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Every sailor has a vision for how a voyage is supposed to begin. Mine involved launching in Indiantown, pointing the bow toward the Bahamas, and slipping into warm trade winds and turquoise water.
Instead, 2026 had other ideas.
In this episode of Sailing in the Mediterranean and Beyond, I tell the story of the first leg of this year’s sailing adventure — a trip defined less by tropical anchorages and more by stubborn weather forecasts, cold nights, and constant recalculating.
After launching the boat in Indiantown, I waited for a weather window that never really arrived. Rather than bash east into uncomfortable conditions, I made the difficult decision to abandon the Bahamas plan entirely and head north up the Intracoastal Waterway instead.
What followed was a voyage full of the kinds of moments every cruiser knows well:
- Grumpy lock keepers who seemed personally offended that we existed
- Barnacles multiplying underneath the boat and slowing us down
- Long cold passages where “Florida” felt a lot more like winter than paradise
- The challenge of adapting plans when nature simply refuses to cooperate
Eventually, I brought the boat to Cape Marina at Cape Canaveral, where I tucked her away for two months before returning later with my family to continue the trip north toward St. Augustine.
This episode is about flexibility, frustration, and the reality that cruising rarely looks like the glossy version we imagine beforehand. Sometimes the adventure is not the one you planned — but the one you end up with anyway.
If you’ve ever had to scrap the “perfect plan” and make the best of changing conditions, this story will probably feel very familiar.
Also, for those who have followed this journey over the years, I mention in the episode that I have officially put the boat up for sale. She is currently located at Belle Isle Marina in Hampton, Virginia. If you are interested and would like additional information, contact me and I’ll put you in touch with the broker.
Fair winds,
Franz
Want me to go sailing with you? Then contact me!
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link https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/sailing-in-the-mediterranean/id566678892?mt=2
Sailing! Learn To Sail: Basic Keelboat Certification Lessons for the ASA 101 Exam Exam over 7 hours of Audio Instruction to help you get ready to take the written exam.
If you’re interested in my sailing instructional audio series here are the links:
Sailing! Learn to Sail: Basic Keelboat Certification Lessons for the ASA 101 Exam
https://gumroad.com/l/Eiig
Sailing! Learn to Sail: Basic Coastal Cruising; Lessons for the ASA 103 Exam
https://gumroad.com/l/PvOYK
Sailing! Learn To Sail: Bareboat Cruising Certification Lessons for the ASA 104 Exam
https://gumroad.com/l/bwXh
Sailing in the Mediterranean Website
https://www.medsailor.com
If you would like to be a guest or have suggestions for future episodes or if you would like Franz to be a speaker at your Sailing Club or fundraiser please feel free to contact me.
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