Departure Day: Leaving Chesapeake Yacht Club

Where to even begin? It all feels surreal. Our family has officially left our slip at the Chesapeake Yacht Club, marking the start of an adventure we’ve been dreaming about for years. Saying goodbye was bittersweet and filled with so much love—farewell dinners, tearful hugs, and a heartfelt breakfast sendoff with friends who brought breakfast sammies, donuts, and coffee. It was the perfect way to close one chapter and open another.

Last Peterson game night for a while. It was amazing to have them out before we departed.

Lauren, Chelsea, B, Brenda and Jess @ the Old Stein - the reason Brandy has survived the past 5 years in Mayo.

Judson, Annie, JB, Aria, Adam, Hannah, Harbor and Brandy - fantastic farewell at the dock.

Aria loves her some Ms. Jennifer! We’re sure going to miss her smiling face at CYC!

This journey has been 20 years in the making, years of dreaming out loud, and countless months of Adam working nonstop on the refit. Finally, the day came to cram all our belongings aboard Kaikoa, hoist the sails, and set off. Just 125 miles later, we landed in Norfolk, VA. Originally, we planned to head to Hatteras, but the weather window and a shakedown cruise had other ideas.

The Highs and Lows at Sea

The passage was a rollercoaster of emotions. The highs were exhilarating—feeling the wind fill the sails, watching the shoreline fade behind us, and knowing we’d taken the leap we’d talked about for so long. But the lows… they hit hard.

First, the radar went out unexpectedly. Then, the port alternator belt shredded, and we faced starboard prop or engine issues. Add to that washing machine-like waves, puke buckets, gear flying everywhere, and waves crashing over the deck. It felt like we were thrown into the deep end—literally and figuratively.

Through it all, the kids endured like champs. After over 12 hours of battling seasickness, Aria and Harbor finally emerged from their salon hideout and claimed their beanbag thrones on deck. With the fresh air and calmer seas, they began to smile and giggle again, bringing some much-needed lightness to the crew.

Mr. Morale himself, Judson Wheeler! Great addition to the crew!

Beanbag thrones were crucial for comfort.

A Team Effort

So much pride and gratitude filled this leg of the journey. Adam and Judson were incredible, managing the boat safely while I stayed below deck with the kids. Judson kept our spirits up, and Adam worked tirelessly to troubleshoot issues and keep us afloat. Watching Adam’s dream come to life after all the effort he’s poured into this dream made us all quite emotional.

Aria and Harbor showed resilience beyond their years, pushing through discomfort and finding their smiles again. And me? I’m overwhelmed by what we’ve accomplished so far. We moved out of house, spent the summer on a refit, took a shakedown cruise, and launched into an open-ended journey around the world. It’s hard to sum up the enormity of it all.

Norfolk: A Welcome Respite

Arriving in Norfolk felt like a well-earned break. As we pulled anchor in Norfolk in front of the naval station and motor sailed to the Norfolk Yacht and Country Club, we went around Norfolk Naval Station, where we were greeted by dolphins, called on the radio and asked to hug the buoy as a submarine was getting ready for departure and then to TOP it all off, a container ship leaving port decided to give us FIVE SHORT. Which means, get out of the way, you're in danger! We didn't hear them sound the single short to indicate leaving...so it was quite the surprise when we motorsailed in front of them and then watched them enter the channel right before us to depart.

Well deserved lounge during breakfast, checking weather and watching a movie.

Motor sailing to dock, around the Norfolk Navy Base

We’ve been soaking up the comforts of solid ground, including visits with new and old friends, delicious pizza at a local brewery, and some much-needed HOT showers at a nearby gym. The sauna has been a slice of heaven, and it’s given us time to regroup and prepare for the next leg of the journey.

Looking Ahead

Edgewater, MD was our home for five years. Now, anywhere and everywhere is home. Our plan is to wait for another weather window, which in December can be tricky. We’re hoping to bring crew back aboard on December 19th to set sail for Southport, NC, or Charleston, SC, and finally get to warmer waters.

I’m hopeful we can practice more as a family by focusing on day sails instead of overnight passages. Between battling seasickness and still learning the Raymarine systems, I’m not quite ready to stand watch, but we’ll get there—one step at a time.

Thank You

Thank you to everyone who’s been following along on SeaPeople, Marine Traffic, Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, and text. Your messages of encouragement and support mean the world to us. This is just the beginning of the adventure, and we’re so grateful to have you along for the ride.

*For more frequent updates, please visit @svkaikoa on instagram

Farewell Chesapeake

Months of Madness