E-Mail Sue                          E-Mail Richard

This big trip, which will take the Van Gemerts from Long Beach, CA,
down to and through the Panama Canal, up the east coast of
Central America and Mexico, across the Gulf of Mexico to Florida,
up the east coast of America, into the Great Lakes via the Erie
Canal, all began with our first sail boat, The Penelope Sue, way
back in 1972.

Since 1972 , beginning with Penelope Sue which was a 28 foot
Columbia sailing vessel, we have had an O'Day 37 foot sail boat
named Pacific High, a 36 foot Grand Banks named Fat Cat, and
now the boat of our dreams, Lionheart, a 49 Foot DeFever RPH with a
five foot extension.

We have sailed to Catalina 100's of times with our family and
friends. We have cruised the west coast from San Diego, CA, all the
way to Glacier Bay, Alaska. We spent six seasons in Canada,
cruising the Gulf Islands, Desolation Sound and Vancouver Island,
as well as down to Puget Sound. In 2002 we spent six months
making our second trip to Alaska and then bringing Lionheart
home to Southern California.

On October 20, 2005, we will leave our kids, grandkids, family and
friends to embark upon the Big One. We plan to be out cruising for
3 to 5 years and we will keep our cruising journal on this website.