Back in the USA

Well it has been quite the ride since we left the country on Jan 5th.  We flew to Panama City and took a taxi to Colon Shelter Bay Marina.  For the first 2 weeks we just worked on the boat getting it ready to cruise.  Then we went to the San Blas Islands and we stayed there going from island to island for 28 days.  After that we went back to Shelter Bay Marina for boat repairs.  The boat had a lot of electrical problems: batteries, charger, alternator etc. possibly due to being hit by lightening in the past.  Anyway, while waiting to figure out what was wrong with the boat, we decided to go on an adventure to Panama City and then the rainforest.  We had a great time, but while we were gone our boat Captain David decided our crewing was not working out, so we left the boat.  Truthfully it was not working out, he was extremely controlling and demanding and that made everything a chore, so we were actually relieved to get off the boat and be away from him.  It was slightly unexpected especially since he had just given the speech a week ago about how we were working together well.  I believe that the stress of the boat repairs and the cost was pushing him over the edge and then of course we were asking him a lot of questions as to what was wrong with the boat and he did not have answers.  He also started to give us a hard time about bringing our family on board.  He had told us that we could bring family for several weeks and then he decided he did not want people because they would cause him more stress.  I told him that I was not happy about the situation and if he could not give us 2 weeks out of the 5 months to do what we wanted then this was not going to work.  So I guess he could not do that, so we were off the boat.  Anyway enough ranting about it, the past is the past and the future is our to make, or I should say God's to make for us.  Well as usual God's plans are better then ours.  He has given us a chance to buy our own boat and go cruising.  We found a boat called Sail La Vie and we are now in Florida going to see her. Tomorrow we will meet the boat and possibly change our future for even better than we planned. We are nervous but excited at the same time. I guess we shall see how it all works out.  If we decide to buy the boat then we will move on to it for the next couple of months, have the girls come down and spend time with us and then back to California for the

season.  Next year Jan-May we will go back to the boat for the next season cruising Florida and the Keys.  2nd year cruising plans will be to go to the Bahamas and the 3rd year to the Caribbean. Sail La Vie (C'est la vie). God willing!