Why are you doing this?

I suppose it's odd that a girl from Flushing and a guy from Rosedale end up navigating the cruising world. (It's odd enough that we're together at all, but that's another story..) I certainly didn't grow up with boats or on the water (Flushing Bay doesn't count), and neither did he.  Ross has always been curious, extremely handy and equiped with an innate sense of purpose and motivation when there's something he's eager to do or learn. He's a sight to behold when he gets his mind set on accomplishing something. It's one of my favorites of the many traits of his I adore, and it's contagious!  His adventurous spirit has kept me off the couch and out into a world that had been beyond my wildest dreams. He constantly reminds me by example that I should never, ever stop learning and exploring; he taught me to have the courage to dream.

Many moons ago, he bought a sailboat and taught himself how to maneuver it and navigate it himself. Too bad there was no YouTube in those days!  I can only imagine those first trials and tribulations. It wasn't until 8 years ago that he bought his first power boat, The Zone, a 52 ft. Jefferson with twin catapillar diesel 3208 engines. She has a 4 ft. draft, a 15ft. beam, an airdraft of 17.5 ft., a Westebek 12.5 kw diesel generator and now has a bow thruster and an inverter.  She goes about 12 knots at cruising. Sitting atop her proudly is the dinghy a Caribe 13 ft. inflatable with a 50 hp Yamaha.  





The Zone in Spanish Cay



After many journeys with Ross, sometimes alone, sometimes with family, all delightful times making precious memories, he asked me if I would consider cruising the Loop.  At first I thought he meant taking 6 months or a year off from work to do this.  When we next spoke about it, he said he'd hoped the journey would be for 1-3 years.  Honestly, when he said that, we were in a restaurant and I spit food across the table and almost choked.  I immediately started crying and got defensive, filled with all of my fears about doing this, and doing it now. "Leave a job I love that pays me generously; leave my family, my friends, my life as I know it?? And I know nothing about boating other than the bathroom's called the head and the kitchen is the galley."

It was then that I started reading books by women who have done this, and started reading blogs by other Loopers.  This book changed my outlook and rid me of my fears: Changing Course: A Woman's Guide to Choosing the Cruising Life I recommend it to those of you still wondering why I'm doing this or considering it yourselves.  The more I read and the more Ross and I spoke about all aspects of boating and the lifestyle and what I have to gain by joining the man I love on the journey of a lifetime, I began to get as enthusiastic as he was. It soon became my dream as well. Another book I'd recommend to women is, "Women On Board Cruising", by Lisa Targal Favors.  Lisa and her husband Jim have become our heroes.  We've followed them for years through their second Loop and onto their present course. Jim & Lisa Favors and their blogs, books and websites Their experiences, and their way of describing them, spoke to Ross & I.  We hope someday to meet them and look forward to meeting so many like them who help others benefit from their experiences, mistakes and all!

If you know me, you know that I make lists.  Top of my list was to take a class from Seasense Boating  by the women captains I've read about countless times. I took a 5-day live-aboard class this past April in Sarasota Florida.  As luck would have it, the only other student was a journalist for Power and Motor Yacht Magazine.  We're actually in an article called, "Getting My Bearings" by Alyssa Haak in the September issue. Nothing like having your introductory experience driving a power boat, tying knots, completing engine room check lists and navigating documented for the world to see. Boy did I learn a lot!  That class truly took some of my fears away and gave me the confidence and knowledge I needed.  I spoke with Ross from time to time during the class, which the article describes as "boot camp without the yelling".  When I described what we were doing and asked him more and more questions about The Zone (to compare with the vessel we were learning on), he was delighted!  He fully expected that after a day in the engine room and blisters on my hands from tossing lines, I was going to beg off the whole Looping idea and say, "screw that!" That couldn't have been further from the truth.  It showed me that though I have more to learn than I thought, it's possible to do it, and to learn while doing it, and that I can, like Ross, dock a big-ass boat, stern-in first!



Where are you going???





This map shows the ideal season to cruise each section of the Loop.
Green is for Spring
Red is for Summer
Blue is for Fall/Winter

  

As you can see on the map, our direction of travel is based on the seasons and weather fronts.  Mother Nature rules and Safety First prevails.  Ross & I (he's the Captain and I'm the Admiral) agree about this, especially after reading many a book and blog about others' experiences, and hearing of their regrets after making poor decisions. Not the kind of risks and adventures we are signing up for.

We do plan to divert from our course from time to time as we see fit.  We enjoy going off the beaten path and have vowed not to rush through this like we're on our way home from work. I want to see and feel and taste it all!

We will leave NYC in January and prep The Zone, currently located in Hollywood Florida. We'll need some time to re-organize, stock-up and get used to living on the boat. If we don't kill each other or sink the boat by March 1st, we set sail (well, get motoring) heading North, and away we'll go..

Sea Fever

I MUST go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,

And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,

And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,

And a gray mist on the sea's face, and a gray dawn breaking.

I must down go to the seas again, for the call of the running tide

Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;

And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,

And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.

I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,

To the gull's way and the whale's way, where the wind's like a whetted knife;

And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,

And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over. 



Admiral Laura Ross & Captain Ross Perrone



John Masefield

You're leaving your job???

The Zone in Bimini

As a matter of fact, yes, I am; well, we are.

My Captain & I have been planning this for a very long time, and our journey around our Country (no, not around the world), within ourselves and with each other is going to begin before we know it.

Please check out this website, which was my first taste of what was to become: America's Great Loop Cruisers' Association

Yes, I know the site looks and sounds a bit corny, but there you'll find an amazing group of cruising folks who help, teach, encourage and guide each other on what can be a truly unique and satisfying experience. I can't remember the last time I embarked on an all encompassing journey outside of my comfort zone, or had the opportunity to take a risk to make a huge change in my life as I know it.

Here it is, the time is now, and I'm counting the months, weeks and days until we enter The Zone and start living life a whole new way.