Dream Trip if you left Right Now

[Captain Smollett]

Okay, you've got a cruising kitty saved for $1000 per month for 1 year, your boat is ready to go (however YOU define that) and all the i's have been dotted and t's have been crossed.

So, where you headed to?

I'll start:
My dream trip right now is a transatlantic crossing, slow circumnavigation of Ireland (spending weeks to months in a few towns, such as Galway and Bantry) and maybe leave the boat there and fly back to finish later.  That eliminates the return crossing cutting into 'visit time.'

One of my goals is to visit the Faroe Islands, and not just for a 'flyby.'

[skylark]

Lake Michigan for the summer, down the Illinois/Miss./Ohio/TennTom in late summer, Florida and the Bahamas for the winter, up the east coast ICW in late spring to Maine or north of there. 

[CharlieJ]

A repeat of what I did 2009-2011.

Around the GOM, through the Keys, over to the Bahamas, then up to the Chesapeake.

Only staying longer each place, particularly SW Florida , Keys, and Bahamas

Hopefully not singlehand, but----

[Tim]

Up the Inside Passage to SE Alaska, spread out over about 4 years.

[Captain Smollett]

Up the Inside Passage to SE Alaska, spread out over about 4 years.

Ooo, that would be awesome.

My wife has asked me about sailing to/in Alaska, and I must confess a fair amount of ignorance.  About the only thing I know about sailing in that area is that bottoms can be VERY deep, so anchoring can be trickier than we are used to here.

Another 'dream trip' for me would be coast hopping down the south west coast of Chile.  There are some very interesting (and largely isolated) people in small communities there, as well as some fascinating dying languages.  I'm no linguist, but just the idea of people living in that region interests me.

I've never looked at planning the logistics of this kind of trip quite like the detail I've looked at the Ireland trip mentioned above.

[Godot]

I've dreamed about all sorts of places. South America. South Pacific. Mediterranean. Alaska. Asia. New Zealand. But...

1) $12,000 budget.

2) Boat is ready to go. Comment: The boat is pretty sea worthy now (the plumbing system is apart; but I could repair on the way or just deal with jerry jugs for water). A major voyage would require new standing rigging, I think (mostly because I don't know when/if it was last replaced) and maybe new sails. I would desire a windvane for an ocean crossing; but could make do with a tillerpilot or two, and some sheet to tiller steering. More solar panels would be nice (on hand, just need to install). So...for the exercise, whatever is required is done.

3) Departure from the Baltimore area of the Chesapeake.

4) Leaving RIGHT NOW, as in April 1st, 2014

First, given the criteria above, a major ocean crossing is probably not a good idea for me. The weather is still a bit wintry, and after weeks offshore there is a pretty decent chance of some expensive repairs that would eat into the twelve grand too quick and damage the fun. So, I'll stay more or less coastal. The weather is currently pretty pleasant here in the Chesapeake (FINALLY!!), so I'd probably fart around the bay for a month or so of Spring sailing before heading North for the warm months. To Maine, for certain. Maybe to Canada (don't know where, exactly...never really researched the cruising potential).

When the weather turns it would be time to head south. If timing and weather look OK, perhaps I would get some offshore experience sailing from New York to Bermuda, thence to the Bahamas. A November crossing is a little dicey due to the need to shoe horn it in between the most active part of hurricane season and the beginning of the winter storm season so may not be the best choice. But worth considering. Otherwise I guess it would be a meander back down the coast, through the Chesapeake, down the ICW until Beaufort or thereabouts, and then finally doing the voyage originally planned in the Scoot (<<sniff>> I'm still disappointed it didn't work out as I had envisioned). Then it is all about how long I can stretch a dollar. I'd probably be returning home, broke, next summer.

[Tim]

Another 'dream trip' for me would be coast hopping down the south west coast of Chile.  There are some very interesting (and largely isolated) people in small communities there, as well as some fascinating dying languages.  I'm no linguist, but just the idea of people living in that region interests me.

That is one I would love also. I have read a few accounts of sailing down there and it sounds incredible. It would take both experience and a worthy, self sufficient boat.

[DarrenC]

Summer playing in Lake  Ontario,  Trent Severn waterway, Georgian Bay and the North Channel

Across Lake Michigan to Chicago in September

Motor south on the river system through the Fall

Decide if I've got the guts for a gulf crossing or if I'm going to hug the coast down into Florida

Lazy winter in Florida with possibility of a crossing to the Bahamas if Im up to it.

ICW North in the Spring, Hudson River and Erie Canal back to Canada in time for Summer again.

Obviously this is the condensed version.  There's a hundred and one options for side trips and stopovers along the way.

[Travelnik]

If I left right now, I'd probably want to trailer to the US east coast, then work my way north as the weather warmed.

Cruise the New England/Canada area until the colors started to change, and then follow the colors south through the Atlantic ICW. Winter in the Keys, and then, if there was any money left, head back north again.

Now the real plan is to head out later in the year, trailer to Sherevport, put her in at the Red River, and go down to the Mississippi and to New Orleans. Then take the Gulf ICW to Florida, find somewhere in Tampa Bay to put in, and visit my wife's siblings for a while, maybe through the Holidays. Then explore the Keys after the New Year, maybe the Bahamas, and work our way up the Atlantic ICW to New England as the weather warmed. Head south again when the colors change, and do it again until I've explored the entire east coast, or get bored with it!  ;)

Our daughter still lives at home, otherwise I'd already be getting the house ready to rent out to pay for the "extended vacation."

[Jim_ME]

My ultimate Dream Trip voyage would also start with cruising around the UK, through France, exploring all the canals, to the Mediterranean. Western Spain, coasts of France, Italy, Croatia, Greece, maybe a bit of Coastal Turkey.

As I said in an earlier thread, I'm not sure that a trans-Atlantic is that critical, and with that assumption, the boat that I would need could be fairly small...22 to 25 feet, assuming that it is for myself solo, or possibly with one other. I was interested to see how comfortable a small family was on a Hurley 18 cruising in Sweden, and a blog about a fellow and his girlfriend cruising from England to France and through the canals to the Med on an Alacrity 19. This would make purchasing and maintaining the boat relatively affordable compared to one the size that I would want to cross the pond aboard.

As a practical matter, I will be content to get back to doing some cruising locally. The Maine Coast in many respects is as good as it gets. From there to go East around the Bay of Fundy, Nova Scotia (Cape Breton Island), possibly to the Madeleine Islands, South coast of Newfoundland, and the St Pierre & Miquelon Islands (France).

Southward, it's Chesapeake Bay, the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida. Again thinking that maybe it will be next winter that I will spend part or most or all of down South...Florida, Bahamas...

Dreaming is good...a source of inspiration. The trouble for me is realizing the gap...the gulf...between that dream and where I now am. So that is the project ahead, to close that gap, and to be part of a group that encourages and inspires each other to,as well. Craig is doing it. Charlie has done it and will again soon. Others here and elsewhere, so why not the rest of us, too?

[Captain Smollett]

Eastern Med is on our list, too...as requested by my wife and daughter.  Both really want to see Greece, Turkey and Egypt.

I thought for a while about trying to do both Ireland and Med trips in one big circle. But that's not a one-year endeavor, as I subscribe to the Pardey philosophy of spending "immersion" time in at least select destinations.

In the South Pacific, my thoughts lean toward the Cook Islands, Pitcairn (for historical reasons) and Rapa Nui rather than the 'typical' South Pac destinations.  This could lead in turn to the Southwestern coast of Chile as mentioned above.

So much to see and do...so many places.  Dreamin' ...

[CharlieJ]

Rapa Nui (Easter Island) has always been the ONE place in the Pacific I've been fascinated with. Since I was a teenager.

Reading Hyerdahl's AkuAku just re-inforced that.

Other than that island, I've really no interest any more. Did when I was 40, not now.

But I'd still LOVE to visit Rapa Nui

[Tim]

Rapa Nui (Easter Island) has always been the ONE place in the Pacific I've been fascinated with. Since I was a teenager.

Reading Hyerdahl's AkuAku just re-inforced that.

Other than that island, I've really no interest any more. Did when I was 40, not now.

But I'd still LOVE to visit Rapa Nui

Yep, I use to have a screensaver background of an anchorage at RapuNui, would stare at it and dream of being there.

[CapnK]

SoPac, and I'm eating rice and beans so that my $12K last at least three years, because by then I'll have figured out how not to come back at all... :)

On Edit: I just realized that what with being gone for 3 years, that is 3 years worth of my rum not being drunk all up by CJ, Frank, Craig, etc... whenever they pass through.

Which means that I will be able to add at least another 2K to my budget... ;D

[jotruk]

I would like to make the Chilian in land passage again. I got to do it when I was in the Navy and it was fantastic. I also went around the tip of S. America and yes it was real rough.

[Kettlewell]

That's a tough question--too many places I want to go. Right at the moment, after a looooooonnnnnnnngggggggg winter in the Northeast, I'm dreaming of a long downwind passage from the Panama Canal to the Marquesas, then island hopping across the Pacific until the money runs out, finding a job in some odd place like Samoa, Guam, New Zealand, or Australia, and then saving up for taking off again. But, if I have to start today, April 4, I'm doing something much more mundane. Putter around Narragansett Bay and Buzzards until June 1 or so, head north to Maine slowly for July 4 in maybe Rockland, head up to the Bras D'Or Lakes for August, then maybe start working my way south to be in Annapolis for the October boat show, and Thanksgiving in St. Mary's Georgia, then Christmas in the Keys, cross to the Bahamas for January-April, then offshore from the Abacos to maybe Savannah, up the ICW to NOrfolk by June, then back to southern New England for the summer. A classic snowbird trip. I've done it a bunch of times, and it never gets old. We are very blessed here on the East Coast to have wonderful cruising grounds everywhere from Maine to Florida, and then nearby places to visit that are as good as they get, like the Bahamas, Bermuda, and the Caribbean islands.

[Travelnik]

Grog to ya Kettlewell, you picked the same East Coast cruise that I did!   ;D

I've never been any farther east than Hershey, PA, but I've always wanted to cruise the Atlantic coast.

[Kettlewell]

As I wrote, the East Coast is such a fantastic cruising area that it is hard to leave. I am the type of person that enjoys puttering along down the coast, visiting new harbors I haven't been in before, meeting the local people, eating the local food,  traveling with the seasons so you are in the right place for the best weather at any time of the year, etc. My wife always kids me because I always pick up the local newspapers along the way to find out what is going on so I can argue with the locals in the diner about local politics. While I kid her because she almost instantly steps ashore and becomes part of the local community. The East Coast is perfect for that type of gunkholing trip, and then we've got amazing places like the Bahamas just one overnight away, or Bermuda less than a week away.

[Bubba the Pirate]

I don't know if I'll have the $12,000 or not, but here's the rough real life plan already implemented:

I'm bringing the boat over from Milwaukee to Muskegon, Mi this June.
Some day sailing when I'm home [out of the truck] this summer, rides for friends and family.

Drive a truck one more Winter.

Quit truckdriving about Memorial Day 2015.

After some shakedown cruises in Lake Michigan, I will begin the wander sometime before July 15.

Between July and October, up and over Michigan, past Toledo and Cleveland to Buffalo, out the Erie Canal and down the Hudson, ICW to "somewhere between Charleston and Jacksonville."

Work for a bit again. CDL should still be valid, so I might drive a truck at/around the Port of Savannah [lots of demand for drivers]. Depending on the timing, I might wander north again for a while in Summer of 2016 to avoid hurricane season.

Maybe work a little again.

Then Caribbean and Central America for as long as fish and bananas, beans and rice will hold out.

I'd like to cross the Atlantic - Ireland and UK for sure, maybe Sweden as targets [all parts of my mixed mutt heritage].

However, if I can sail a lot in Carribean and Central America while coming back to US occasionally to work some, I might never move on from there.

[Chris]

So many choices...
Gods willing, first big trip Tonga via Hawaii. I am a big Webb Chile's fan though and my favorite story of his, OPEN BOAT was my inspiration for downsizing so it would also be fun to chase his route, taking on my own little search for the ghost of Bligh.