So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, goodbye.

We've been planning our sailing adventure for the last few years but nothing prepared us for the ground rush of goodbyes. Parting with family and friends has been such sweet sorrow.

Sitting at the airport after weeks of packing up the house, squeezing life into 72kgs of joy sparking essentials and finally taking a breath Jo asked, “How are you feeling?” Doozy question. “It’s a lot to leave”, I reply, meaning that the wonderful humans we have the great privilege to call our family and friends are hard to say good bye to.

Yes, we’ll miss home, the beach, the harbour, the natural gifts that Sydney and the east coast of Australia offer up daily but it’s those lovely faces and interfaces I’ll miss the most. We have the great fortune to know a bunch of wonderful humans and we’ll miss you all.

A rare moment when a few frequent flyer points gets you a private jet. Yeah, didn’t last long.

“How are you feeling?” has been a much asked question over the last few weeks. Hot on the heels of the question askers often venture suggestions. Excited? Nervous? Psyched? Scared? Yes. Yes. Yes. And yes.

This move is definitely different from the others we’ve made in a few vital ways.

1. We’re jumping into uncharted territory from terra firma to waterworld

2. As our kids choose their owns adventures it’s not the whole family shifting base, just Jo and me

3. How long are you going for? This time “time” is a little, let’s say, elastic

4. And so is the answer to the question, where exactly are you going? Hmm, let’s see

All up, a very different, exciting, discombobulating, exhilarating proposition. Not to over-blow it, we’re not going to Mars, and we’re not sailing off with a bunch of flat-earthers screaming that we’ll soon be falling off the edge of the world to our doom. But this move has less definition and dimensions to the others we’ve made. More flex, more need to anticipate and adapt, and more requirements for, dare I say, fluidity of thinking. It’s a proper adventure.

For all these differences I’d still say there has been a constant in our experience so far. Providence.

For 25 years I’ve loved this quote from Scottish adventurer, WH Murray. More than a quote, I know it to be true. And certainly, as we’ve readied ourselves for this next chapter of our lives, it’s proven to be reliable all over again.

“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favour all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.”

― W.H. Murray

Thanks for all your love and support dear family and lovely friends. We’ll be sharing pics and pieces of our adventure with you here. We think it’s going to be (mostly) great fun and only rarely WTF have we done? Bob along with us.

Craig and Jo