Cruising.

Ever since buying our boat in November, we have been making improvements and getting it "sea-worthy." Landon has done most of it himself, which has saved us SO much money... but it's safe to say that our paychecks might as well have been written out to "West Marine" these past few months! Ha! Well, I'm happy to report that she is finally READY and we haven't spent a dime at West Marine in weeks. Wohoo! (Oh the joys of being a boat owner, right? ;)

Here's a list of things we've done (feel free to skip this part because it's mostly so I can remember and probably won't make sense): installed a wind vane and instrument, installed an extendable bow sprit, replaced the auto pilot wheel and display, replaced the speed and depth instruments, replaced the speed transducer,  made a spinnaker sail, repaired jib sail, replaced jib furler (wow that was a PROJECT), and replaced some running rigging.

So now she is ready for our first trip to the ocean! We will be sailing from Portland to Newport from July 12-19! AHHH! I'm equal parts excited and nervous, but trying to push those anxious feelings aside. It will just be crazy to be so far away from other people... we will be all alone out there!

We are planning to stop in Astoria for the night (where Goonies was filmed) and then spending a day or two in Newport before heading back. We will bring our folding bikes so we can adventure. We have been to Newport a few times by plane and soon by boat, but it's funny because we've never driven there :)

We decided that we were just going to "cruise" on our own boat this year because of all the money we've spent on not only buying the boat, but with all the improvements too.... BUT we found a really cheap TRANS-ATLANTIC cruise in November!

Via

So, now we have a dilemma... Save our money and do a free cruise on our boat in the fall, or go on a freaking awesome cruise that will not be so free...

The cruise leaves from South Hampton, ENGLAND so I would be able to actually see my homeland haha! I have always dreamed of going to England, especially because that's where my parents were born and raised and where most of my extended family lives. I'm a dual citizen of England and the US and I've never even been there?! What the heck! Not really okay. We would only get to spend one day in London, but that's better than nothing...

The cruise goes to an island that is a territory of Portugal, the Canary islands, crosses the Atlantic, has three stops in the Eastern Caribbean (including St Marteen and St Thomas), and then stops in San Juan. Doesn't that sound like a DREAM?! It is 14 nights long..two weeks on a cruise ship?! Yes please! The actual cost of the cruise is RIDICULOUSLY cheap. Like cheaper than our flight to London. It is only $37 a night per person. I mean, how can we pass this up?! Oh, and I would pretty much be like a pilgrim crossing the Atlantic by sea ;)

It is on Royal Caribbean, which is another awesome thing this cruise has going for it because we haven't been on Royal before. We have a goal to try every cruise line before deciding on our favorite (although I am positive nothing will ever beat Disney). 

Landon said last night that if we do this cruise we won't be getting Christmas or birthday presents next year, but I'm okay with that. I think I'd rather have a dreamy vacation and those memories than a "thing." Plus I keep telling him that this could be our last big trip before we have a baby (nope, not pregnant). And I've always said I HAVE to go to Europe before having a baby. So there's basically no other option than to GO! 

Anyway, we still have a lot to figure out (like what on earth to do with the puppies for two weeks!) But I am just crossing my fingers that we can do it! AHHHH!

This would be our SIXTH cruise together... I guess you could say we're a little obsessed with cruising ;)

PS I have no idea why but blogger keeps editing my pictures to make them all blurry and weird looking... Our faces are not that flawless and our teeth are not that white in real life :)