January 12, 2022
I broke my collarbone last Friday in a spectacular crash into the padel tennis net, onto my head, and falling over onto my collarbone. I was admitted into the hospital with surgery the next morning. Eight weeks from now I hope to be back on the court.
Visit Portugal to see what’s going on in our lives.
Our beautiful Big Sky is now sold.
We renamed our house in Portugal "Casa Céu Grande" Big Sky in Portuguese.
See our video below where we captured the yard this August 2021.
Our house in Carvoeiro, Lagoa, Portugal
Following 13.5 fabulous years living aboard our floating luxury condo, she is now sold.
​Barb and Con Sprenger
Thank you Big Sky for the most incredible adventures and a bucket full of memories to last the rest of our lives. She now belongs to a new family.
We moved into our bungalow casa in Carvoeiro, Portugal, last September 2020.

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Big Sky safely escorted us through the Mediterranean, Baltic, and Black Sea, and up and down the Atlantic Ocean as we explored more than five dozen countries soaking up the beauty of the world and her people. In a word, it’s been magical. Waking in the morning at anchor surrounded by calm blue waters is my version of heaven. I’ll be homesick for the hundreds of chattering, leaping dolphins who greeted us over the years, the occasional whale, and dozens of flying fish. I’ll miss the ease of waking in one country, and having dinner in another. Changing languages with our greetings like changing socks. We will miss the sailing community, perhaps the most friendly community out there.
Con’s realized dream, “To Sail in Retirement” began for us in 2007 and has been quite possibly his greatest dream for our retirement.

A message for those with a similar dream, “Don’t put it off for tomorrow, as there are no guarantees in life. Do it now while you have your health and youth.” -- My thought for the day.
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Visit Portugal 2021.
For a peak at our house in Carvoeiro click here.
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My article: The Inspirational Philosophy of Sailing Through Life: https://www.nauticalmind.com/blog/2012/02/sailing-through-life/
Below: View of Sintra from Castle dos Mouros; Erice amphitheatre in Sicily; Gulfo di Castelemmarre, Sicily; castles in Erice; Paxos in the Greek Ionian, and the northern end of the island of Milos.
09/22/19