Is there a way to track your journey?

Yes! We are on AIS (Automated Identification System), a system used by ships and vessel traffic services to identify and locate other vessels. Go to marinetraffic.com and search for Belle Bateau MMSI #367669720. Just know that our exact position can be delayed (occasionally, it’s been off by days). We also have a Garmin inReach that tracks our location. Find links and more information on the “Where is BB” page.

What do you do about mail?

When we are long-term cruising, we have our mail forwarded to an awesome company that a bunch of sailors use. They discard our junk mail, and the keeper mail is scanned and emailed to us. Anything that we physically need to have gets forwarded to us once we know where we'll be hanging for a few days. And if it sounds like heaven to have someone sort your mail for you, it is. Even landlubbers can use this service. Food for thought.

What do you miss the most? 

Cheryl: Visiting my grandkids, spending time with aging parents, my home gym, our iconic Herman Miller furniture, library books (especially the audio ones), sewing studio, weaving looms, reliable wifi, watching Ted Lasso for the umpteenth time, and not having to tiptoe when the other person is sleeping (you can hear EVERYTHING on a boat.

Dudley: Long hot showers and baths, multiple computer screens, simulated air flights, drum kit, and not having to fix three things a day.

What are you enjoying the most?

Cheryl: Being retired so not on a schedule, spending lots of time with my husband, meeting amazing people, being so close and dependent on nature, seeing our country from the water rather than speeding along in a car, and our reduced carbon footprint.

Dudley: Days when I’m not fixing three things a day, being retired so not having to sail to a schedule, dolphins and other sea creatures, clearer waters, and escaping the humid Maryland summer.

What do you do with all of that free time?

You're kidding, right? It's a boat, and she needs constant attention. And being at the helm often requires two sets of eyes. Finding time to write and sketch is tough. If we are on a easy passage, Cheryl usually asks Dudley if he's okay with doing a longer shift at the helm so she can grab some time to be creative. Otherwise, we try to anchor or dock by mid-afternoon so we have time to do chores and maybe, just maybe, relax and do something fun. At least, that's the general schedule for now. Some days we use our bikes, feet, or Uber to provision, find a hardware store, do laundry, dump trash, fix the boat, etc. So that free time isn't quite as free as you might think. Still, we are living the dream…