Sail Away Again?

Sort of. I guess it's time to re-charge the old blog. After a year in Chicago enjoying the monumental duties (and low pay!) of being grandparents we have hit upon a new plan for the upcoming year and perhaps years.

1. We can't NOT have a boat (forgive the double negative!). Our boat is our ultimate security blanket. Right now we are enjoying living and working in Chicago (we're both teaching at Columbia College) but if that were to go south we'd be living in a cardboard box on lower Wacker Drive!

2. We want a bigger adventure than yo-yoing up and down the Caribbean. . . as nice as that is!

3. So we have a multi-part plan:

a. Scott returns to Grenada Dec 14 or so and begins to whip Enee back in to shape. The biggest (and most expensive project) will be the installation of Hydrovane self steering. We like this one as it has it's own rudder, has great reviews and that rudder can also serve as an emergency rudder if we lose the big one. It's been installed on our very boat before with fine results. Other jobs include modifying the anchor locker so that I can undo the castling chain from the bow, purchasing a new foresail, general clean up, selling the dingy davits, bottom paint, etc. More on modifications as we proceed.

b. If I finish the jobs in time (I have to be back in Chicago Jan 23) I'll try to move the boat north to Antigua either by myself or with crew. If not Enee will just have to stay in the yard at SIMS in Grenada a little longer...

c. Sue and I return to Enee when school gets out June 1. At that time Enee HAS to be ready to go as we plan to then sail her to Bermuda (1 week +) and then after a rest on to NE United States or maybe even Nova Scotia. We'll put the boat up for the winter where ever we land and return to Chicago in August for teaching and grand parenting.

Now we can live and work in Chicago, be close to family and friends, and still visit Enee on the East coast in the summers. Could work!

Here's Lucy the grand daughter

See why we're tending toward staying?

We look forward to any and all comments for advice, good boat yards, etc. Sue and I are VERY excited about the upcoming year. The planning and preparation are half the fun!