Blue Water Sailing — June-July 2017

(^22) BLUE WATER SAILING • June / July 2017
{ CRUISINGLIFE }

P

late after plate of food

piled in front of us as

our crew of six eagerly

crowded around the

open-air picnic table.

In the distance, the lush

green mountains of Viñales jutted up

out of the earth. Our friendly Cuban

cab driver sat to my right snapping

pictures on his flip phone as proof that

he had indeed eaten dinner with six

Americans. We had been advised not

to leave Viñales until dining at Casa

de Confianza. The delectable piña

coladas and plates overflowing with

fresh ingredients from the restaurant’s

garden made it obvious that we had

been well advised. With a full belly,

I leaned back looking around the

humming table of friends and then

gazed out over the gorgeous hazy blue

landscape: Cuba had my heart.

The sea has always been my home,

though I am no salted sailor. Growing

up, I was never more than a sea breeze

away from the Atlantic. But, the hon-

orary title of sailor is something I have

only recently acquired. My husband,

by Grace Brookshire

Joel, is a true sailor at heart. He grew

up racing International 420s and when

I met him, he already held the dream

of living and traveling aboard. We

were married in Hatteras, North Caro-

lina in the midst of a fall hurricane and

one week later moved onto our first

cruising boat, a 27-foot foot sloop. So

we began our trek down the U.S. East

Coast as newlyweds and recent college

graduates, each clocking-in with only

23 years under our belts. We were

wide-eyed and thirsty for knowledge,

experience, and the next opportunity

life might send our way.

Six months into our journey, Joel

ON TO

CUBA

6L[IULHQGVWDNH

LQWKHVLJKWVDQG

VRXQGVRI&XED