Illusion’s Journey

Share your Adventures with SpotAdventures

Check out Illusion’s Live SPOT Map when we are underway to track our progress, but remember, it only updates when we are on the move.

How it Began + the Tentative Plan:

In March 2009, Brian and I moved out of the comfort of our rented house in Charleston, SC, and permanently onto a ‘37 sailboat with the intention of undertaking a substantial sailing and travel adventure to Central America the following November (2009). Brian bought SV Illusion the previous May (2008) with the intention of fixing her up for a cruising adventure. The trip was in the making for almost three years (and really it still is). Call it a labor of love if you will (or insanity), but we are still finishing up multiple restoration projects and preparations on the boat to get her ready for the trip, which has actually already begun.

Our original goal and plan was to sail from South Carolina down the east coast of Florida to Key West, wait on the appropriate weather window, and then continue straight on across the Gulf to Isla Mujeres, Mexico. Later, we considered a more southerly route through the Bahamas to Jamaica before turning west towards Mexico or continuing south to the Virgin Islands. Unfortunately, by the time we finished most of our major projects and had the boat cruising capable, we found ourselves facing hurricane season. One of the things that I love about cruising (so far) is that it teaches flexibility and an acceptance of things that we cannot control – in this case, I refer to the weather. We have altered our plans with hurricane season in mind and are on our way north for the summer to avoid the storms. We plan to attempt our southward journey again in the fall.

The time frame for this trip is open ended; we haven’t put a time limit on it, although I have been offered admission into a master’s program at an Australian University, which will certainly affect our plans next year. We cannot predict what will happen over the course of our travels, how long our savings will last, how much fun we will have, or what opportunities might arise along the way. We hope to explore places that are off the beaten path, enjoy the natural surroundings, and take in the culture of the places we stop along the way. This trip will be a lesson in self-reliance, courage, and perseverance, but most importantly we plan to have fun! Check back to keep track of the details as they unfold.

SV Illusion is a ‘37 Chris Craft Apache built in 1967.