For the winter cruising season 2023/2024 Pandora was in the Eastern Caribbean. As of May she is in Trinidad for some much needed maintenance. The big news is that in the spring of 2025 Pandora will be heading to the Azores to begin our Med cruising experience. This has been a dream of mine for years and both Brenda and I are excited about exploring the Azores together and to spending a few seasons in the Med after that. As of now, the plan is to leave the Caribbean, bound for Bermuda in mid April and then to depart Bermuda for the run to the Azores, across the “pond” in early June.
The plan is to have Brenda join me for about a month of exploration of the Azores before I move Pandora to Portugal where she will be hauled until the spring of 2026 when we will move up the Spanish Coast for about two months before hauling her for the summer. More to come on that.
To see Pandora’s when we are aboard and actively cruising, click on this link which will take you to my Garmin page. This link is updated 24/7 on an hourly basis so any position you see won’t be more than a few hours old.
We have our AIS tracker on all the time, even when we aren’t aboard and as long as we are not too far from shore, you can see where we are. To see us on AIS, search for Pandora, MMSI #367600760. This service only works when we are within VHF range so it’s primarily coastal. However, during the cruising season, being “inshore” is the norm.
A great AIS app “Marine Traffic” it can be viewed on a laptop or as a phone app. With that app you can see our location in real time, updated every 15 minutes. There is a feature within this app that will allow you to select vessels, such as Pandora and make them part of “your fleet” so that seeing us is that much easier. It’s a pretty nice feature. There is also a feature that will send you an e-mail automatically when we enter or leave a port. Pretty cool, if you ask me.
Our history aboard:
Since I retired in 2012, Brenda and I have spent our winters south including time traveling up and down the Intra Coastal Waterway, several winters exploring the Bahamas and two months cruising the south coast of Cuba in March and April of 2016. In the September 2016 issue of Blue Water Sailing Magazine I had an article about our trip to Cuba that sums things up nicely. Check it out here.
For the last seven seasons, we have cruised the eastern Caribbean, first the Leeward Islands and for the 2016-2017 winter season. I did a summary of our 2017 cruise to the Leewards in this post. For the last few years we have cruised the southern islands of the Caribbean, the Windwards from Antigua to the Grenadines and I wrote an article about that area for Blue Water Sailing Magazine that you can see here.
For the summer of 2024 we stored Pandora in Trinidad, a change in our approach as it was the first tiume that we kept her south as opposed to making the long run back to CT. With our plans to visit the Med for the next few years, it’s going to be a while before Pandora is back in US waters.
Regarding our trip to Cuba, which now seems like a different lifetime, you can read more about the process we went through to gain US government approval to visit Cuba aboard Pandora and the “whole Cuba thing”, I wrote about the “12 reasons” U.S. citizens can visit Cuba. In any event, after much back an forth, and let me tell you there was plenty of “back and forth”, we received approval and went. Sadly, with a quick reversal of Obama’s policy, Cuba is no longer a reasonable option for US flagged vessels, a policy that is unlikely to change any time soon.
For the last seven years, I have worked with government and local businesses in Antigua to bring the Salty Dawg Rally to that island. I am happy to report that in November of 2021 I was honored by the Governor General of Antigua, a guy that is referred to as “his Excellency” and reports to the Queen, yes that Queen, in England. The award, or medal actually, was in recognition for my contribution in bring the rally to Antigua over the years. This experience was quite a thrill and I wrote about it in this post.
I do hope that you will be inspired to follow along on our journeys.
Oh yeah… you can sign up on my home page with your email so you will get a message whenever I post a new entry to my blog. This function was broken for about a year, thanks to some Russian Trolls that spammed the site. Happily, a group that I hired has fixed this so we are back in business.
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I am Bob Martin’s sister. What fun reading your commentary about your travels aboard The Abby. Thank you for sharing.
Bob,
Your blogs are so well written and your detail makes us feel we are right there! Your Pandora website is a great idea. We have SPOT messenger, but not the tracking tool. I think that is a great addition for those who want to follow the progress hourly. Keep up the good job. You guys should be home soon. Hope Capt. Bob treats you to a big steak dinner in Norwalk!
Steve & Susan Brighton
What a nice thing to say about my blog. We had a great trip and the SPOT was fun to have along. However, the posting of a position every 10min is a bit much. Not sure about how to handle that. Perhaps just reminding to send a spot every few hours is the best approach. Hope to see you guys this fall when we head to Annapolis.
Bob
How was dinner at Fishy, Fishy ? DAD
Love your blog. My long time friend, Rodney, pointed me in your direction. Best part? I jumped to your wife’s site and see she knits. So does mine. More to follow.
Norman in Boston
Norman: Behind every great man is a great knitter. Thanks for the nice comments. Rodney is a good friend.
Bob
Hi Brenda & Bob,
Jim and Joan from Java
We are currently anchored behind Cumberland Island. Will explore for next two days before heading to St Aug. See you somewhere down the line..
Jim
Vicariously enjoying your journey. Immensely enjoyed having Chris with us this weekend; will miss him. Best regards, L & El
Laura: So glad that you took care of Chris while we were not able to be with him. Thanks for the comment.
Bob
On our way to George Town. Hope to be there tomorrow. Any suggestions on anchorages and possible rendezvous with Pandora would be welcome.
Sandy
Davies, Harding, Godsman and Nobles
Love seeing how good you look at Father Jerome’s place. He must have left happy seeds there for future visitors. Great blog. Fair winds, Nancy
Nancy: It’s good to hear from you. Yes, we are enjoying our first cruise to the Bahamas.
Take care.
Bob
Nice to meet you, Brenda, and MOM – stay in touch on your grand adventure!
Deborah: I look forward to the folks at Mariner’s Pt chiming in from time to time. Take care.
Bob
Hi Bob:
We met last year when you presented your “Cuba Sail” adventure to the Stamford CT Power Squadron. I was very impressed with your talk, and at the time we discussed the possibility of your giving that presentation to the Westchester Sail and Power Squadron. I was wondering if that is a possibility for this fall, sometime before you head off for warmer climates. I would like to discuss it with you, but I can’t seem to find your email address. Please contact me and let me know when and how we can talk. Thanks.
/Fred
Administrative Officer, WSPS
Bob we met last Sunday at Brewers Deep River. I was with my sister in law and nephew. We spoke for a brief time and can’t tell you just how beautiful Pandora is. I walk the Marina every weekend and have admired her most of the season. I will be following your adventures and wish you safe travels.
Debby
It’s good to hear from you. When Pandora is more picked up I’ll give you a tour. I am looking forward to our adventures too. You can sign up on the home page to get a “ping” when I post.
Bob
Glad to hear that you are so Optimistic. I look forward to following you (on line, not on the water) through this adventure.
Is it too early to ask when you anticipate returning home and whether I can urge you to give the Westchester Squadron a talk in the late Spring or early Fall?
Bob, what a trip thus far. Good luck and best wishes.
Carl It was nice talking a while back. Lots going on for sure. Let’s keep in touch.
Safe travels , Bob. It all sounds very exciting!