Glow Worm Caves, Waitomo New Zealand
Boarding the Royal Yacht Britannia, Leith Scotland
I made it! 110 days on the water and 10 workdays. The challenge to consistently get on the water was hampered by the need to be in the office more by myself and my friends. Work getting in the way of my water time resulted in grabbing a day on the water in any way possible. As such, 2023 was a mixed bag of experiences on the water.
Day 1- Waitomo, New Zealand – Tour glowworm caves via a raft on an underground river.
Day 2 - Tongariro National Park New Zealand – Touring Volcanoes via boat on the crater lake.
Day 3 was supposed to be a ride on an America’s Cup boat in Auckland, but a wicked Nor’easter canceled that. The consolation prize was touring the maritime museum that houses the hull of Black Magic and a replica of the America's Cup.
Boating season in Annapolis began in March and continued until November. As usual, days on the water consisted of paddle boarding, sailing, and acting as a tour boat operator for my midshipmen.
But that was not enough this year to get in my 100 days. Other days on the water included paddle boarding in South Padre Island, Texas, whale watching in the Azores off Pico Island, riding the ferry from Pico to Madalena Island, Azores, paddle boarding on a volcanic crater lake on San Miquel Island, Azores, an evening cruise on the Pride of Baltimore, a gondola ride at the Venetian in Las Vegas, ferry rides to and from Ocracoke Island NC, and boarding in the Atlantic in Ocracoke.
My 110th and last day on the water was December 31, 2023. I toured the Royal Yacht Britannia in Leith, Scotland. Although it may seem like an unlikely activity for a day on the water, it was the ideal way to end my voyage in 2023.