We live in a small Alaskan town,near the Canadian border.We bought Cygnus on the internet this fall and have yet to see her,except in photographs.This probably sounds like a hairbrained idea,until you consider the time and money consumed in making a trip outside Alaska to shop in the normal manner.We bought Cygnus through people we trust,and managed to get her and the moorage together ,near the San Juan Islands in Washington state.This is where we plan on making our first voyage , which is also to be our honeymoon trip.This may sound a little strange,when we tell you we have been together long enough to raise a fine son,who celebrated his twenty-second birthday last week and is engaged to be married soon,but thats the way it is .

Our original plan,was to leave for the boat in April,sail and explore the San Juan Islands all summer.Cygnus would winter over and get some restoration work done in Washington.We would sail her up the inside passage in the spring and summer of 2001.

We have been where we are living now through eight going on nine winters.The winters here are dark with a capital D,not just the night and day are dark,moods are the same.So we are ready for the trip to begin and are leaving in the middle of February.We'll get in some early sailing and do some work on the boat until April.

Stay tuned we will keep you updated as preparations progress.

This is the first of February,it is in the middle of this month that the bird's begin to pair,Saint Valentine's day marks this time,so it is that date we have set to be married.

UPDATE**2/11/00** 3 DAYS TILL THE BIG "W" DAY!!!!!
Going between Alaska and the lower 48 is much more like immigrating from another country than travelling from state to state.Flying out is the only direct route.Well,flying is not our main method of travel,so we are nervous from the first realization that it's the only way we can get out this time of year.Then there is the big news blitzes about crashes,"stripped screws,""frozen stabilizers"these phrases fill our sleep.

We are taking Seabiscuit,our cat,he needs a health certificate pronouncing him fit to fly.There are no veterinarians in our part of the bush,so there has to be at least an overnight stop in Anchorage.Since we have nothing that could be called a store where we live everything has to be mailordered,another two days are added to shop for everything needed on the trip we have already begun,like luggage to hold the mail ordered stuff that we are bringing and some new stuff.

There are other hassels and struggles to cope with before starting the 600 mile bus ride to the city.Sixteen dogs and cats who have to stay,need to get used to there new caretaker,a slight feeling of homelessness because everywhere else seems like a long way from Alaska,a big worry that it has been 18 years since we have been on a boat,8 years since we've lived near water bigger than a pond,eight years since we have been near civilization as a matter of fact

All reservations have been made ,everything is ready for our big adventure to begin.Stay tuned for further updates from the honeymoon. Our trip is to begin the following week.Keep you updated...
UPDATE 2/18/2000 After all these years we are finally Mr&Mrs and it feels good,the wedding went off without a hitch and we are heading off to the boat.LET THE HONEYMOON BEGIN !!!!!!