Bon Voyage, Gypsies

The Gypsies held their Bon Voyage party yesterday at Portsmouth NH. These are the folks who also have a 49 DeFever Pilothouse. You can see it in the background directly across the pier from ours in this picture on the right. Our dinghy and kayak are bigger too.

We met them when they landed on dock B in late May on their way home to Kennebunkport and had dinner with them at their home in late June. The two couples, Doug and Tammy and John and Colleen, are now on their way to the Bahamas and Caribbean to cruise for three years. We’ll cross paths with them and plan to link up periodically along the way.

The party was great! They’re all happy to be underway after more than a year of preparation. Also, the reality of leaving is starting to set in with mixed emotions for everyone except for Doug who is just happy as a clam. Doug is so ebullient that even the coolant leak they had on the first day of their voyage (from Kennebunkport to Portsmouth) was an adventure to him. He very wisely observed that ‘attitude’ is the difference between an ordeal and an adventure. So true and yet… picture coolant spraying ALL OVER the engine room… on the FIRST DAY of the voyage… we’d have to indulge in some serious positive attitude enhancer to make that anything but an ordeal!

The start of their voyage made us think about our three months of this new life. Vicki says the first month everything was new and difficult and a combination of highs and lows… the second month it wasn’t as new and exciting, but still difficult and was a low period (she even stopped blogging for a couple weeks)… the third month things settled in to a good place – routines and experience made things easier and Vicki discovered how much she enjoys the adventure that every day brings – there’s something new around every corner and it’s quite exciting. For those of you interested in a meltdown update – there haven’t been any for a long time. It feels like the initial hurdle of adjustment to the new life has been completed. Norm says the last month has been the best for him--wonder why!

We’re on our way today to Scituate MA , then on through the Cape Cod Canal on Tuesday. Planning to spend a week or so in the Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket area. We’ve never been there, so if any of you have suggestions on what to do, let us know.