Squalls, Spinnakers, Schatzi and Birthdays at Sea! #boatlife #doglife - #GTFOplan 118

CURRENT LOCATION: https://forecast.predictwind.com/tracking/display/SV-GTFO/ IN THIS VIDEO: We’re finally off! With final weather checks done, boat inspections complete, and provisioning locked in, we officially set sail for Horta in the Azores. Spirits are high as we hit our stride — and celebrate Dennis’s 21st birthday on Day 2 with homemade brownies (courtesy of Captain Ann ) and a full-crew serenade. But celebration quickly gives way to the rhythm of passage life. Karl rigs up the hand reels with his eternal optimism (Mahi Mahi, tuna, anything!), but after a full week, the fish are winning this round. A dramatic shift in weather just after our live stream (watch here) has us racing to douse our big purple spinnaker moments before squalls slam us. Quick thinking keeps gear intact — and nerves steady. Rain, wind, calms — this passage has been a roller coaster of conditions. Sometimes we fly. Sometimes we motor. Sometimes the silver lining is a salt-free deck and a good night’s rest. Dennis gives a quick radar tutorial (“red blobs = bad”), and we talk about how we use weather forecasts to make fast and safe decisions. Life aboard settles into a rhythm: laundry, soft shackle making, editing, reading, and when needed — fast action to keep everyone and the boat safe. Schatzi holds down her new throne (a fully converted saloon-bed!) like the queen she is. Her sea legs are growing stronger, even if the nights get a little tough. Hit play for this leg of our Atlantic crossing — with all its highs, lows, birthdays, breakdowns, and the beauty of bluewater life. #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