Down Island

I had to get that previous post out of the system before I could tell you more about what is going on with us here in Lala land. 

And since I promised an uplifting post, I'll start with some uplifting shots, to give you an idea of the setting we're at

The view from a peak in the island of Cariacou. 

Our back yard

Sandy island (it's an island and it's sandy, can't get less creative then that)

When we reunited with our friends from Endless pleasure, back in January, we were boat less and clueless and yet Steph, who was sure it's just a matter of time before we're floating again kept repeating these two words like a mantra: "down island". 

"You should come down island with us" she used to say, "see all the different islands and travel all the way to grenada for hurricane season. Our original plan was to go back home in July, making out way north to Florida and never going south of the BVIs. But still she repeated, "come down island... Come down island..."

As you know, she was right, it wasn't too long before we were floating again, and our set back made us prolong our trip and so we found ourselves, just as Steph suggested, going down island.

Some boat work and repairs and other issues made us go slower then our friends on Endless pleasure and Perry, and I guess slower then many other cruisers who and so we were meeting very few boats along the way. That was the case until in Dominica we finally got Lucky! 

Literally. 

In the anchorage there we mat Kevin and Marina from Lucky Seven and have been boat buddies ever since. 

It's good to have another boat close by and when it has good people on board it's even much better!

To make things even better we were blessed (literally) to meet Bendecida soon after in St. Lucia. Bob and Molly are sailing with their fun and sweet (sorry John) teen agers and a great bond has been formed with kids and grownup alike. 

Together we were lucky to celebrate Oren's  birthday! Once again celebrating with friends! With Pizza and cake, just like Mika suggested! It doesn't get better than that!

A few days later we celebrated Molly's birthday too. 

Happy birthday to both!!

Boys bonding while grown up are playing Mexican train domino. 

And so, we've actually made it to Grenada. Well technically we're still  a little north, in Cariacou, but it does belong to Grenada so here we are!

We've been improving our fishing technics, and although the fish we catch are still smaller then we'd hope for, they add up to great meals!

All in all, life is good :)

I'll sign off for the day with some more fun pictures and a hope for storm-free days (and nights). Thank you Steph for talking us into coming here. We wish you guys were here with us! 

Hang in there

Darya

Oren hanging in here 

Challah day

Care-free kids exploring with a glass-bottom bucket. 

Local fruit guy, in the comfort of your own boat, st. Lucia 

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15 seconds

The past few weeks were very hard for me. 

Here we are, enjoying the amazing views of the carribeans, and the total freedom this adventure has granted us, while back home in Israel war is on. 

Thousands of missiles have been fired on Israel from Gaza during the past 3 weeks. Targeting the entire country, including my home town, Tel Aviv. 

Sirens go off on a daily basis, in some parts of the country, on an hourly basis. These sirens can catch you anywhere and they give you a 15 seconds warning. 15 seconds. That's all the time you have to run for the nearest shelter if one is near by, or out to the stairwell if you're not so lucky, stop at the side of the highway leave the car and dodge by te side of the road, cover your kids body and their little ears and hope that no one gets hurt. 

While my sister is doing that with her kids, aged just like mine, and my not-so-young parents are doing that, and all my friends are doing that, on a daily basis now, I'm teaching my kids to snorkel, fish their dinner and run on the amazingly white sand. 

That's doesn't feel right. 

Everyone should be able to spend their summer running care free. 

This war is a first for me in more than one way. It's the first time I'm so far away from home in such a time, it's the first time it is effecting the life in Tel Aviv, the bubble of all bubbles, and it's the first time so many of my friends have kids who are fighting out there. I spent many sleepless nights lately praying for their safe return and,  naively, for peace. 

I hope you can join me in a prayer for peace. 

Darya 

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