Preparing for Our Adventure on the Water

Meet Petite Fleur. She is a 30' Sundowner Tug (Trawler) that was built in 1984. She is powered by a single 100 horse power diesel engine, making her a fuel-efficient vessel. She has solar panels for our lights, refrigerator and fans, air conditioning (when there's shore power) and propane heaters, making her comfortable to live on year-round.

Skipper Adrian has taken great care of Petite Fleur and has made many upgrades and improvements to her over the years. He loves taking her out on the water and exploring new destinations, whether it's a weekend getaway or a longer voyage.

Adrian Vuyk and I are preparing for several months on the water beginning the week of May 1. First heading east along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico and then north on the Tombigbee River and Waterway, starting at Mobile, Alabama. Assuming all locks are open, we will explore the southern states of Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee; possibly as far north as the Great Lakes

Weather conditions will dictate if, and how far, we travel each day. We will stay at anchor at a safe location should any adverse weather conditions (strong winds, storms, or other dangerous conditions) arise.

In preparation, we have inventoried our safety equipment and first aid supplies, making sure they are in working condition and fully stocked respectively. We've taken a first aid and CPR course to be prepared for medical emergencies. We've made sure our emergency contact information is up to date, and have familiarized ourselves with emergency procedures and protocols. Petite Fleur passed inspection with flying colors! We have a fire extinguisher and blanket readily available. We have gathered food, clothes and necessities (leaving behind electric toothbrushes, hair dryers and the like). Necessities include insect repellant, sunscreen, drinking water, and wine. Clothes include summer wear and warmer clothes for cool evenings and mornings.

When not navigating the waters we will fill our time with reading, embroidery and painting projects for Leslie; maintenance, star gazing, and planning the next day's route for Adrian. We will both work to finish painting the boat's trim while at anchor. We will disembark occasionally to get supplies and see some of the sights along the way.

We will be in frequent contact with family and friends as connectivity allows, and through this blog site and Facebook, documenting our experiences, lessons learned, and tips for others who may be interested in embarking on a similar journey.

We will be sharing stories, photos, and videos from our travels, as well as insights into the culture, people, and places we encounter along the way.

We can't wait to embark on this journey and see what it has in store for us. We embrace the unknown with open arms. We know that there will be challenges and obstacles along the way, but we are confident that we will overcome them together. This adventure will bring us closer and create unforgettable memories that we will always cherish.

We invite you to join us on this adventure and follow along as we explore this part of the U.S., learn new things, and push ourselves out of our comfort zones. Perhaps inspiring you to follow your own dreams and create your own unique journey.

Leslie and Adrian