News About The Greer Family

April 15, 2002: Spring Break In The Balearics

Cap de Formentor

In the last three weeks we have had more rain here in Mallorca, Spain than we have seen in the last nine months that we have been in Europe. Unusual weather patterns have brought unsettled weather to Palma de Mallorca where we are currently located. Jocelyn has met a new friend, Kia, who comes from England, but has spent the last four years here in Palma. She complained today that even with the temperature at 17C all the rain has meant that despite wearing a turtleneck shirt, a light sweater, and a winter coat she was cold. Allen played in the park in his shirtsleeves and Kevin was walking around in shorts and a fleece coat. Weather is relative -- it depends on what you are used to.

When we first left on this trip we had planned for a year away. But our plan also hoped for a boat that would be ready in July or August and not November, 2001. After having cruised a small part of the Western Mediterranean, we have made the decision to stay one more year in the Mediterranean. We want the chance to explore the Eastern Mediterranean and to take our time in the places that we do visit. The only way we can do that is to take another year. Cruising is a slow, but very rich existence. We want to savour it with our children.

David's Diary

Allen and Kevin Enjoy Isla de Cabrera

David's not quite certain how it happened, but he's fallen behind by more than two month's on his daily journal. He has a variety of excuses, from not enough time to lack of Internet Cafes, but the truth is that keeping up a regular journal is hard work. The latest update includes our travels down the Spanish coast from Tarragona, to L'Ampolla, to Alicante. You can also read about our passage to the Balearic Islands, Spring Break on the island of Mallorca, and the visit to Dragonsinger by our friend Bobbie Robinson. To read about the up and downs of life onboard Dragonsinger and see pictures of what we have been up to:

Family Pictures

When we first created our cruising Web site we created a special area for pictures, but so far we have not figured out a way to organize the majority of pictures that we have already published. One thing we have done is gather together all of the pictures that show the entire family together.

Itinerary

We are more uncertain about our short-term itinerary than any other time on our trip. We remain in Palma at the Real Club Nautico while we wait for boat work to be completed by the local Jeanneau dealer. Since the work has not yet been approved by Jeanneau, we could easily be here for two more weeks. We are also focused on completing the rest of the school year by the end of May. This means that we will be squeezing ten weeks of school into eight weeks of time. We won't be able to do that if we are traveling too much. The following is our best guess as to what we think we will be doing over the next six weeks leading to the end of school:

Apr. 15 - 30:	Palma de Mallorca
May 1 - 15:	Finish touring Balearic Islands, including a visit to Menorca
May 15 - 30:	Possible crossing to Corsica.

The crossing from Menorca to Corsica is the longest that we have ever attempted and will cross some of the roughest waters in the Mediterranean. We may wait until school is finished at the end of May before we attempt it.