Make yourself at home. Birds often hitch a ride with us
The Cream Puff Crew has hit a few milestones. 2024 marked 42 years that Mark and I have been sailing together. In a few months, we will have owned Cream Puff for 14 years. In just a few days it will be 10 years of living full-time on Cream Puff.
We tend to forget to celebrate the milestones and accomplishments we have made along the way. Our arrival into a new country or after crossing an ocean is unceremonious. There are no leis for our necks or steel drums playing for us. The voyages can have some great moments with marine life, beautiful sunsets, sunrises and the night sky filled with stars. However, it can also be demanding. In the Pacific, all of our voyages have been a week or more. We arrive tired and ready for a good night’s sleep. Mostly, it is nice to stop moving.
The officials who greet us have a full schedule working to insure arriving vessels of all sizes are in compliance. It is just a job and we are one of many. At the same time, I am busy doing my job to prove we have complied with all the regulations and paperwork. Mark is busy stowing equipment from the long voyage while waiting the few hours to move us away from the clearance dock.
Most of the boaters (cruisers) we meet are doing what we do to different extents. We have all visited the same countries and our experiences are similar. Since we left French Polynesia the greatest number of boaters we meet are citizens of New Zealand or Australia. They sail the season between May and November and go home for cyclone season to be with friends and family. There are fewer full-time live-aboards like us here.
There is a lot to do on arrival. If it is the end of a sailing season, the seasonal sailors are getting their boats situated for cyclone season. We have a list of maintenance items and projects to get started on the Puffster. It is the normal routine for us all. Somewhere during our busy first few days, I sign off on our logbook and close the chapter on our arrival into a new country.
On occasion, someone locally will surprise us by asking questions beyond the usual, “What country are you from?” and “How long are you going to be here?” Their curiosity about how we traveled to their country and why we chose this lifestyle reminds us what we do is not ordinary. While it has become normal to us, we forget it is not normal. It just feels that way since we are surrounded by the people of this lifestyle and businesses that work with a lot of boaters.
We have known a lot of people who wanted to cruise but for various reasons were never able to fulfill their dream. We have known countless cruisers who had their plans cut short and returned home permanently. And, sadly, we know cruisers who died while cruising or became too ill to continue. It is a strong reminder that makes us grateful to be out here. So maybe we should take a few rare moments to reflect on how far we have come. Not just in distance but the places we’ve visited and wonderful things we have done as well.
Landing on the beach. Cream Puff in the background. We are the only humans around. Bahamas. 2017
When I saw the 14 year anniversary of purchasing Cream Puff creeping up on the calendar I started thinking about how fast time has gone by. Mark started the blog a short time after we purchased Cream Puff. Mark does a great job posting the highlights on the blog but we do not post everything we do. I started going through my journals, emails, and personal photographs to reminisce. While joyously sharing pictures and notes of our adventures gone by, Mark kept telling me to make a list and put it on the blog. I am not much of a writer so it took some convincing. We thought it would be fun to put together a ‘by the numbers’ post to look back on in the future. I wondered how much to put in and what to leave out. Rather than repost many of our favorite photos, I decided to use photos that either have never been posted or are from older posts. In the end, this is what I came up with.
I hope you enjoy my musings. If not, rest assured Mark will be back at the blog helm with the next post. I will be back behind the camera. 🙂
Mark makes a friend. Middle right is a smaller lizard watching
Beating the Odds
Ten years ago when started this wacky adventure, as Mark calls it, the odds were against us. Every year hundreds of well-intentioned couples and families worldwide start their boating adventures. They become cruisers. When we started, the statistics showed 80-85% of cruisers quit within the first 2 years. For those who passed the first 2 years, the average longevity was a total of 5-6 years. The number of full-time salty souls who explore further and further from their home port dwindles significantly each year after year 7.
Waves in Bonaire
Countries
During the last few years of our work lives, we sailed western Florida and around the Florida Keys to get accustomed to our third boat, Cream Puff. Once we retired, we did a shakedown sailing season on Cream Puff; sailing from western Florida, up the east coast of the USA, and back down again.
Since leaving the USA we have visited 24 countries. We made return trips to 10 of those countries. Since we do clearance in and out of each country, I have done paperwork for 68 clearances. That has to be a forest worth of trees for paperwork. We often joke about clearance and paperwork but I like to think of it as the price of admission.
I spend a lot of time researching the rules and etiquette for the countries we visit. Sadly, officials often tell us stories of how growing numbers of cruisers do not do their due diligence or paperwork and do not follow the rules after they arrive. My philosophy is simple. It is their rules and their country. As visitors, we should honor the rules and comply. No one is forcing boaters to visit. If a cruiser does not like the rules of a country there are other countries to choose from to visit. It is that simple.
We are often asked which has been our favorite country so far. One or two might shine brighter than others but we enjoyed them all. There might be parts that we complain about but I can always find a silver lining. We always leave happy to have explored that country. We make an effort to get to know as many local people as we can to learn about their lives, culture, and history. While watching the Opening Ceremony for the Olympics in France it was thrilling to see each country we visited with their flag and contingents of athletes. Places like Aruba and Grenada with their 6 athletes each and St. Lucia with their 4 athletes. Or Fiji with 34 athletes. A part of my heart stays with the people we meet so it is natural for me to want to see them do well.
These athletes were heroes in their home countries. Their fellow citizens were glued to television and social media every step of the way. The athletes return home to joyous celebrations and parades. Not because they may or may not win a medal but because they went to the Olympic and they represented the best of their country. It is not just for the Olympics but any international forum where they compete. Bars and restaurants will open off hours to televise events for local citizens to gather and watch. The thunderous roars of crowds can be heard many blocks away as their team scores or athlete performs. We quickly get pulled into the hopes and celebrations. It was thrilling to have been in countries during these type athletic events and to see the pride shown. Fiji even created a seven dollar bill to commemorate their first gold medal in an Olympic event (2016). Now, that is pretty darn special.
Grenada Carnival
Money
I have leftover coins in 13 currencies. I am also the proud owner of leftover laundry tokens from 3 countries. One time I traded with a fellow cruiser laundry tokens for limes. I have also traded chocolate for tomatoes. I have probably received more mangos in trade than cash.
Right of Way
Then, there is crossing the street when on foot. The direction of traffic blasting toward us changes. Are we in a drive on the left side country or drive on the right country? Do they stop for pedestrians or get extra points for taking out two or more old people at one time? (reference to a USA joke). The past 2 years we went from right side to left side, back to right side then back to left side. Never has the childhood lesson of “Look both ways when crossing the street” been more important. This holds true for when we are driving as well.
Lunch with a new Friend
This seal staked out his spot on Cream Puff in Galapagos while we were still setting the anchor
Traversing
Here are a few fun facts. Well, they are fun to me. I’ll let you decide.
We sailed across the equator going from the northern hemisphere to southern hemisphere. We also crossed the antemeridian going from the eastern hemisphere to the western hemisphere.
The antemeridian is the 180-degree longitude line on the globe that divides the eastern and western hemispheres. Also known as the International Date Line. However, the international dateline has moved a bit. Some Pacific Island nations have moved the dateline in order to be on the same day for trading with other parts of the Asia-Pacific region. Which means technically, we sailed across the international dateline outside of Tonga and on the same journey crossed the international dateline at the 180-degree/antemeridian. Later we stood on the international dateline on land in Fiji. Speaking of dates and times, we crossed 10 time zones in 10 years.
It was totally unintentional but we crossed the tropics from north to south. The Tropic of Cancer in the Bahamas and the Tropic of Capricorn in Australia mark the northern and southern edges of the tropics respectively. This region is where the sun can appear directly overhead. The sun really does feel stronger and brighter.
We have spent 7½ of our 10 years visiting island countries. This includes the past 5 years where we have only been on islands. Depending on whom you ask, Australia is considered an island continent within Oceania so it counts. Do not get Mark started on the debate about Australia. 🙂 But, I think this is a fun stat.
Going through the Panama Canal we moved between North America and South America.
The International Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) is an area where the northeast and southeast trade winds converge. The area encircles the equator and varies seasonally. Cream Puff and crew negotiated the ITCZ multiple times with stories to tell.
Total number of miles sailed: 25,000 nautical miles (28,770 miles or 46,301km). All of this was done at lightning speeds of 6-8 knots per hour (6.9-9 miles per hour or 11-15 km per hour). This does not include the many miles we have driven, hiked, flown, bussed, or used other modes of transportation to explore.
We have only returned to our home country for a few short visits. These short visits add up to 4 months over 10 years. The boat itself has not been back to the USA since we returned for hurricane season in May 2017.
The veggie boat arrives. The vendors were teaching Cindy the names of the produce in Spanish on each visit.
Birds in Carriacou, Grenada
Lessons
Recently, we were asked to list the most important lessons we have learned. There are too many to list and the range is wide. From maintenance and safety to planning and forecasting. From provisioning and communication to dealing with official paperwork. Here is my short answer.
No matter how much experience we think we have, Mother Nature can still amaze and surprise us.
Weather forecasts and safety are as important as boat maintenance.
Allow time for things to go wrong. Even with the best planning things can happen unexpectedly. We have seen many cruisers get into trouble because they had a tight schedule.
I have noticed that the better the economy of a country the more the citizens complain about what they don’t have. Or they feel somehow things are inequitable. They also confided they want less immigration and less tourism. The less economically advantaged countries seem to have a better life balance and are more content. They enjoy meeting visitors and sharing their culture. We have been offered a place at their table far more often.
We have noticed there is a growing worldwide phenomenon concerning tourism. People living in popular tourist destinations are tired of being overwhelmed by tourists. It is changing the landscape of tourism.
A large number of soon-to-be cruisers have reached out to us over the years for advice. One of the tidbits we offer people is to not feel pressured to live the lifestyle in a way that others tell them to live it. There are as many ways to live the cruising lifestyle as there are cruisers. Find a groove that works and respect others for their choices as well.
Enjoying the view. Cartagena, Columbia
Language
We have learned the basics of 5 languages. Since we are not in a place long enough to be proficient I fall back on a mix of basic phrases with some miming when words fail. It has become such a habit to mix speaking and gestures that I do not notice I am doing it. At least not until I get a bemused look from an English-speaking person. I am sure they are thinking this old lady has lost her marbles. Most of the time people are kind and patient. They will patiently wait for us to bumble slowly through. Often we all laugh as they help us with our pronunciations. If not, a frantic search for someone who can speak some English with gesturing commences.
It is funny how long it takes me to stop greeting people in one language and change to another. We had been speaking Spanish for 2 years when we sailed to French Polynesia. It was hard to switch from our badly spoken Spanish to our even worse French on arrival. In New Zealand, I greeted people with ‘bula’ for a week (Fijian greeting). Just get me tired or nervous and I’ll probably put all 5 languages in one sentence.
Our lack of language skills and ability to laugh at ourselves because of it has been an ice breaker. It has produced meeting wonderfully kind people in the countries we visit. Many of whom have become good friends and continue to stay in contact with us.
Along the way, we picked up favorite adages and greetings. A couple of favorite greetings are: ‘hola’ for hello in Spanish and ‘nana’ for goodbye from French Polynesia. The phrase we like best for inquiring about someone’s day is Australian, “How you going?”
My personal favorite adage is from Aruba; ‘biba dushi’ which is Papiamento. Yep, one of the 5 languages. Biba dishi translates to ‘living the good life’. It is proudly displayed all over Aruba. It fits our way of life. No matter how difficult some days can be, we are still living the good life. Whenever I wear my Biba Dushi shirt, I catch people in the distance staring at the shirt. Out comes the cellphone and the typing begins. A quick look again at the shirt as they try to get the spelling correct. I see a slow recognition of the meaning and they give me a big grin and thumbs up. I love the effect it has on people.
Any day snorkeling is a good day. Picture taken from in the water while snorkeling. Even though it is windy and rainy on the surface, it is peaceful below.
The next day. Same general spot on the reef.
Our Third Crew Member
In the world of Cream Puff, there is only one person who knows where we are at all times. We could not do this cruising lifestyle without our land-based crew member, Mona.
Mona is organized, responsible, and takes her Cream Puff duties seriously. It is comforting to know someone is looking out for us with a plan in place for emergencies. Mona is not just our third crew but also our adopted family.
Bahamian Hutia. Mark granted permission to a research groups to use his picture of the Bahamian Hutia in their publications. The Hutia is rarely photographed in daylight. Mark’s photo was taken at dusk and shows many of the characteristics of the Hutia. The photo has been republished many times.
Taking Our Time
We often tour the usual tourist attractions but the best parts of the journey are the places we explore off the beaten path. Being able to explore reefs by our own dinghy has given us the opportunity to snorkel some of the most beautiful reefs in the world.
Traveling by boat has allowed us to take our time in the places we visit. We tend to use the boat both as a home base while exploring inland and as a boat to explore the coastal areas. We have been fortunate to be able to experience festivals, celebrations and holidays in a variety of countries that we would not normally have time to experience.
Snorkel Time!
Time to close
My fingers are tired of typing and it is time to snorkel
When we left our life on land to live on Cream Puff we said we would take it one year at a time. Otherwise, it seemed a bit overwhelming to untie and not look back. Each year has flown by quickly and each year we still look forward to what is over the horizon.
Whether we travel by boat or land, we hope to be able to continue traveling in our own slow way for many more years to come.
Pelican. Puerto Rico
Thank you for reading and following along. The next post will be back to Mark and our adventures in Australia.
