Hey lovely patrons 💛
We hope you’re all doing really well. It’s been a wild few weeks for us, and we wanted to catch you up on what life has looked like lately!
As many of you know, October and early November brought some seriously stormy weather our way. We spent the better part of those weeks living on a pontoon, watching squalls roll through and waiting for a break in the forecasts. Unfortunately, November didn’t look much kinder… and with a stack of work projects and school commitments looming, we finally had to admit the obvious: our dream of a winter out on anchor just wasn’t realistic this year.
So - we made a call. For now, we’re based in a marina up until Christmas, when we’ll reassess and hopefully pick up the anchor-life again. The silver lining? It’s actually turned into a really nice balance. We can still head out for sails whenever the weather cooperates, but we also have a safe, solid bolt-hole to tuck into when another storm rolls in (and lately… they’ve been rolling in often!).
Another unexpected bonus is that the marina is just a stone’s throw from a gym. Since we’re not constantly swimming, wakeboarding, paddle-boarding, or otherwise being tossed around by the ocean, it’s been great to shift our focus to strength training. Staying strong in the off-season is super important—not just for everyday life onboard, but so that when we do get out for little trips (and when sailing season picks back up), we’re jumping into the fun feeling capable, confident, and ready.
Being more town-based has also meant we can catch up on some of the practical things that are harder to manage when we’re on anchor. Ronnie and Mali have had their yearly vaccinations, we finally got everyone’s dental care up to date (hallelujah!), and—an unexpected treat - we’ve even been sneaking in the occasional date night. We’ve started reviewing some of the local food and drink spots, which has been a fun way to make the most of being shoreside for a while.
On a sadder note, we need to share something we hoped we’d never have to. Our dear Smidge went missing during our stay on the forest pontoon in Tranquil Bay. We stayed there for three weeks waiting and hoping for her return, but heartbreakingly, she never showed. Many of you will remember that we rescued her as a tiny kitten just before Christmas 2022 in Preveza, and losing her has been incredibly hard.
While we’re devastated, we take comfort in knowing that the forest is home to many local strays who are regularly fed by nearby residents. We also have several people keeping an eye out for her, including a local TNVR team who scan all cats for microchips (and she is chipped). So we’re holding onto the hope that, wherever she is, she’s safe, fed, and surrounded by familiar feline company.
In brighter news, we did have a lovely celebration onboard recently - Josh turned 14! We took the day off to enjoy it properly. He spent the morning testing out his new archery set, we made fresh pasta together with his new pasta maker, and Tom finished the day by cooking him a proper birthday steak dinner. 🎉
Josh’s birthday always brings a wave of emotion for us - he was born very early at 29 weeks and went through so much in those early days. To see the big, strapping, kind young man he’s grown into is something we never take for granted. His birthdays are always a reminder of how far he’s come and how grateful we are.
All in all, life looks a little different than we pictured for this winter, but it’s working for us. Thank you, as always, for being here and supporting this very wiggly, weather-dependent journey. We’re grateful for you every single day.
More soon, and hopefully from a sunny deck somewhere 🤞⛵️💙