Yesterday marked one year living aboard our floating home SV Cirrus. Let’s just say it has been a dynamic first year with a lot of challenges contrasted with some amazing experiences as a family. Sailing into the sunset, dolphins surfing off our bow, watching the stars come out while at sea. Seeing volcanic islands appear out of nowhere on the horizon and hiking though their pristine jungles to remote waterfalls. Spending time with the kids wildlife spotting for monkeys, iguanas, and bird colonies. Exploring volcanic landscapes and relaxing in hot springs. Swimming and diving over the reef with turtles and schools of fish while just enjoying the sea and each other as we watch the kids grow up. Endless hours at the beach meeting families from all over the world with vastly different backgrounds but ultimately a shared experience.
The flip side has been the challenges of raising a baby girl and two boys including doing home school in a confined space. Coming up to speed as landlubbers with the realities of sailing, navigation, weather routing, and all the boat systems. Constantly working on the seemingly infinite list of boat maintenance jobs. Endless time spent provisioning and looking for parts. Fitting in the time to work remotely. Dragging anchor in a midnight squall and frequently having other boats drag around you. The combined sleep deprivation combination of anchor alarms and an infant. Sailing in front of squall lines watching tornadic waterspouts form behind you. Watching tropical waves coming across from Africa in a record breaking season and wondering if they will form into hurricanes. Having NOAA issue a hurricane warning with a track map right over us that had us scrambling to prepare and thankfully fizzled. Rolly anchorages. Dealing with extended pandemic induced lockdowns, quarantines, and general 2020 border chaos. I must say that I think it was only the fact that the French deemed that patisseries were essential services that kept us going through the 91 days of lockdown on the boat. The mental angst of that period when all borders were closed to Australian flagged boats and we were in lockdown in the centre of the hurricane belt, 18,000 km from home, is not something we will forget for a long time. It has been a sublimely beautiful yet at times crushingly difficult year. Certainly the hardest thing we have done as a family. Wonder what the next year will bring!
I took this sunset shot of us at anchor in Saint Kitts. The sister island of Nevis can be seen rising out of the sea on the horizon. We snorkelled into the beach there and saw some wild monkeys scampering about in the sand dunes. It’s experiences like that which keep you out there exploring, despite the challenges. Full panoramic version below for those with big screens.
The hive price is being smashed but it is irrelevant for those of us that are here for the long haul. Web 2 is fundamentally broken; the wave will crash onto the Web 3 beach eventually.
If you would like to learn a little bit more about my background in photography you can read the interview @photofeed did with me here.
Robert Downie
Love Life, Love Photography
All images in this post were taken by and remain the Copyright of Robert Downie - http://www.robertdowniephotography.com
The island is so beautiful with green rush of trees. This is truly heaven on earth. Thanks for sharing.
!tan - Please help me tip @intrepidphotos :-)
Congratulations, @andyjim You Successfully Trended The Post Shared By @intrepidphotos.
You Utilized 3/3 Daily Summon Bot Calls.
TAN Current Market Price : 0.202 HIVE
Thanks Andy. Are you based in Thailand?
@intrepidphotos - Yes, now I based in Thailand since the early of pandemic.
Great and interesting recap... my week on a sailboat was fun and interesting but a whole year would certainly be overwhelming for me... and I just completed 7 years living in the airstream
Thanks mate; 7 years in the airstream is epic.
You're certainly had an adventure over the last year, and an adventure-filled life in general I'd say!
Faith and I have begun to plan out our year off now, I'm not sure when it will happen, but we plan to take off around Australia. There's a lot to work out I suppose, mainly around not earning for a year, paying for the year and what will happen when (if) we return. :) The planning part is enjoyable though.
P.s. My brother took off on a sail boat from Airlie Beach to cruise around the Whitsunday's yesterday. He's warming up to get his own boat (possibly) as an alternative to a house. Anyway, I hope y'all are well Robert.
Thanks. You have to constantly be on the lookout for adventure or you just get sucked back into the soft cushy world of the mundane and before you know it your time is up. Did you ever get a chance to read the ERE stuff? Very cool about your brother. We are well; although not a lot of time for social media lately. Hope you and Faith are well also.
I hear you loud and clear, it's so easy to get trapped into the grind, the mundane and everyday lives we're conditioned to believe is supplying the zest for life we all deserve. Clearly it's not...However, like the matrix movies, some feel some degree of contentment...Maybe through lack of imagination?
I have had a look at it and have made a few adjustments so hopefully we are on the right track. Only time will tell of course. My brother is on the same path too; He's just finishing up his week on the boat, I've not heard from him as they won't have phone service out there I guess, but might tonight. I'll get some pictures. We did a video chat on their first night, still in their berth, and he was pretty pleased with everything. The I'm sure the Whitsunday's delivered a little better than the berth did so am certain they would have loved it.
Glad to hear you're well, all good here, as good as can be.
Congratulations @intrepidphotos, You Earned 3.386 TAN & Curators Made 3.386 TAN.
Join CORE / VAULT Token Discord Channel or Trade TANGENT Token
TAN Current Market Price : 0.350 HIVE