WHAT’S ON MY MIND… A Speck of White in the Deep Blue by Monica Pisani and a daily dose of orange, pink or tangerine. We lived our days surrounded by nature and its creatures, our energy came from the sun, and we moved because the wind blows. Although living in a sailboat is an amazing life, it does not come without its share of compromises and challenges. At first, it seemed like a simple life, and in many ways it was. But living almost off the grid, and having a series of situations that require new skills, brought self-reliance to a new level, and also redefined “simple”. On the personal level, coping with the emotional, physical and mental challenges was exhausting. Only once the new life became routine, the focus on this awesome lifestyle and appreciation for the opportunity was reinstated. The night fell; thunderstorms could be seen far away behind us, the moon lit up the night as I sat behind the helm with my reliable companions, Garmin and the very noisy autopilot. As my captain slept soundly, I contemplated; I absorbed the moment, as the smoothness of the seas hypnotized me. Journey, oblivious to me, moved gently in a rhythmic stride, leaving behind a trail of white lace that would soon dissolve into the blackness of the sea, eliminating all evidence of our presence. ‘We had a few overnights and long days ahead… a perfect breeding ground for reflection’ SEPTEMBER <strong>2015</strong> CARIBBEAN COMPASS PAGE 38 Deciding what to do for hurricane season <strong>2015</strong> was painful, as my captain and I struggled with our own conflicting desires and needs. Once all points were considered, and reason spoke over heart, we both agreed that, although it was a bit late in the season, we should sail back to the USA with as few stops as possible. Although it felt great to have a plan, my heart felt vulnerable and a bit sad. We left at mid-morning for a longer journey than usual. It was one of the last days in May and we were leaving St. Thomas and dear friends behind. We sailed through Puerto Rico, once again, and we were reminded of how the island’s music brought friends and families together on weekend-long life celebrations. Once we left the Dominican Republic and headed towards the Bahamas, we had a few overnights and long days ahead, which meant a lot of uncommitted time — a perfect breeding ground for reflection. Captain and Journey (our 42-foot Tatoosh) were happy. We were sailing on a broad reach, Journey’s favorite tack; the seas were perfectly calm and a steady easterly trade of 15 knots filled her sails. The sun was setting on the port bow, and the moon, still low in the sky, could be seen behind us, preparing to illuminate our path during the night ahead. As far as the eye could see, there was nothing but sky, horizon and ocean. No land in sight, no sailboats, no cargo or cruise ships, just us. A little speck of white on the deep blue sea as we navigated across some of the deepest waters on the planet. The sound of the water, as Journey glided through it, was exhilarating. It conveyed freedom and the adventure of a journey one can only fully grasp if experiencing it firsthand. I felt overwhelmed with gratitude. Gratitude for being one of the chosen few to experience life at sea, as we had for the past two years. The scenery was, as always, incredibly beautiful, and often surreal with its mix of blues, greys, silvers, ADVERTISER LOCATION PG# ADVERTISER LOCATION PG# ADVERTISER LOCATION PG# ADVERTISER LOCATION PG# Aero Tech Lab C/W 32 Art Fabrik Grenada MP B & C Fuel Dock Grenada 28 Barefoot Yacht Charters SVG 19 Blue Lagoon Hotel & Marina SVG 18 Boat Paint & Stuff St. Maarten 32 Budget Marine St. Maarten 2 Captain Gourmet SVG MP Caraibe Marine Martinique 16 Caraibe Marine Martinique MP <strong>Caribbean</strong> Marine Electrical Trinidad MP Clarke's Court Grenada 23 Clippers Ship Martinique MP Curaçao Marine Curaçao 12 Dino Agency Columbia MP Dominica Yacht Services Dominica MP Down Island Real Estate Grenada MP ADVERTISERS INDEX Doyle Offshore Sails Tortola 4 Lazy Turtle Bar & Restaurant Grenada MP Doyle's Guides USA 37 LIAT C/W 8 Echo Marine Jotun Trinidad 10 Marc One Marine Trinidad MP Edward William Insurance C/W 29/MP Marina Santa Marta Colombia 26 Electropics Trinidad MP Marina Zar-Par Dominican Rep. 29 Food Fair Grenada 31 McIntyre Bros Grenada 32 Free Cruising Guides C/W 13 Mid Atlantic Yacht Services Azores MP Gonsalves Liquors SVG 36 Mount Gay Round Barbados Barbados 5 Grenada Marine Grenada 13 Multihull Company C/W 35 Grenadines Sails SVG MP Neil Pryde Sails Grenada MP Hydrovane International Marine C/W MP Off Shore Risk Management Tortola 10 International Inflatables St. Lucia MP Parts & Power Tortola 22 Iolaire Enterprises UK 31/36 Power Boats Trinidad MP Island Dreams Grenada MP Regis Guillemot Martinique 17 Island Water World Sint Maarten 40 Renaissance Marina Aruba 25 Island Yacht Charters C/W 36 Sea Hawk Paints C/W 7/9/11 Johnson Hardware St. Lucia 14 Slipway Restaurant Grenada MP Spice Island Marine Grenada 39 SpotlessStainless C/W MP St. Kitts Marine Works St. Kitts 12 Sugar Reef Bequia Ltd SVG MP Sunbay Marina Puerto Rico 24 Technick Grenada MP Turbulence Sails Grenada 13/ MP Vava'u Marine Services Tonga 28 Venezuelan Marine Supply Venezuela MP WIND Martinique MP Yacht Steering Committee Trinidad 6 YSATT Trinidad MP MP = Market Place pages 33 to 35 C/W = <strong>Caribbean</strong>-wide
SEPTEMBER <strong>2015</strong> CARIBBEAN COMPASS PAGE 39