“…we have lost all what money can buy and replace.”

These were the words I woke up to this morning, written by Roosevelt Skerrit, Prime Minister of the tiny island nation of Dominica as the category 5 hurricane Maria ripped through his home and his nation.

While hurricanes are a fact of life in the Caribbean, weathering a category 5 storm is not something to treat lightly as we’ve all seen following the devastation of Hurricane Irma just over a week ago.

I cried a little for Dominica today.

We visited this jewel of a tropical island in April this year and fell in love almost immediately.
Dominica bills itself as The Nature Island and it certainly delivers.  When we arrived in April we were greeted with the view of verdant forests spilling over mountains and valleys tumbling to the sea shore as if in a rush to be the first to splash in the inviting waters of the Caribbean sea.

Almost too perfect: Dominica

Two thirds of Dominica is covered by lush tropical rainforests with a mix of vegetation that includes towering trees, rambling vines and local food sources including breadfruit, passion fruit, mangos, star fruit, bananas, plantains, almonds and others.  The island lends itself to the purest forms of eco-tourism with dozens of marked hiking trails of varying difficulty traversing the crenelated landscape.
The incredible tropical rainforest and vistas inspired our imagination and fueled adoration for this, one of the poorest Caribbean island nations (with a per capita GDP greater only than Haiti and Jamaica).

Exploring Trafalgar falls, one of dozens of fresh water falls and pools in Dominica.

Indian River - a diverse mangrove ecosystem, home to birds, crabs, fish and incredible fauna.

Rolling valleys and crests of tropical rainforest - paradise found.

Rainforest hikes, surrounded by natural beauty preserved by a thoughtful nation.

Another waterfall and swimming hole buried in the depths of the rainforest.

Hope this little guy weathered the storm as well.

Maria was a category 5 hurricane when it passed over Dominica, with winds in excess of 160 mph.  So far there is not much concrete news out of Dominica but based on the damage done by hurricane Irma to Barbuda, Sint Maarten/Saint Martin, the BVI’s and USVI’s, and the Turks and Caicos, I fully expect that Dominica will be reeling under the combined weight of flooding landslides and massive damage to infrastructure and buildings on the island.

With more than one third of the labour force in Dominica employed in the agriculture sector, and agricultural exports accounting for nearly one fifth of the GDP of this tiny nation, there is no question that Maria will have a lasting impact.

At this time, we are hoping that the world doesn’t overlook Dominica and offers the necessary support to recover, much the same as Dominica did when they pledged nearly $1 million US to assist with recover efforts following Irma.

We will continue to watch the news come out of Maria's aftermath and are looking to see how we can help make a difference for a country and island that captured our hearts and feeds our dreams.

We are not alone...

A small sample of those who are coming with us...

Turns out that our travels are not just about us. Yes - we are the ones that are giving up our current lives, belongings and routines, clearing away the accumulated cobwebs and debris of 15 years.  But we are not alone.

We have friends who have supported us with their kind words & well wishes, loaned their vehicles, air mattresses, storage space.  Still more friends who opened their home to us, giving us a place to call home - our first and very memorable stop in our tour.

Off to an MLS soccer match the day
we moved in with friends.  Thanks Pete!

We have family who have drawn closer in the last few months, shared their dreams, embraced ours and made it OK for us to say farewell.  Not goodbye but so long - until next time.

We have parents who have volunteered to adopt pets, manage mail, obtain insurance, offer rides, visit often and always support the rightness of our choices for us.

We have co-workers who - in spite of staring heaps of unfinished business in the face can only offer words of encouragement, support, strength and wisdom.

We have mentors who keep in touch, feeding our dreams with stories of theirs, good times, bad times and long held memories of their adventures.

We have bare acquaintances who go out of their way to offer advice, encouragement and words of wisdom.

Yes indeed - it turns out that this is not just about us.  When you dream big and follow through the people around you react in surprising ways.

We have enjoyed, in the last several months more community than we ever did before we embarked on this adventure.  Perhaps it is we who have changed, become more open to the generosity of those around us, those who would be our community.  This is probably at least partially true but whatever the reason, we continue to be amazed, strengthened and encouraged by the community we are a part of and we will take this community with us in our hearts while we travel.

Making a difference...

Voyage of the Labyrinth: PILOT EPISODE from Jase Kovacs on Vimeo.

Jase Kovacs cashed in his life savings to buy a cruising trimaran.  He's been sailing in Southeast Asia for a little while with his crew Jolene, Roxy and James.  Along the way they've seen the impact of human activity on the ocean.

Now the crew of Labrynth are looking to turn their talents towards helping secure a future for the fragile eco-systems of the region they're sailing in.  They team up with local groups in an effort to bring awareness to the efforts being made.  They've also got a kickstarter campaign going to fund their efforts at conservation.

I've never met these folks, but appreciate what they're doing to make the world a better place for my kids and hopefully their kids.  It has also made me reflect a little on what we could do in our travels to leave the places we go to a little better than we found them.

We're actively exploring ideas that will help make a difference, teach our kids a little about giving and be practical given our planned lifestyle.  As we land on things we'll be sure to share them - and while we work our way through these explorations, we'd welcome your feedback - any ideas on how a sailing family could make a difference in the lives of those they touch?