Happy New Year

Vancouver Canada, December 31^st, 2013

As of this month we will have come full circle with our travels overseas. 

From Canada to Panama by air last winter, Panama to Europe under sail for three month in the spring, and now our recent return to Canada from Europe again by air.  Our beloved “Ar Seiz Avel” is now safely stored “on the hard” at a wonderful marina in Vigo Spain and awaits our return sometime in 2014.

It was a true voyage of discovery. The daily challenges of wind, wave and changing weather kept us fully “in the moment” for much of the journey.  We relied on each other in a way that at times held the deepest meaning of life and death.  

Huge seas and Beaufort 8 winds. Harnessing up and then hoisting the storm sail while the monster waves crash over us as we ride the bow ...Yahoo!! 

And then moments of flat glass calm in an endless perfect ocean. 

When we finally made landfall in Spain at the  Cies Islands on the northwest coast it was three months to the day from leaving Panama. 

Ironically this landfall is within 88 km of Santiago de Compostela and the end of the ancient pilgrim’s journey Camino de Santiago.  This sailing journey of over 5500nm from the Panama Canal to Spain was our portion of the “Camino de Santiago” trail.

Across the Caribbean Sea through the Yucatan Channel to Florida and then embarking east across the Atlantic via the Bahamas, Bermuda the Azores to the north coast of Spain it was truly a spiritual journey of self discovery and connection. 

 
Now after putting the “Ar Seiz Avel” safely on land for the winter and spending a delightful and very busy summer in Holland we are back in Canada to be with family and friends and to prepare for the next leg of our cruising adventures aboard the
“Ar Seiz Avel”.

We thank you for your support this past year and wish you Season’s Greetings and all the best for the coming New Year!!!

With kindest regards,

Paul and Barbara Ann

Links on this page:

Beaufort

Cies Islands

Santiago de Compostela

Camino de Santiago