GTFOplan #114: Lost Steering in a Mooring Field with Family Aboard

IN THIS VIDEO: In this episode, we prep the boat for a special weeklong visit from Ann's family-her mom, sister, and two kids fly in from Atlanta to join us in beautiful Guadeloupe. We kick things off in Pointe-à-Pitre, diving into local culture with fresh-caught fish from the market and a powerful visit to the Memorial ACTe museum, which tells the story of Guadeloupe's complex and resilient history. From there, we set sail for Les Saintes, braving a "sporty" passage that left most of the crew a little green. But the reward? Crystal-clear waters off Îlet Cabrit, perfect for snorkeling adventures with the kids. After exploring the reef, we shift over to Terre-de-Haut, mooring near Pain de Sucre for more underwater fun and a bite of the local favorite-bokits (you have to try these!). Then it's back to Les Saintes for an on-foot island exploration, climbing to the ruins of Fort Josephine and capping the day with a lively beach BBQ-complete with burgers, hermit crabs, and a few curious island cats. We wrap up the trip with a final dinghy ride to Fort Napoleon, where history and sweeping views collide, before heading back to Pointe-à-Pitre to say our bittersweet goodbyes. A week full of family, fun, sailing, and connection-we're grateful for every salty second.  CURRENT LOCATION: https://forecast.predictwind.com/tracking/display/SV-GTFO/ 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