learned: If you think you gotta move the boat, move the boat. And ….Don’t wait, discuss it and then do it now. (lesson learned in Bone Fish Bay Bahamas and re-learned in Rockville, ME)
Lindsay’s lesson learned: sometimes the boat sails faster with the sails reefed. If I think the anchorage is too rolly, up anchor and MOVE (now, sooner rather than later).
Not every moment has been perfect. There was growing pains of merging our independent lives into one smoothly running boat. Sometimes neither of us wanted to cook. Sometimes we were so tired of long sails and rough seas we were, perhaps, a bit grumpy to each other. But our partnership is stronger than ever, and our future plans are bright and shiny.
So, from the crew of the SV BlueBelle, we are wishing you a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a lucky New Year. To all our friends and family who visited us, thank you, you are welcome back anytime! To all our friends who reached out and supported us, we are immensely grateful. To the friends and family who host us when we visit; a million thanks. We are so lucky that people love us so deeply to let us sleep in guest rooms, take hot showers, borrow beloved cars, sit at dinner tables with kids and still (STILL) want to spend time with us. We count our blessings and find them innumerable.
Love
Lindsay and Paul
TIBURON MARINO 