Barefeet Party – Meeting Antares Circum-navigators

In 2008 while we were still living in London I started surfing the web for sailboat articles.  This was when I started reading sailing blogs. I can not remember when I first ran across the blog for Barefeet, but once I saw the blog I was hooked.   I was excited because their background seemed similar to mine and Gail’s.   Chris also worked in finance and neither  Chris nor Erin were life-long sailboat mechanics.  The final clue was the Backroads T-shirt he was wearing. We loved everyone of our 5 Backroads trips.

Have I mentioned that one of my larger concerns is “can I fix this floating city?”   I do not know what a stuffing box is or how to adjust engine mounts.  So here were two people of similar backgrounds and lack of mechanical experience, who got on a boat and were sailing the world. Maybe we can do this. I finally got Gail hooked on the web site too – I think their early experience swimming with pigs in the Caribbean is what did it. We read every post and thought about what it would be like if we were in their place.

They happened to have sailed on a 44 foot Antares so once we decided on the same boat, we became even more engaged in the blog. When their sailing adventure was over and they had returned to New England, the Antares team organized a welcome home party on Barefeet and, since we were future owners, we were invited.

It was really great to hear their story.  They started off as novices and made it around the world with great adventures along the way. It was evident that their happy demeanors got them half way there.

Of course we had lots of questions. Some of the advice Chris gave me was: Get a longer rode with more anchor chain, add the ability to move fuel between tanks, get a bigger watermaker, and, if you are going to the Med, make sure you can lower the anchor from the helm.  The couple gave a great lecture on their years aboard and it’s on You Tube!

If you do not get excited by watching these videos you lack the cruising bug.   Every time I re-watch them, I get more antsy to start our own adventure.