I am 1/2 way through my Junior year at The University of Georgia. I've taken the 2004 Spring semester off, and don't have to go back until Fall. That gives me roughly 7 months to spend living the life on my 25' sailboat. On February 13, I moved the boat from Buford, Georgia to Bear Point Marina in Orange Beach, Alabama. I plan on living at Bear Point until the end of May. During that time I hope to score a job or two. Ideally I'd like to work on a fishing boat, but honestly, I'll do anything for three months...I'm not going to be picky as long as it pays! I also plan on getting some sea time in by making a good many day trips and a few weekend trips. This is pretty important, considering I've never sailed in the Gulf before.

After I work for a few months, I will leave Orange Beach with the goal of sailing around Florida via Key West and ending up in Savannah by the end of July 2004. Other than those general goals, I don't really plan on setting any specific dates, because I'm in no big rush. Best I can tell, when you start to get in a hurry, you're more likely to travel in marginal weather and end up really messing up. So, that's pretty much it! I'll keep you updated if the plans change any.

Update (8.31.2004):

Around the middle of April I was enjoying my stay at Bear Point so much, that I began to entertain another option.  I was beginning to realize that sailing on Lake Lanier really would'nt do after sailing the Gulf, and that it might make sense to leave DawgGone at Bear Point when I went back to school.  This would also allow me to move back down on the boat and work in Orange Beach for Summer '05, which I was hoping to do anyway.  Plus, it seemed that the Eastern Coast of Florida was essentially going to be 'ditch' traveling anyway, and all of the really scenic areas were on the Gulf side.

Before I knew it, my Plan had morphed into a yo-yo trip down Florida's entire Gulf Coast to Key West, and then back up.  Now, with my boat safely tied up at Bear Point, and me back up in school, I would have it no other way.  (Not to mention how much my grades will improve without my boat up at Lanier!)