Seeking Other Cruising Families 11/1/2012 Departure for Circumnavigation

[schoonerdog]

We have a 6 year old son and will have a 2 year old daughter when we take off. We're looking for other cruising families we can reach out to, support, talk about prep, places, etc. It's an emormous undertaking, I imagine the number of people who go on a circumnavigation are pretty similar in numbers to the number of astronauts. We'd love to find others out there who share the dream.

My wife and I have gone cruising through the Bahamas, Exumas and Cuba in 2001/2002, and this is our second catamaran. We've been live aboards now for 12 years.

Respond to me in a private email and I'll setup a yahoo group for us.

Right now the plan is a circumnavigation:

11/1/2012 US East Coast, Annapolis -> Bahamas

2013 Bahamas -> Rio Dulce, Guatemala with stops in Cuba, Mexico, Belize and probably language school in Antigua while waiting the hurricane season

2014 Pacific Not much on specifics, but from timing information on World Cruising Routes, we pretty much have to leave Panama by February 2012 and then be at South Africa by November to go around the cape.

2015 Return across Atlantic and east coast by June 2015

That's the plan right now.

[Drew13440]

Hey Schooner - there's a "Cruising with Children" section - look on the Discussion Board list - you're all set.

[MarkJ]

Hey Schooner

Love that 2014 year! Thats my sort of sailing

We don't have kids so don't take this as gospel... but I understand theres some kid friendly areas that can be on your list of visits.
Neiafu in Tonga is a good one.

Have fun planning. We loved swimming with the sea lions in Gallapagos

[Valiam from Oz]

Hi there
Your circumnavigation route sounds good. We recently circumnavigated via South Africa and Panama fro Oz so you may like to check out our website: www.valiam.com.au We met a family with 2 small children who spent 5 years circumnavigating the world on a yacht called La Barca. They are really good friends of ours and I am sure would be happy for you to contact them. As for other families circumnavigating when you are - you will meet them along the way I am sure. Your children will be excellent ice breakers when meeting the locals. You will have an amazing time. Good luck with the preparations! cheers Linda

[Surfer Girl]

Our kids were 9, 6 and 6mths when we started from St Martin. We found quite a few boats with kids aboard and coming into anchorages were often hailed by the other boats with kids.
Polynesians and Micronesians love kids so as Valiam from Oz said, an excellent ice breaker.

I'm sure you'll meet heaps of cruisers with kids, good luck.

[Livia]

I can think of two families with children heading out this year off the top of my head:

Forgeover —
Sailing Wondertime