Leaving to go sailing is never easy but leaving and not knowing if and when the next time I'm going to come back is even harder. You don't know how many things are connecting you to a place until you decide to sever the connection.
I'm now about 800 miles into my roughly 3,000-mile journey cross country road trip on my way back to Prism in MD. I have crossed the country multiple times before but doing it solo and it is a very different experience. Last night I spent a night in a gas station parking lot in the back of my truck on a piece of plywood that I made as a makeshift bed on top of my belongings. I woke up with only two hours of sleep but I still felt fully engaged and refreshed and happy to be alive and really ready to see my friends here in Park City.
After a quick nap and regaining some of the sleep that I missed out on while driving 12hrs, Mitch offered to take me on a quick 4-mile hike around the perimeter of downtown Park City. It was nice to stretch my legs and see Park City in the springtime. Every time I had been here thus far has always been in the winter, either for skiing or for Sundance. This was a whole different experience to see in the spring and I really enjoyed it especially because I'm here during a shoulder season. It's very quiet, which is lovely.
Looks like some weather is going to be coming through so I'm going to be holding up here a little bit until it passes. I'm looking forward to hanging out with my friends, doing some mountain biking and just being able to decompress a little bit. This is my first stop of only a few on my way back to Prism.
When Shay and I Hiked up to Hogsheaven on Virgin Gorda. We left early, which turned out to be the right call, the whole trail sits in the lee of the island, so you're shaded from the wind the entire way up. Before long, I began to perspire like a cold beer, without the breeze, conditions were hot. I had underestimated how surprising laborious it was. Not using my legs much over the last two months was showing.
Halfway up, a local spotted us struggling and offered us a ride in the back of his truck. We took it. No shame. Got dropped at Hogsheaven where Shay got to put @charterboatrenegade sticker on the wall
We walked the whole way back down on our own. No truck this time. But honestly this was the best part getting off the beach a few streets. It was like stepping back in time. Less touristy, more lived-in. Reminded me of what the BVI looked like when I used to come here as a kid. That's what the beach used to be like.
Seeing Prism from up there, in scale against everything else in the water, is always a bonus. I love that sailing allows hikes almost every time you stop which I have come really to enjoy.
My time in Encinitas,Ca has come to a close, I say goodbye with a heavy heart. Read more: /pub/jonneely/p/novocain-for-the-soul?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=57nd0i
Saint Marteen from my perspective is the perfect example of having low expectations of a place and being pleasantly surprised at the experience when looking back. The French side is in my opinion one of the gems of the eastern Caribbean mainly due to the protected anchorage (the Lagoon) the land activities and food (artistic and French) and the social hub that is prosperous amongst and dwindling number of extroverted cruisers. It was fun having a dinghy raft up and floating under the stars with friends, visiting my favorite cafe' in the entirety of the Caribbean and resting up before taking off to the BVI's. For a place that I simi-resented going to the first time due to the stories I had heard and my general distaste for resort islands, I love being wrong about a place. Saint Marteen will always have a special place in my heart and I look forward to coming back again one day.
Always to fun to look at other boats, especially the big ones. I love being in the same anchorage with these boats, money at a scale that I dont understand. Despite the cost, I still think Prism is a prettier boat.
#fujifilm HX2s- #viltrox 75mm 1.2
Sorry for the delay but I want to still share last seasons photos, as I sit on the Robinhood bus en route for NY to MD to check on Prism and swing by the boat show in Annapolis with @corah_the_explora . Here are a few photos of the beautiful waterfalls and nature of Guadeloupe. Although Corah and I set off to find these waterfalls and instead climbed a mountain, the crew I picked up to help sail Prism back to the east coast @shayleilani_ joined me to explore some unique places on the north end of the island. I will continue to post these photos as I can. Hope everyone is doing well in these crazy times.
Dreaming of life on the water? In our May-June Annual Charter Issue, Jon Neely on @svprism shares why the Pacific Northwest (PNW) is the ultimate launchpad for cruising adventures! With a wealth of heavy displacement, long-range cruisers and a vibrant boating community, the PNW offers incredible boats at reasonable prices!
Jon’s personal journey highlights the unique cruising grounds of the San Juan Islands and Puget Sound, along with tips on timing your purchase and outfitting your boat for success!
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With our time in Antigua nearly wrapped up, we had to sail back to Guadeloupe to fly Corah home so she could finish her PhD. Our sail back was epic, and we arrived in Deshaies with plenty of light. Deshaies is a beautiful place, but its beauty comes from its remoteness on the island. In order to get Corah to the airport, I needed to rent a car. We opted to rent one for a few days, allowing us to explore the island before she flew out, then take her to the airport and also pick up my next crew.
I had hiked parts of La Grande Soufrière National Park earlier with another cruiser, seeing epic waterfalls and incredible vistas. Our weather was looking dry, which is a big deal since this park is a rainforest. We decided to go back because I wanted to share what I had seen with Corah and possibly explore more of the peaks with the better weather.
What started as a more scenic hike over the saddle turned into an impromptu trek to the actual peak of Soufrière. We were just trying to get to the waterfall, but with our limited French, we kept following signs that led us higher. We summited in great time—despite not intending to, and in sandals no less.
Corah didn’t get to see the waterfall, but we ended up doing something neither of us would have purposely attempted. It was a good reminder to always enjoy the moment and make the most of it.
For the remainder of our short stay in Antigua, Corah and I went snorkeling, took Penta for a day sail, actually sailed to the dinghy dock successfully, and just enjoyed the natural beauty of this island and appreciated its more arid landscape and climate vs. the more tropical Guadeloupe. Both of us really wanted to do a hike, and apps like AllTrails have really opened up a new avenue of exploration by sharing trails that might not have been well known or even have signage at all. One such trail emanates from the Nelson Dockyard and has you follow the spine of the hill that separates English Harbor from Falmouth. This is a spectacular hike filled with endless vistas and tons of goats of all ages. With our hike complete and the new year approaching, our time in Antigua has come to an end.
After getting situated in Falmouth, Corah and I went ashore for Christmas Eve. We had read and been told that the Champagne Christmas Party was world-renowned, and we also wanted to check out Nelson’s Dockyard due to its historical significance. Personally, I had wanted to come here since arriving in the eastern Caribbean, and let me say—it did not disappoint.
The Christmas party, on the other hand, was a bit of a letdown. But as I have begun to realize, parties that revolve around drinking are less fun when you’re sober. The good news was that the Hell’s Gate Steel Orchestra was bringing the entertainment, playing Christmas and classic songs alike. Corah and I found a place in the shade and watched for over an hour while the band did their thing—it was clear they were having a great time.
Nelson’s Dockyard isn’t just a living historic site; it’s still a functional marina with some very yachty businesses still alive and well, most notably a full-scale sail loft. After the steel drums stopped and the local DJ took over, we decided it was time to head back to Prism, finish the night with friends, and enjoy the lovely, historic anchorage.
Leaving Pigeon Island, we sailed to the more protected anchorage of Deshaies for a quick stop before our crossing to Antigua. We grabbed our last croissants and a fresh baguette, then set off early to show Corah how Prism really sails. Once clear of Guadeloupe’s wind shadow, Prism took off on a thrilling broad reach in 13-18 knots, holding steady at 6-7 knots for the entire 50-mile passage.
We checked into Jolly Harbor, then made our way toward Falmouth. With just two miles left, the engine sputtered and died. Looking over the stern, we saw a rope stretched taut from our prop—completely wrapped. I jumped in but quickly realized it wouldn’t be a simple cut-and-go. We hove-to for stability, and my small knife was useless against the tangled mess. I yelled for Corah to grab the bread knife we’d been using for our baguettes.
With the 12-inch blade, I hacked through most of it, but some had melted against the stern tube, shifting the cutlass bearing. Carefully picking and pulling, I freed the last of it. Crisis averted, we pressed on. A simple two-hour motor turned into a three-hour battle—just proof that any day at sea can change in an instant.
