We are back for another sailing leg on the Great Loop. Our aim over the next seven weeks is to sail from Mississippi through Alabama via the Tenn-Tom waterway to the Gulf of Mexico, entering at Mobile, meandering through the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, along the Florida coast, to our final destination of Tarpon Springs, where we will leave Bushranger until our return in 2019.

We expect to have nights bobbing sweetly at anchor and nights in marinas. Mark has planned the staging points and I will plan the land expeditions.

We are excited to be back on board the old girl, who has welcomed us back with open yard arms. Reconnecting with friends is bittersweet, as we know we will leave these waters soon, perhaps not to return. As the Roman philosopher Horace said, “Carpe Diem”.

And as the famous Australian bushranger Ned Kelly said, “Such is Life”.