As we have communicated to you before, the cruising community is different than that which our land based neighbors are accustomed to. We are, by definition, a group of transients with different itineraries, capabilities and goals. We have been cruising in the Caribbean for over 3 years now and we have crossed and recrossed paths with dozens of cruising families that we have enjoyed sharing our cruising dream with. Having passing acquaintances with other families is just part of the lifestyle. That said, we have developed some unique and close bonds with a select few. One of the special cruising families that we have shared a particularly close friendship with is John and Paulette Lee of M/V Seamantha, a Kadey Krogen 58′ trawler.

Paulette & John on the bridge of M/V Seamantha

Petite St. Vincent  (June 2016)

Patton

We first met John and Paulette in the British Virgin Islands 3 years ago during our initial trip south through the Caribbean. When we arrived to spend our first hurricane season in Grenada, we ended up with a slip right next to Seamantha in the Port Louis Marina. John and Paulette spoiled our Cocker Spaniel, “Patton” with fresh bowls of his favorite vegetable, cauliflower, on the aft deck of Seamantha. They have watched our boys, Ryan and Ronan grow from little boys into capable young men. Throughout our trip, we have shared countless wonderful experiences with our cruising buddies. As the saying goes, friends are the family that you get to choose and John and Paulette have certainly become a big part of our family.

Seamantha & Pilots’ Discretion arriving in Grenada Grenada

Ryan, John & Paulette, diving in St. Lucia

Paulette, Ryan, John & Ronan, hiking Petite St. Vincent (2016)

Ryan, John & Ronan in Petite St. Vincent (2016)

Paulette hash olympics – Grenada (2016)

Ryan & Paulette – Hash Olympics – Grenada (2016)

Paulette & John diving in St. Lucia

Dive instructor Mary & Paulette diving in St. Lucia

Randy, Ryan, John & Paulette diving in St. Lucia

Randy, Ryan, Paulette & John, diving in St. Lucia

Salt ponds in Mayreau

Mayreau (2016)

John, Ronan & Paulette, hiking in St. Lucia (2017)

St. Lucia hike (2017)

Mayreau (2016)

John, & Ronan hiking in St. Lucia (2017)

Dive St. Lucia boat

Popcorn aboard M/V Seamantha

Ryan and Ronan hiking along the waterfront in Bequia

M/V Seamantha arriving in Admiralty Bay, Bequia

After watching the devastation and subsequent recovery of the Caribbean after one of the worst hurricane seasons on record, we have decided it is the appropriate time to turn the Pilots’ Discretion north and head back towards the United States. We are actually looking forward to retracing our route through the Caribbean and points north. It will be an opportunity to revisit some of our favorite spots. With our decision to turn north we have arrived at another one of those intersections in the life of a cruiser. Our friends on M/V Seamantha are departing St. Lucia this week to head south and so it is that we have arrived at Yoggi’s infamous fork in the road. Pilots’ Discretion and Seamantha will be taking divergent paths which in many ways is sad. We will not be saying goodbye, but rather, we will say “until we see you again.” So, as you depart Seamantha, we wish you fair winds and following seas.

Ryan, Paulette, John, Randy, Theresa & Ronan in St. Lucia (Jan. 2018)