30 October 2012

One year of cruising!!


Exactly 365 days ago we untied the dock lines in Rock Hall MD and started our cruising adventure on Habibi - with mixed feelings. We left behind so much but even more was waiting for us out there!

Just for the fun of it, let's put it into some numbers:
So far we cruised the distance of 4'500 nautical miles (around 8'300km).
We stopped at around 70 different anchorages or marinas in 10 different countries.
We ran aground 3 times but managed to set us free either with the engine or while waiting for the tide to rise...
We saw winds from almost 0 up to 50 knots and seas as high as 15 feet (5m).
The water temperature climbed from freezing 12.5C up to pleasant 31C.
We published around 135 blog posts and 1'245 pictures on facebook.
And the most amazing number: Marco and I never have been separated more than a couple of hours during the past 365 days!

We've met countless people on the way - amazing, surprising, awkward, generous, odd, open minded, stingy, spontaneous, lazy, chatty, wonderful people. Some of this encounter led into friendship, others did not. But all in all - if there is any kind of emergency (and be it running out of booze) we experienced the cruising folks as very helpful.
As we've already pointed out in various posts cruising life isn't always as sweet as it appears to be and there have been times when we were more then ready to sell Habibi right away! But cruiser's must all suffer from amnesia ;-)

Our minds (and camera's chip) are filled with all the beautiful places we've been able to visit. The reason we stayed in Grenada so long was on one hand Hurricane season and on the other hand some work that had to be done on Habibi. Now the next season is waiting for us and we are READY! Ready to be sailing again, to explore new places and revisit places we've liked. Ready to meet old and new friends. Ready to fish, relax, enjoy - maybe even sipping on a cocktail while watching the sunset on the beach...
Stay tuned for new adventures on Habibi!

With love from paradise
Marco & Rahel

5 comments:

  1. From someone who watched in the beginning and helped your plan become reality, I am proud of you both! I love keeping up and hearing of your adventures so; carry on and stay safe.
    With love from Rock Hall,
    Michele

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  2. Congratulations on your first year! Your blog continues to inspire us. We are so glad that we had the chance to meet the both of you in Grenada a few months back, and are still hopeful we will meet once again when we begin our cruise in a couple more years. Until then we will continue to enjoy your story as it unfolds. Thanks for sharing your adventure.

    Chris and Amanda

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  3. That new post reads just wonderful... keep going!!! And do not forget to keep us landlubbers posted. With love from our paradise
    Maya

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  4. The few hours you two were apart was probably when Mark and Marco went fishing! We continue to live vicariously through your adventures, as we get ready for another season in the Bahamas.
    Hope to meet up again someday!
    Mark and Marlene
    s/v/ Puffin

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  5. Life cruising is a wonderful life and your blog presents that life very well. We first connected in Charleston , SC on your way south. We were heading to the Abacos for our first visit and you are heading around the world or wherever. It is fun to follow your discoveries as you sailed from our home port and bought from our great broker. Congrats and keep the Love flowing....
    Hayden

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