Gear Failure, Dolphins, and Spinnakers #boatlife #GTFOplan 119

CURRENT LOCATION: https://forecast.predictwind.com/tracking/display/SV-GTFO/ IN THIS VIDEO: This passage had a bit of everything. We started with flat, windless seas that had us motoring through stillness. But as the miles ticked by, light winds returned—just enough for us to hoist “Big Purple,” our trusty spinnaker. Every time we fly her, we learn something new, and this leg of the journey gave us the perfect opportunity to fine-tune our downwind skills. Our biggest 'oh crap' moment came when the soft shackle that holds the jib sheet buckle to the jib clew came apart. A quick and easy repair was done due to Ann's skill at making spare soft shackles. Upon further inspection though, Dennis discovered that the buckle was starting to come apart from all the banging it had endured against the jib clew. A quick kludgy fix bought us enough time to wait for calmer seas when a proper repair with a spare buckle was accomplished. One of the unexpected joys of this passage? Dolphins! As always, they showed up right when we transitioned from engine to sail, dancing along our bows like they knew we’d missed them. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of being joined mid-ocean by these playful companions. But they weren’t the only visitors. We had two stowaways—migratory birds that found our boat mid-ocean and stayed for a much-needed rest. One of them landed in the dead of night, with over 650 nautical miles to go to Horta. Their resilience is nothing short of miraculous. We also marked a big milestone during the journey: Robin’s 21st birthday at sea! While she wished for strawberries (which we were out of), Dennis saved the day with one of his go-to comfort creations—a fresh batch of brownies. After 14 days and 21 hours and 2350 nautical miles, we made landfall in Horta, Azores. It was our longest continuous passage with crew onboard, and the fatigue was definitely real. But thanks to the steady hands and good spirits of everyone aboard, we made it through stronger and more connected. And through it all, Schatzi the boat dog stayed chill as ever—except during the night shifts, when the energy shifts and the humans get loud. She’s not above demanding cuddles… or the occasional dose of CBD to help her ride out the chaos. Whether you’re dreaming of offshore sailing, curious about long passages, or just love a good sea story with dolphins, birds, and brownies — this video has something for you. Come aboard for our most epic crossing yet. #sailing #azores #passagelife #bluewatercruising #boatlife #offshoreadventure #dogsonboats #oceanpassage ABOUT OUR CATAMARAN: We love our new Balance 482 - it's a perfect size for a cruising couple to handle and is a great "balance" of performance and comfort. One of our favorite features is the excellent ventilation since we mostly live as "hookers" (aka at anchor) where the boat automatically turns into the wind so we stay cool and we don't need to battle mold. We also have starlink for easy off-grid life. Our 2400 watt solar panel array also means we rarely need to run an engine to charge our batteries. ABOUT US: We saved for a our future boat, sold everything that we owned, and shipped the rest in a container to Cape Town, South Africa. We then flew there and explored South Africa by way of a safari and touring Cape Town before moving aboard our boat. We then sailed to Saint Helena, Ascension Island, Fernando de Naronha (Brazil), Martinique, Sint Maarten (Dutch and French side), the US Virgin Islands (Saint Croix, Saint John, and Saint Thomas), the British Virgin Islands (Anegada, Norman Island, Jost van Dyke, and Anegada), The Bahamas (Inagua, Crooked Island, Long Island, George Town, Staniel Cay, the Exumas, and Eleuthera). We then sailed back to the United States, making landfall in Cape Canaveral, Florida. From there our destinations are endless! Both Dennis and Ann grew up military brats with Army fathers. Dennis (the Colonel) served 30 years in the US Army and his retirement pension helped us retire in our 50s. Ann (the ship's Captain) wrote Test Automation in Python and Java. Dennis and Ann met on Match.com where Ann had in her profile "Do you want to sail the world with me?" Ann easily brought Dennis into sailing, and he loved the GTFOplan of retiring early and sailing the world. After many years of saving, living on one income but earning two, and cutting back on everything possible, they saved enough to buy a Balance 482. Follow them as they get real about boat life and all the hassles of buying a new boat because we all know N.E.W. means Not Everything Works. Kisses, Ann & Dennis Twitter: @GTFOplan Facebook: https://facebook.com/anndennis.snellikin.3 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gtfoplan/ YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/gtfoplan Email: gtfoplan@gmail.com