Ready for the I-65 offshore-route to the BVI

We are getting ready for the I-65 offshore route to the British Virgin Islands. Despite some last-minute challenges, our to-do list is finally checked off and our boat is provisioned and ready for the open sea. As we bid farewell to the beautiful Bahamas with its crystal-clear waters and friendly locals, we are full of anticipation and excitement for the journey ahead. So, join us in toasting the adventure as we head for the horizon, ready to embrace the unknown on the I-65 fairway. On a good trip, dear readers!

It’s been quite a hectic week for us as we prepare for our big trip. Just when we thought we had everything under control, the wind decided to give us a curveball. So, we don’t leave on Monday, but on Saturday. But hey, that’s the fun of sailing, right? Last week the preparations were in full swing and our to-do list was ticked off one by one. Our groceries are stored, our water and diesel tanks are full and I have cooked and frozen enough meals in advance. We’re all set to brave any rough weather.

But then, to add to our mounting stress, some crucial items were added to our overwhelming to-do list. The boat insurance, which we had hoped would be a simple renewal, turned into a nightmare of negotiations that seemed to go on forever. Having Jeroen’s credit card hacked was just the icing on the cake of our stress sundae. The timing couldn’t have been worse! With these additional challenges, our fuse on board was getting shorter by the minute. We found ourselves in a frenetic flurry of activity, juggling phone calls with the bank, sorting out the credit card mess, and even resorting to phone calls instead of emails with our boat insurance people to get things moving. The pressure mounted and every moment felt like a race against time and the sense of urgency was overwhelming. We tried to navigate the chaos and find some semblance of order in the midst of the turmoil. Very slowly we get a grip on the situations and everything seems to be solved and our to-do list slowly started to shrink again, and in the midst of the chaos we noticed more laughter and jokes around us again. After all, what’s an adventure without a bit of drama, right? Family and friends have been notified of our imminent departure, and last-minute messages will probably arrive tomorrow morning. Because tomorrow, Saturday April 15, we lift our anchor! As a result, no new blogs will appear for the next three weeks, because we have no internet at sea. Oh, Starlink, where are you when we need you? We are all ready for our adventure on the I-65 offshore route to the British Virgin Islands, and the anticipation and excitement are palpable. This will be our longest crossing 8-12 days and furthest from the coast. Our Iridium Go is one of the most important tools in our arsenal. Not only does it allow us to download weather forecasts via a satellite connection, but it also allows us to send short “old-fashioned” text messages to let our loved ones know that we are safe and well and that the sailing trip is going well (fingers crossed!). We’ve even linked our Iridium Go to our noforeignland account, so anyone who wants to follow our adventure online can do so at https://www.noforeignland.com/boat/mymotu

We say goodbye to the beautiful Bahamas today, and oh, what a fun time we had here! The water was so clear and the shades of blue and green were simply mesmerizing. The underwater world encounters in which we were greeted by a stunning array of tropical fish, eagle rays, stingrays, manatees, dolphins, turtles and sharks! We have only seen such a small piece and could easily sail around here for another six months and then we will not have discovered everything. Besides the underwater world is the best part? The locals! They were incredibly friendly and welcoming and the sense of security was second to none. We didn’t have to worry about tying up our dinghy or worrying about anything being stolen. In fact, if we lost something, it would magically find its way back to us. The Bahamas offered us beautiful landscapes and pristine beaches that came straight from a postcard. We soaked up the sun on powdery white sand, swam in turquoise waters, and watched mesmerizing sunsets that colored the sky in shades of orange, red, pink, and purple. We say goodbye to The Bahamas with hearts full of gratitude and memories that will last a lifetime. The Bahamas has stolen a piece of our hearts and we know we’ll be back for more adventures in this tropical wonderland. Goodbye, Bahamas – until we meet again!

We toast to calm seas, good winds, clear skies and a memorable journey ahead of us. Who knows what surprises the wind has in store for us, but we are ready. On a good trip, dear people!