Today, Dec 7, .2025 marks the beginning of my adventure to sail the world aboard Galini. I bought Galini in April, 2022, following the easing of travel restrictions due to the covid pandemic. Will I be willing and able to circumnavigate? Possible. But I am certainly going to head to western reaches of the globe starting in one of my favorite Caribbean islands, Martinique. It is fitting that Galini and I begin our voyage westward here, as Martinique is where Galini parted from her previous owners, a lovely French couple that had circumnavigated aboard her, and became my vessel of discovery. She is a capable and comfortable boat. My knowledge of the intricacies of Galini’s systems, my appreciation of her capacity as a world-class ocean cruiser, and my confidence in the ability to keep her running has taken time to develop. Now, however, I have gained invaluable knowledge from performing an extensive overhaul of her weary bits, adding some new features to her operational inventory, and updating needed systems maintenance. Our interdependence is a relationship, kind, forgiving, symbiotic. People often describe a love that develops between sailors and their vessels, perhaps as a necessary emotional state to bestow confidence in their boat as she travels the unknown vastness of the sea. Or, perhaps, the sailor seeks to arise a confidence in themselves, a confidence that only exists in acceptance given graciously by a forgiving partner. Or perhaps, the love is a genuine form of beauty. A beauty that speaks to the serenity found in the workings of sail, sea, and a power greater than ourselves.
The morning breaks, I am up and finalizing last minute details of necessity before the voyage can unfold. A customs check, course is laid in, clearance at the marina office, bills paid, dingy loaded onto the davits, cut the shore power, one last run to the patisserie for croissants and brie. Finally, untie the dock lines, run over to the fuel dock, and we are off!
Aboard are three souls, myself, Elin (a friend from Connecticut), and Mark (a friend from Houston). All experienced sailors, all seasoned by offshore passages, all ready for the newness of the open sea and her wonders. First, we motored over to the protected bay of St. Anne and practiced MOB drills, then pointed our bow westward and started with a jib and jigger set. Our course for Panama is nearly dead down wind. For 8 – 9 days, downwind. I have not done a lot of sailing with Galini down wind. I have a gennaker, with a dousing sock, ready to rig for this type of sailing and she is a beauty. But on the first day out, we are going with the easier jib and jigger set to get the feel of the motion of the boat, the sea, and the windage. She is blowing a steady 22kts sustained, with 25 – 27 kt gusts. The sea state has a larger 2 meter swell, and a shorter chop near the island. The chop began to dissipate as we reached 15 miles offshore, while the swell remained.
Galini is moving well, with the autopilot holding for the most part, but some breaking following seas push toward a jibe, so one has to watch as we head west. About four hours out, we are joined by a group of boobies, brown boobies I think, fishing along our side. Excited they are, calling out infrequently as they dive for dinner next to the boat. Over and over, they dive, sometimes successful, but more often not. Persistent, touching, miracles of flight.
As the sun begins to lower on the horizon, dead ahead of our path, I reflect on how grateful I am to be here. Among friends, among sailors, among the waters, among the wonderful diversity of life that is present in my world, among the love I feel for those humans close to me, and Galini as she keeps us safe.
Fair winds and following seas, my friend!
Sounds like you have the right crew! Enjoy the cruise and report back often.