Planned Route - any comments

[Cheeky Girl]

We are planning to be away for 2 years.

Leaving UK in May heading for the Med then across to the Caribbean in November then either cruise up the East Coast of the USA then back, or through the Panama Canal and carry on round.

My question is if we decide to stay in the Med for only 3-6 months are we actually going to see much or are we better staying for the 18 months? If this is the case where/what do most people go and do for the Winter. We will have 2 kids (5 & 7) with us.


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[Sunnyseeker]

Our experience suggested its just better not to plan too much, you might love the spanish Portugues coast (we did) and not get to the med!
Its easy and nice to find somewhere you like and stay in the area getting to know all the nice little bits for 1-2 months, even the canaries offer some lovely places that era worth spending time exploring, Graciosa for one.
Talk to locals and cruisers and discover some new places. We spent a long time in Spain and canaries and didn't leave for Trinidad until mid Jan, its possible there's more wind then which makes the crossing nicer, and you catch more tuna as you're going faster!
But right now I'm in my office saving for the next trip/boat from other people we met if you have too much of a planned schedule, you might feel pressured to head off when your in a lovely place with plenty to explore.
On the way back make sure you leave yourself plenty of time to explore the Azores, best place of the whole trip!

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[snowleopard]

assume you will spend twice as long as originally planned. we did the atlantic circuit in a year and that was too quick to do the states as well.

if you commit to covering lots of miles you may feel hounded by time pressure

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[RPC]

Have you had a look at the Blue Water Cruisers website (see link below), it provides a wealth of information for cruisers and hopefully you will find it useful on your world cruising.

We took 10 years to sail around the world, when we left the UK we had planned for only 3 years! Most cruising boats seem to slow down once they have got away.

Have fun and look at our website, I hope it helps whilst you are both planning on leaving and also whilst you are cruising

<hr width=100% size=1>Have you visited the Blue Water Cruising Site <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.onpassage.com>http://www.onpassage.com</A> ?

 

[mainshiptom]

Funny that we want freedom but when we get it we want to plan !

We always plan a return date ! The rest is done by votes ! I normally lose and we get into inland water ways. last time got to Holland via Brugge that was not in the plan? Never planned to get into belgium inland water ways did not even check my boat suitabilty but when the sea was riugh well , we had no chice and loved every minute.


Tom



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[pragmatist]

I am the ultimate planner - but no, we don't all plan. Admittedly we're currently constrained by the business but other than a long-standing argument which is "Are we going north or south ?" we don't have plans !!! The north / south divide has been firmly in favour of going north on the grounds that HWMBO is more forceful than moi/a bully (choose appropriate answer) but this winter he came round to going south. Having sweltered in overcrowded hot Dartmouth I have decided we'll head for north. Oh dear but then there comes the question of midges ...

IMHO planning is for winter evenings and going off is "which way is the wind blowing ?"

<hr width=100% size=1>a pragmatist is an optimist with a boat in the UK