Short answer: yes! We are excited for a new challenge, as we haven't crossed an ocean under sail before! Plus, people have done it for hundreds if not thousands of years, right? And we are pretty sure we won't fall off the edge of the earth ;-)
Longer answer: yes - with 2 additional amazing offshore sailors aboard, AND as part of The Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (or ARC). Did you really think we are crazy enough to do this alone? (Don't answer that.)
Our friends, Katie McGauley and Jason Meeuwig, are joining us for the crossing and we couldn't be more grateful. Katie & Jason are wonderful friends who still like all of us even after shared vacations. And they just happen to be experienced open-ocean sailors. So we will have 4 capable adults aboard rather than just two.
We are also crossing from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria to Saint Lucia as part of the 2021 ARC. The ARC includes 200 boats that all leave Las Palmas on the same day and are crossing to the same place. This does not mean that we will be within shouting distance for the whole time, but it does mean that if things go pear-shaped, there should be another boat that can help relatively quickly. In addition, the ARC requires a host of safety equipment and training, and has put us in tough with other families who are making the trek. Last but not least, the ARC will fit our boat with a YB satellite tracker, so you can watch our progress from home! We'll post more info when the time comes!
Soooo... 200 boats all leaving at the same time heading for the same destination. This sounds like a race. (wink) Let's be honest... it IS a race... even if *they* don't know it (or who they're racing against). Heh. Can't wait to hear the results, er, how it goes. 😄
Love the updates Mara and crew! Always funny and insightful. Can't wait to see your next adventure. You both have got to have 200+ dives under your belts by the end of this thing, another reason I'm so jealous