The 2022-2023 cruising season has begun. Bill and I are currently on S/V Liberty in Lake Worth (West Palm Beach, Florida) awaiting a good weather window to cross the Gulf Stream. We are buddy boating with our new friends John and Michelle Schultz on S/V Yes My Dear.
This summer was particularly eventful starting with the high school graduation of our first grandchild! We’re so proud of you, Ella!
My mom, Mary, turned 80 this year. She is so beautiful. The party we hosted included several of her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, lots of nieces and nephews, and even 3 of her high school classmates! At her request, we held the party in my cousin’s barn. My mom is a farm girl at heart.
A surprise event this year was the engagement and covenant marriage of our daughter, Becky, to Wyatt Kipp! There is no doubt that God had a hand in bringing these two believers together, and we’re excited to see what He has planned for them.
Bill and I are proud of our son, Kristian, who is serving in the United States Army. He spent just over a year on an unaccompanied overseas tour, and has now returned safely (and joyously!) to his wife, Alejandra. They will be relocating to Texas this month for Kristian’s next assignment.
This cruising season we are returning to the Bahamas! We spent the last two seasons enjoying the Florida Keys, but with the Covid pandemic, together with it’s travel hassles and restrictions, waning we’re ready to head to the “Bahamian Blue” waters again. Bahamian Blue is the color my friend Kelly and I dubbed the unique beautiful blue found only in the waters of the Bahamas.
In the next few days we will cross the Gulf Stream (my first time!) and head toward West End, Grand Bahama. We will check in with Bahamian customs and immigration authorities to obtain our cruising permit, then head to Ocean Reef Resort and Marina oceanreefresortmarina.com . We heard great things about this marina from our friends Dave and Linda Olson on M/V Entrusted.
Our trusty travel buddies, Steve and Susan Holdaway, and Tim and Kelly Will, will be flying in to join us for some exciting adventures this season. New this year, Bill’s sister and brother-in-law, Ann and Gary Slifka, will be joining us for a bit. Be sure to check back for stories and pictures! I’m practically giddy just anticipating watching Susan pet the stingrays at Sandy Cay. According to her husband, Susan loves to be stretched out of her comfort zone, and I’m pretty sure this will be a bit outside her typical routine!