My In-Laws Rock! Our Bahamian Crew.

Wayne’s Dad, happy to get behind the wheel.
His shirt says it all.    

My husband says “Some sailors sail because they love to sail.  Others, because sailing is an affordable way to travel.”

Truth be told, we are among the latter.  We love to travel, and we’re cheap, or frugal, to put it more diplomatically.

Phil, Wayne’s Dad, loves to sail.  He bit Wayne with the cruising bug years ago, when they spent 6 months together in sailing in Mexico.  All told, Phil spent 7 years sailing Mexico, much of it with his wife, Gunnel.

Seems fitting our first visitors – do I call them guests? Definitely more like crew as well as family – were Phil and Gunnel. They graciously joined us in Nassau, flying to meet us there when we were unable to make our initial meeting point in the Grand Bahamas.  We were in Nassau getting our two primary sails repaired (more on that in a future post). 

Wayne & his Dad figuring out how to fly a new sail.

Even when it was pissing down rain, which happened several times with Phil and Gunnel aboard, you couldn’t wipe the smile of Phil’s face.  There he was, in the cockpit, skillfully treading that fine line between his unabashed love of sailing, sailing experience and a keen desire to respect his son, the captain.  He did well.  We picked up some new sail trim tricks from Phil, too.

Gunnel knows her way around a boat, too. She and Phil met at a sailing club.  A former travel industry employee, Gunnel’s always up for exploring new places, and awesome at finding ways to enjoy herself, no matter what.

Phil & Gunnel going native, enjoying conch salad and

Kalik beer in Nassau.

We look forward to sharing our humble abode with Wayne’s folks again next year. We hope for, though can’t guarantee better weather, but do expect our boat to better equipped, more comfortable and in a place where we can spend more time ashore and less time doing all day and overnight passages.   Still, seeing the shockingly shallow, clear water of the Bahamas (Nassau, Andros, Bimini, then into Ft. Lauderdale) isn’t a bad start.

Thanks, Phil & Gunnel!  We love you and you are welcome aboard anytime.

weet.  Phil and Gunnel enjoying a quiet, sunny moment sailing.