surgery

Hi everyone,
Haven't had a chance to post on the blog as preparations have been slowed while I recover from surgery I had on Nov 11 (Phil's 66th birthday) to remove a tumor on my left ovary a little bigger than the size of a lemon. I was lucky enough that the surgeon was able to use robotics thru slits instead of having a vertical incision down from my bellybutton. Glad to find out that it was non-cancerous - so now I'm recovering and can move on with my life without those worries anyway. I've been hurting more than I expected, as the work inside was more extensive than they originally thought and making a slower recovery, but moving along. I very much appreciate all the support that I have received from my sailing friends and also those at work.

While I have been recuperating, I have been reading this book called "The Gentleman's Guide to Passages South - The Thornless Path to Windward" by Bruce Van Sant. It's given me some good information and will be useful being able to go upwind through the carribean islands the easier and safer way if you follow his rules. The book has started discussions between Phil and I and we are now starting to finalize some of our plans for where we are going for the year. At this time, we want to end up at Conception Island about 80 nm from Georgetown in the Exumas. Also reading "An Embarrasment of Mangos" was good (got it at the Annapolis Boat Show)- I feel like I have more sailing skills at the start of our adventure than the woman did when she and her husband from Toronto started their 2 years cruise through the Caribbean. Makes me feel more confident that I can do this. Also puts a different perspective on living life the cruising way.

So far our tentative plans are leave late August 2009 to get down to Florida by the end of November so that we can cross over to the Bahamas early December 2009. This will entail asking a friend or two to crew with us and sailing straight down the coast of the Atlantic Ocean to Florida from ? port north maybe to Key Biscayne instead of taking the slower ICW. I'm not afraid to be on the boat sailing at night and with enough crew we'll be safe enough with watches taking the right weather window. We also don't want to get caught in the cold especially if winter comes early. I think that we'll take the ICW on our way back in the spring so that I'll have more locations to take a bus or some other means to get back home in early May to help my daughter Katie move out of her dorm at the end of her sophmore year in college. Then Phil will see if another friend can crew with him to get Changes back to Grand River Yacht Club while I set up the home front.

Have a great day! Lorraine