Thanks for everyone's help on our wedding. It seems that everyone had as good a time as we did, even Mother Nature was having a particularly good day. Thanks again it would not have come off without everyone's help.

Just before the wedding we went to California to an advanced cruising seminar. I did not know you could learn that much in a weekend. I suggest it for pretty much anyone but most importantly for people who are going to buy a boat to go cruising. Topics included, how to choose the right boat, docking and maneuvering, food, communications, weather, emergency sail repair, passage planning and safety at sea. Almost as important was individual discussions we were able to have with the group of world cruisers.

Most important thing we learned, we reaffirmed was that we are already ready to go. Set a plan and go. Not everything on your boat will be perfect and if you attempt to make it that way you'll spend gobs of money and never actually leave the dock. Most shocking thing we learned was that Mallory and I have more years of sailing experience than some of the people who have been around the world a couple of times. From what we heard from the presenters, they started blue water only after several years of sailing and learned most of their sailing skills underway. Tania Aebi, the youngest woman to solo circumnavigate, left with one year of sailing experience and did the shake down cruise for the new boat was the sail from New York to Bermuda. I'm glad that we will have nearly two years to set the boat up and get it and ourselves ready for our trip.

There also was a discussion about Hurricane Frances. We were able to watch, real time, the storm and where it was going and have a discussion on what to do if you were in the Bahamas and the storm is heading your way. What really surprised us was the windy part of the storm is only 150-200 miles across. Our boat travels at 150 to 175 miles per day. That means all you need to do is sail out (south, downwind) as the wind starts to pick up, sail east a little bit as the storm goes by (also downwind) and sail back north back to the islands as the storm has now passed by (again also downwind). The entire sail would only take 2 days and keep the boat and crew safe. With the real time satellite, wind, current and accurate forecasting the entire sail can comfortably planned and executed and thus stay out of harms way.

There are a couple of books that we picked up at the show that were great. Our favorite, "the best tips from women aboard" (seaworthy.com). "Advanced Bluewater Cruising" by Hal Sutphen (Cruising Rally Association) covered most of the topics at the seminar.