US East Coast to the Caribbean - Pacific Crossing Notes: A Sailor's Guide to the Coconut Milk Run - page 160

long. Just two short days later, Namani was breezing along on a close reach to Annapolis:
“a quaint drinking town with a sailing problem.” Picking up a mooring just a stone's
throw from the historic town, we toasted our progress to date: one thousand miles, nine
states, and three canals since setting off from Maine a month earlier. We had weathered
three overnight runs (literally, given the numerous downpours) and felt as if we were
again in the swing of the cruising life. Now we were poised to explore Chesapeake Bay
while preparing for a passage to Panama. Later, near Norfolk, we observed several crews
making hasty departure preparations for the Caribbean without the benefit of a shakedown
cruise to get to know their vessels, crew, or even their toolboxes, making us doubly value
our East Coast experience.
In hindsight, we discovered that the swift currents we were warned of (near Cape Cod,
around New York, and in the Delaware Bay) were quite manageable when timed carefully.
Fall cruising was chilly at times, but the absence of summer crowds was a definite plus.
Throughout our cruise, we were reminded that good times must be earned through ongo-
ing maintenance and repairs, especially when sailing an older vessel. Most of all, our ex-
perience taught us the importance of simply getting a cruise started, even if some second-
ary projects remain unfinished. Quite simply, all the work will never be done. If we'd
waited for that elusive time, we would still be in Maine (lovely as it is) instead of reflect-
ing upon our experiences from the tropics.
Finally, it's fair to say that no cruise is ever long enough. Any of the interesting areas we
visited would make a fine destination for leisurely exploration in itself. Did we have a
clear favorite? At the risk of sounding like an elementary school teacher (“you're all win-
ners”), I would avoid picking a single favorite. The real winner is the cruiser who draws
from the lessons of a shakedown cruise and heads for ever new horizons.