Just Cruizin On Bluemoon

Some updates to my original thoughts ...

Unfortunately, while doing research on cruising with teens, I never found enough constructive sites relating to info I could work with; also with regards to cruiser schooling in South Africa...  Somehow we were left with mixed feelings as to our teens education and future. Were we  making the right decision long term for our kids or were we cutting them short with an alternative lifestyle.

Would they be able to get into University or College? Would they learn what is accepted as normal standards - How would the sailing effect their long term career options? So many questions with no real right answer, so we just continued to school our children on the ACE pace system, (see links under home schooling) except that we cut out one or two subjects and added in our own extra one. Because of the sailing, we do not have a rigid system like we had at home. They pretty much do school most mornings for a few hours (and sometimes in the evenings when crossing or going to a new anchorage).

The kids have started a book where they write in-depth on each country we visit, the sailing trip and events to, in and around the place, the weather, geography, history, culture, religion, fauna, galaxy, fish, economy and everything else that relates to their experience. This hasn't been as successful as I'd hoped yet .. Though I' ll wait for the end result...

Well, up to date we have found that the alternative lifestyle has been brilliant for the kids! There is no doubt that they are learning and enriching their lives and others. The local friends they have met has been such an enriching experience for them in so many ways! So yes, we made the correct move and have total encouragement that this lifestyle has added greatly to their schooling!!!

Before we started out or bought our yacht, we all went and completed a sailing course and qualified as deckhand  crew. It was a chance to see if we could make it a reality. Then after the plans were made and we had moved onto our yacht, the kids came with John and I to our navigational classes as well as first aid classes and also did the course, getting their 1st aid certificates.

We wanted to continue doing things as a team as it would give each one a generous amount of confidence knowing we could all sail our yacht and know what to do in a crisis. Yet, they are still too young for getting their coastal or yacht-masters! Though they now have the miles and should easily pass when the time comes. 

Having the kids partake with the learning and interactions with bluemoon, it has been greatly advantages to their sailing ability! They have grown in leaps and bounds and would be able to be crew on any yacht!

Fortunately, they have been taught to manage responsibilities and challenges that they are faced with, including teamwork relating to the yacht - cleaning, sanding, fixing the gel coat, painting and buffing. Beaching Bluemoon onto sandbanks when it is time to antifoul or sort out a prop. They help service the motors, change the engine oil, fuel filters and any other task needed to be done. Changing the impellers has become second nature to them.  

Helping plot positions and navigate, speaking on the VHF or SSB has become a natural part of sailing for them too.  They do anchor duty at each and every anchorage, dropping or lifting. Also lifting or sheeting in the sails, tacking or gibing, trimming the sheets or tweaking them to perfection. We all take turns helming, and the kids are naturals! No bad weather scares them off! They actually have an adrenalin rush!

Splicing the ropes was quite exciting for them though tough work! The night watches are broken up with John and I and the kids overlapping throughout the night as we never sit night shift alone. If there is bad weather or problems, we wake everyone up to assist where needed, though that has happened only a few times.  

 Bluemoon has many needs! So we all wash and clean her and have given responsibilities during the day. Justine cleans the solar panels, Jonathan measures the diesel and Jessica cleans the cockpit. All duties, cooking, baking, galley dishes, are all shared now, except washing our own clothes by hand...  Jonathan's job is also keeping tabs on the outboard motors and everyone uses the dingy. We have always multi-tasked with the kids so they can learn a variety of things. We all decide on things together,  including certain financial issues that affect us all, yet John and I make the ultimate decision in that regard.

Unfortunately there have been few cruisers with teens. Yet we have been blessed to sail with good friends, on Sanyati, where Ian, and later Callem were like part of our family.

Ian sailed with us for the first two months, so the kids were inseparable, and so never led to a problem of not meeting teens on other boats.  They have shared pool games, outings, and a lot of fun with adults and younger kids.

Some teens they have met on their journey has left them with some really great memories and some lasting friendships! 

We have been blessed being a close bunch, so our challenges have not really been too much of an issue regarding our individual relationships with each other. Sometimes we get irritated, or argue and sometimes we scream out of frustration, sometimes we're in a bad mood or just have a moment, yet it does not last too long after confronting the source of the issue... 

With the kids getting older, we find being so close and out at sea is actually fantastic.. There is true unity, teamwork and a closeness that develops between us all, yet I have found when we are anchored at an island (land) and the kids don't go out often.. it leads to a bit of tension... (too much work and too little fun... not a good combo for 3 teens!)  so we try to get out as often as we can.. and with the kids having made new friends, it is really great as they are often out on excursions with those friends who are teaching and showing them everything of interest about their lifestyle and country...

Getting along means we all need to consider the next person, be considerate, more understanding, have respect for one another, and be forgiving.   The nice thing is that the kids get to acknowledge what they are feeling, then understand it and use the tools to deal with it. Too many times one feels something yet cannot relate to what exactly it is. An example is we all get angry, for whatever reason, now you know you are angry, can identify it, and you also know the consequences in what you do with that anger, that makes the difference.

Having what our family calls "Freedom of Speech" allows our kids the right to tell us how they feel, if they are angry with us or upset, it doesn't matter, yet there is still a line  of respect. That way we are able to deal with different issues and with each other and our moments. (No easy task!)

We also do a lot of fun things together! Laughing, teasing each other playfully, joke, mess around, and share all the great and wonderful things together. We talk often which is great... we have formed great relationships...

Being a ' games family ', we play as often as we can...  Balderdash and Pictionary are still the most fun! So we still spend alot of time together. Also we socialize alot with other yachties, having braai's on the beach or big party's which are always fun for them.

We all fish and snorkel together and just enjoy seeing how different we all actually are. Also we get to see our strengths and weaknesses. The kids venture out to explore or have fun knee boarding or just visiting the town, without us!  We all try to respect each others space - also not always too easy - though it depends where we are.

Watching our kids grow and learn, making decisions, taking on responsibilities, school and duties and carrying them out has made us real glad that indeed we have made the right decision to sail.

Not only are they doing school, their school work is coming alive by what they are seeing and learning. One day soon they will venture out into the big world and we would never have had this opportunity to get to know them intimately as young individual adults in their own right!