Atlantic, Marquesas, Pre Departure, The Sailing Begins

Still Crazy After All These Years

XC -45 “eXcape”

Since sailing, motoring, and ultimately trucking “Nor’easter” back to Lake Erie from the East Coast last summer, my wife and I have been enjoying golf, tennis, pickle ball, and biking all winter in Palm Coast, Florida. However, as I stare daily at the azure Atlantic adjacent to our 9th and 18th fairways, I can’t help but long for another “adventure in paradise.”

Serendipitously, the gentleman from whom I purchased “Nor’easter” in 2015, Carl Bertelsen, recently bought a new boat and generously invited my son Travis and me to join him on his first trip to the South Pacific. Tomorrow morning, I fly from Orlando to LAX, arriving a few minutes after Travis’s flight from Baton Rouge. We will rent a car and drive to San Diego, where Carl’s boat, “eXcape,” will be fully provisioned, equipped, and ready to sail 2850 nautical miles to Nuka Hiva, Marquesas Islands. We plan to leave Tuesday morning, and should make landfall around May 4. Also on board will be Arnstein Mustad, a professional delivery captain, who will sail the boat back to California via Hawaii with a new crew. Travis, Carl and I will all fly back from Papeete to the U.S. late in May, after cruising the Marquesas, Tuomotus, and Tahiti.

The only way I could ever pull this off with my wife’s permission, if not her wholehearted approval, is by virtue of having my son join me. I didn’t see Travis for almost a year after he disembarked from “Nor’easter” in Grenada February, 2020, and since then only for a couple short visits. He has been hard at work since our circumnavigation building a real estate portfolio with a partner in Baton Rouge, and this will be his first real vacation since then. We plan on doing several scuba dives, particularly in the Tuomotus, as we had to skip that chain due to engine failure our last time around.

I will be posting about this trip once we get to Nuka Hiva, so stay tuned. “Nor’easter” will get my full attention once I get back to Sandusky June 1, where she will spend the summer cruising the Great Lakes.

Now all my new friends in Florida have joined my old friends in Ohio in questioning my sanity. As I stand my first night watch in 30 knot winds and 50 degree weather off the Baja California coast a few nights from now, I will agree with them.

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George

I recently retired after 20 years as a financial advisor and CFP in Sandusky, Ohio, but previous to that, owned Steinemann & Co, sales agent for Nautor's Swan yachts in Newport Beach, California for 18 years. After 3 years of racing and cruising my Swan 44 on the Great Lakes, I trucked it to California, from which my son Travis and I will sail it back to the Great Lakes via the South Pacific, Torres Strait, South Africa, and the Caribbean, where we will race in Antigua Sailing Week April, 2020

15 thoughts on “Still Crazy After All These Years”

  1. Onward George and Travis! Very much enjoyed your circumnavigation (almost) posts and look forward to living vicariously again. Why wait until you arrive in Nuka Hiva to post your adventures?

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  3. You lead a charmed life …. Taking full advantage of your passion of sailing and exploring God’s beautiful world !!! And you and Jamie have instilled that passion and drive to your amazing children . Kudos to you both !!! Can’t wait to hear more ! God Speed
    Happy Easter 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
    Dixie

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  4. Hardy, so exciting and I don’t think you are crazy at all. I can feel the adrenaline coursing through your veins. Here’s to smooth sailing!!

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  5. How awesome George! Good luck and smooth sailing. Can’t wait to read all about this new adventure. You inspire us all to grab the brass ring a bit more

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  7. Jamie had alerted me to your intended sail awhile back, but I’m really glad you and Travis are getting the blog up and running (cruising?) again. Godspeed, and keep us posted. I’ll see you in July, if not sooner. Love, Dale

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  8. You are truly amazing , my friend. Your the only 70+ person that I know who would look forward to that. Enjoy the adventure and take care of yourself. Tell me about the boat you’ll be sailing.

    Sent from the all new AOL app for iOS

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  10. Good Luck, George! Always one to be on the move, have a fabulous voyage with Travis and your friends, new and old! What a great experience to add to your wonderful adventures.
    See you back on the Great Lake Erie in June!
    Warm Regards to my gal pal, Jamie too!
    Ann

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