In this post, a bit differently to our usual posts about what we’ve been doing, we would like to share some of our thoughts with you … we needed to take decisions!
After almost a year of sailing, we have about 5 months of travel left according to our initial plan. For technical and professional reasons, we are not as far as we expected. However, we want to sail to the Cape Verde Islands, Senegal, Gambia and Guinea-Bissau and finally cross the Atlantic. In order to be able to enjoy these places, the timing is very (too!) tight for crossing the Atlantic before June, which is the beginning of the hurricane season.
So we had to:
– decide whether or not we would continue the trip after August (school with the boys is really not easy and sometimes weighs heavily on the atmosphere)
– if yes, decide on the philosophy with which we would continue,
– re-setting the rules with the boys…
We are lucky to be able to choose, I guess. But decisions are not so easy to make.
We all agree that time can be friend or foe: if you don’t have enough (or if you think you don’t have enough), the pressure builds up inside of you. You don’t give yourself time to do the things you would like to do when you have the opportunity in a given place. Only if you tell yourself that there is time, can you start to benefit from it. We are still learning how to ‘walk’, but we think we know how we should do it. Au rhythme du temps… in the rhythm of time… (and sometimes of the weather)…
The pros
Since we no longer have technical deadlines, we are finally starting to enjoy this nomadic life, where, if something is not done one day, it can be done the next. Isn’t that just too good?
Of course, we love sailing and when the winds are right (and the waves are not too high!), we love it. There are slight differences when it gets too strong for me and Jean-Luc is still having a great time! But we can live with that. And also with the fact that Oliver doesn’t find 3 knots fast enough (instead of 5-6) and would like to speed up with the engine and we adults are totally fine with sailing at 2 knots (if the waves are reasonable), because we can actually relax 😊.
And then there is almost nothing better for all of us than to be at anchor in a isolated and protected bay, even if entering a harbour is often very attractive (nice restaurants, exchanges with other sailors, being sheltered). We love to explore the places, the beaches and the nature, the bays and the marine life, to taste the local food, to feel the atmospheres, to admire the beautiful landscapes, so special and so different each time… I think you have noticed it in all our articles!
So why is the decision difficult to make?
The cons
For us, one of the main factors of disturbance is that school with the boys is not working as well as we hoped. They are clearly not as cooperative as one would think boys their age should be, knowing that they have this amazing opportunity (and they agree on that), but despite this, they are not willing to play the game. Not even a couple of hours a day without endless discussions! Do you have a magical solution for us?
And you and your siblings, whenever there was something to do or help, did you argued about whether it should be done, or that the other one did less? Or that there is an extra crumb on the other one’s plate?
I don’t really remember that being that age… Mum, please don’t tell me we always did this! Well, I suppose it wouldn’t be any different at home, but on the boat it’s more part of the deal to help with the daily chores and be even more tolerant towards each other. Normally our boys are used to helping at home, so this is all a bit surprising. Maybe being in such a small space all day makes it more difficult…?
Decision made!
But now the decision is made: after this summer we plan to continue sailing. That’s why we are still in the Canaries and why my nephew Neil will be spending almost 2 weeks with us on the boat. As we don’t want to face the rainy season in West Africa, we will sail there afterwards, meaning in October. In the meantime, we have time to visit the Canary Islands for a little longer and then we’ll sail along the Moroccan coast towards Cape Verde. We will have time to see the northern islands before returning to Switzerland for a few weeks in summer.
As far as school is concerned: we will of course continue to do school on board as well as we can. The boys have signed a new agreement on how the school should be run. … In addition, we hope to find some outside help from a volunteer teacher, especially to guide Oliver in physics and maths.
As for us as a family, we will be able to enjoy more opportunities, like in the south of Tenerife where we went diving and the boys made their Open Water Diver certificate. We are no longer stressed to jump from island to island as fast as possible, but we will be able to LIVE the different places, sometimes even settling for a few days.
Whatever, we’ll keep you posted !
Let’s hope the boys will keep to their side of the deal! Oliver is certainly old enough.
When you were children there wasn’t actually much discussion about fair shares but it’s a very common thing with siblings anyway!
What a decision to carry on, live your dream! And give the boys an education they wouldnt get at school … they’ll realise later how lucky they are.
xxxx