"As far back as we can remember we have talked of sailing around the world. We wanted to do it by ourselves, in our own boat, with friends and family joining us when they could. We were both raised in Navy families, but spent thirty-two years of our married life in the Army after Ward graduated from West Point in 1956. No doubt a part of us yearned for the sea, and the freedom to roam the world over. Our adventure began when we were in our mid-fifties. Fortunately, we were in good health and reasonably fit, for this trip would require more stamina and physical strength than we could have imagined. We had some knowledge of sailing, having owned two smaller sailboats, but we had never sailed on the ocean overnight. Two years after buying CORMORANT, we made a trial run to Bermuda, and three months later set off around the world. We knew we would make mistakes along the way, and that we would learn from them. Being self-sufficient was the key to this entire journey. doing the best we could with what we had. Leaving our four grown children and four grandchildren was difficult, but we knew they would grow closer to each other as a result of our absence. Through various means of communications, our visits back home, and their times with us at sea, we managed to stay close to them. Three of our children met their future spouses and were married during our trip, and two more grandchildren came into our lives. We learned to communicate better with each other, too. Living on a 39-foot sailboat, depending on each other for our very survival, brought us even closer than we had been during thirty-five years of marriage."

Share/Like this Review?