From Ocean to Island: Celebrating Our Atlantic Crossing in Grenada

We Made It! Celebrating Landfall in Grenada

The moment we arrived in Grenada, it felt surreal. After 16 days at sea, sailing across the Atlantic Ocean, we were greeted with the ultimate Caribbean welcome—rum punch in hand before we had even fully secured the boat. And trust me, after that kind of journey, that first sip hit differently.

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Once the boat was settled, there was only one place to go—the marina restaurant, where the celebrations truly began. Walking in, we were met with cheers, hugs, and the overwhelming realization that we had actually done it. The friends we had made along the way were all there, and there was an endless chorus of, “OMG, can you believe we actually made it?!”

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Just as we were catching up, deep in conversation and waiting for our food, we heard a loud “SURPRISEEEE!” Now, we knew our family was flying in (as seen in the previous blog), but we honestly thought they’d be exhausted and would wait until morning to see us. Nope. There they were, standing right in front of us. The emotions? Off the charts. Hugs, tears, more hugs, and maybe another round of tears.

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The night continued with drinks, laughter, and storytelling. Not having had alcohol for over 16 days—especially after being sick for the first three—let’s just say that first drink went straight to my soul. The details are a little hazy, but I distinctly remember dragging two of our friends back to their boat (no names mentioned, but you know who you are!). Then Ian, Michelle, and I eventually stumbled back to our boat, while Lana and Peter had called it a night hours earlier. Before crashing into bed, we just stood there for a moment, looking at each other and saying, “OMG, we actually did it.”

First Morning in the Caribbean

The next morning, I was up early, unable to sleep. With a cup of tea in hand, I climbed up to the flybridge and just took it all in. The Caribbean stretched out in front of me. We had sailed the Atlantic. We had actually done it. The sense of accomplishment was almost overwhelming.

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By 8 AM, Ian was up, and we headed off to customs. Turns out, we weren’t the only ones—the queue of newly arrived sailors was already forming. While Ian waited in line, I made a beeline for coffee and the biggest sausage-egg muffin I could find at the marina café. Priorities.

Once officially checked into Grenada, it was time to get the boat in order—cleaning, sorting, and waiting to be guided to our berth. We also had our mandatory arrival photo with the Grenada sign and crew, the classic keepsake of every sailor crossing the Atlantic. Later, Ian’s mom and her best friend came over, and we spent hours recounting our journey, still in disbelief that we had actually arrived by boat.

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ARC+ Welcome Drinks & The Return of My Appetite

On December 5th, it was time for the ARC+ welcome drinks—a chance to reunite with even more of our sailing family. Before the party, we went for dinner at 61°West with our friends from Moose. It was a special moment for me—because, for the first time in 18 days, I was actually able to eat a full meal without feeling sick! That, in itself, was a celebration.

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After dinner, we headed back to the marina, where the welcome drinks were in full swing. Some boats had only just arrived an hour before, but that didn’t stop them from diving straight into the festivities. And let me tell you—Grenada’s rum punch is no joke. I had one cocktail with dinner, then one rum punch at the welcome drinks, and suddenly, I was on the dance floor, jumping and twirling like someone who hadn’t just spent over two weeks at sea. Where did the energy come from? No idea. But I embraced it.

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The night was filled with joy, laughter, and the pure elation of every single sailor there. We had done it. We had crossed an ocean. And now, it was time to celebrate.

Next adventure: exploring the beauty of Grenada… but first, some much-needed sleep!