Well guys and gals, this voyage is something I've worked hard to do for 50 years. I planned it pretty much when I got out of the U.S. Navy and it's a dream I've been pursuing for over a half-century. My only regret is that I didn't do it 10 years ago, when I was in better health and a lot stronger. Yeah, I know I'm an old fart--that's who looks back at me in the mirror every morning. My health is improving to some degree, I'm at cardiac rehab 3 days a week, I've dumped 20 pounds, and hope to dump another 15 to 20 before I leave on October 1st.

Rest assured I will not take any undue risks that may put my life at risk. After sailing down Chesapeake Bay, the remainder of the trip will mostly be motoring 1,000-miles down the Intra-Coastal Waterway to Miami, then sailing down the Atlantic to Marathon Key, Florida, a trip of about 100 miles. Most of the trip will be like a long, slow drive down a water-covered highway, and each night I'll be safely anchored up in some secluded cove along the way.

My loving wife of a half-century thinks I'm totally insane, which, of course, is not out of the realm of possibility. She is staying here in the frozen north, but may fly down and stay with me on the boat for a few weeks in December of January. My daughter said he just might have to fly down and spend part of the winter on the boat as well. Of course, this good ole' dad will foot the bill for the plane fare.

I'll probably sail to Key West, spend a week there, then provision up and sail to the Dry Tortugas, which is about 50 miles over open ocean. I'll pick my days for the trip, depending on weather patterns. I thought about sailing over to Florida's panhandle, but the Gulf of Mexico gets pretty nasty during the winter months, so I'll probably opt out of that leg of the trip. Same holds true with the Bahamas--it's getting a bit risky for single-handed sailors there.

I'll be heading north on or about March 1, 2013, which means I should get home by April 1st or earlier, again depending upon the weather. I've already booked my first jobs for 2013 beginning April 15, 2013, so one way or another I have to be back home by then.

I look at this trip a bit differently than most. I know so many people my age that retired from their daytime job and did nothing till they died, often at a much younger age than myself. Most said they wished they would have did this, or that, but never pursued those wishes. I, on the other hand, have aggressively pursued my dreams, done more in my relatively short lifespan than anyone I know, and hope to continue to live an active, full life until the day they pull the sheets over my face. You only go around once in this life, and the way I see it you had better make the best of what you have. In the next 6 weeks I should be in great, physical shape, and the doctors all said there is no reason NOT to make the voyage. A couple of them said they wished they could go with me. I wish they could too.

If for some reason I don't survive the trip, well, the wife and kids will have a lot of neat stuff to either play with of sell off.

Cheers,

Gary