Goodbye to Trinidad and a brief visit to the States

Dana lounging by the pool at Crews Inn Marina in Trinidad

Our time in Trinidad is coming to a close. Tomorrow, Dana and I throw off our dock lines from Crews Inn Marina and sail the 80 miles north overnight to Grenada. This will be our last major sail of the adventure. The weather looks iffy for this crossing, but it's only predicted to deteriorate after tomorrow, so it's now or never. We're probably in for one last bit of drama before this chapter of our lives comes to a close, but what else would we expect?

Trinidad has been wonderful, thanks in no small part to our amazing hosts Jordan, Alicia, Alex, and Austin. They invited Dana and I along to hashes, ultimate frisbee, world cup viewings, beach outings and numerous limes. They even joined us in Eventyr's cockpit for cocktails one evening. We met them at a crossroads in their lives. Jordan took a new job at an international school in Anguilla after teaching in Trinidad the past four years and will be leaving shortly. Alicia will join him as soon as she's done with her residency. Alex and Austin are also leaving, moving back to Toronto. Last night Dana and I got to bid Jordan farewell along with the scores of friends he made here in Trinidad. I think we'll all miss this lovely island.

Playing ultimate in Port of Spain, Trinidad with Jordan and Alicia

Jordan's going away lime

Trinidad was not the only place Dana and I have been hanging out during the past week. Over the weekend, we flew to San Francisco for my cousin Derek's wedding. It was our first visit back to the U.S. (excluding Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands) since sailing away from Fort Lauderdale back in December. My brother Erik and Mom were also in San Francisco for the event. Although it was weird to be away from Eventyr and the adventure, it was nice to see family, sleep in a king size bed and experience some cooler temperatures.

My cousin Derek and his wife Meagan are cut from the same cloth as Dana and me. They live on their boat Miller Time 2 at a marina in Marin County. Derek's dad, my uncle John, has his sailboat Prima Donna in the same marina as Derek and Meagan. Derek grew up sailing and crewed with my Dad on my his tiny sailboat, Ladre during one of his attempts to sail from Connecticut to Bermuda. Uncle John also sailed Ladre, helping deliver her from Philly to New York a few years ago. Derek and Meagan's wedding reception was fittingly at the San Francisco Yacht Club and the attire was nautical. The Meyers really know how to party and we all had way too much fun. For their honeymoon, Derek and Meagan are chartering a sailboat to spend ten days in the British Virgin Islands. That's the same honeymoon Dana and I had, only we didn't know how to sail back then, and had a hire a captain. Derek and Meagan don't need any such assistance when it comes to sailing.

Derek, Meagan, and I at the San Francisco Yacht Club

Happy couple knows how to party!

Derek and Meagan on their boat Miller Time 2

Dana and Uncle John on his sailboat Prima Donna

In addition to partying with the Meyers, Dana, Mom, Erik, and I got to do some hiking in the beautiful countryside nearby. We marveled at Giant Sequoia and Redwoods while hiking though the shady and cool forests. It was quite a change from hiking through the hot, sweaty jungles in Trinidad just a few days earlier. We also got to meet up with my childhood friend Dan, who now lives in San Francisco with his wife Brooke, and their baby Mona. It was great to see them enjoying their life on the West Coast. Dana and I only spent four days in San Francisco but felt like we got to see and do so much!

I think I found our next apartment

Erik the tree hugger

Descending into Muir Woods. Seems like it could be a scene from Jurassic Park

Enjoying the amazing scenery post hike on Panoramic Highway

So, tomorrow we set sail for Grenada, our final island before returning to the real world. We spent most of the month of May in Grenada and it will be nice return to familiar places and faces. The end of the adventure seems very real. We scheduled Eventyr to be hauled out of the water on July 13 for storage and we fly away from her July 17. We get to spend some time with Dana's Dad in Costa Rica before returning to Philly, but we may never see Eventyr again. She is officially for sale and hopefully someone will love her as much as we have over the past year since she came into our lives. Our final couple weeks will be full of activities getting ready to move back home and put our home for the last eight months in proper order to sell. Maybe we'll fit in some fun as well :-)

For sale