Hi, Goodbye.

Our lives are full of hi's and goodbye's. Now that we are in Trinidad the goodbye's become more difficult. Soon we will go beyond another "chicken harbour" when we leave the Caribbean to pass through the Panama Canal.

Here we are enjoying an evening aboard the cat, Whiskers in Chaguaramas

Many of the adventurous Caribbean cruisers who've ventured beyond safe harbours in the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic and the Virgin Islands will turn around towards home in the northern hemisphere after hurricane season. Others will hang around the Caribbean for another sailing season. Many will continue west intent on South America and the whole of the Caribbean Sea; some cross through the Canal to the Pacific and a few will keep going all the way on their circumnavigation.

For us it's a case of returning home to Australia and we've chosen to sail Bristol Rose with the World Cruising Club's ARC as the vehicle to help us get there. We'll be with the ARC from Rodney Bay, St. Lucia, leaving January 6, 2010 until arrival in Australia in July 2010.

Beatrice keeps all her "babies" safe

We left some friends in Grenada just over a week ago with the chance we will see them again in Trinidad. Here we reunited with Gary and Jackie of Inspiration Lady and Gerald, Diana and Daisie's pal Beatrice, aboard their fabulous cat, Whiskers. Gerald, Diana and Bea are on their second circumnavigation!

After helping Gerald celebrate his birthday, we once again bid a sad farewell to the Whiskers crew. They're heading west and we hope to see them in the San Blas islands or maybe our reunion will have to wait until Sydney. No matter when, we'll be looking forward to seeing them again.