I had delivered S/V Imagine – Greg and Rebecca Goodrich’s Island Packet 350 – from Virgin Gorda to the Abacos (Bahamas) in early spring 2008. When it came time to bring the boat home, I negotiated with Greg to leave the boat there until the annual regatta race week in July. We struck a deal and these photos are from that experience. The trip (for me) was half work and mostly play after a very difficult two offshore deliveries.
Greg and Rebecca were also gracious enough to allow my girlfriend Karen to join us. It was a good thing, too, because we ended up very short handed and Karen suddenly became my crew for the three-day offshore run back to Hilton Head — Hand steering the entire way because we had problems with the autopilot. She did great for only her second time offshore.
Plenty of squalls and not much sleep later we arrived safely back in Hilton Head. Enjoy the photos and I’ll be sure to write up the whole trip soon. Contrary to the boat’s name – not everything on this trip went as well as I could ‘Imagine.’ (more…)