In October 2020, communications for leisure boats and commercial vessels changed irrevocably, although we didn’t necessarily realize it at the time. That month, SpaceX launched the “Better than Nothing” beta tests for a new satellite communications system that most people had never heard of: Starlink.
While the Aegean, Dodecanese, and Cyclades are top sailing spots, Greece’s west coast facing Italy should not be overlooked and as is well worth exploring.
The first time I saw Island Lady, I knew she was meant for me. A Tartan 4400, launched in 2007, with the grace of a dancer and the soul of a voyager.
Every offshore delivery is a unique challenge. Unlike sailing my own boat—where everything is dialed in just how I like it—stepping onto a customer’s boat means entering the unknown.
The Tartan-33 was built from 1979 to 1984, comprising a run of over 200 hulls. The design is from the prestigious firm of Sparkman and Stephens.
“Oh, crap.” Never entirely comforting words to hear from your captain, but utterly appropriate. I heard it too, after all—the cascade of rumbling and ripping, rising gradually in pitch in the span of seconds—the sound of thousands of pounds of sailcloth shredding.
The final countdown echoed across the bay, a long-anticipated moment: “5… 4… 3… 2… 1…BEEEEEEEEP!” Just like that, a flotilla of 140 yachts was off, sails hoisted all around, headed across the Atlantic, a 2,800 nautical mile navigation towards the Caribbean.
The immense fuselage of Flight Risk sits high up on the hard in the shipyard of Cape Marina. Cabinets, hatches, panels, and furniture are still open or missing as there is still much for the owner to refit.
Having sold our house and cars, we downsized our belongings and packed what was left onto our dream boat, a new-to-us 1990 Gemini 3200 catamaran, and set sail for a life on the sea.
We had one of the most frustrating AND breathtaking beginnings in Belize. We had just spent three and a half days on passage from Cuba to Belize, and sadly, less than 12 hours of that had enough wind to fill a sail.
