A little background…
We met in our junior year at Texas A & M University and married four years later. We were fortunate enough to spend the ensuing 31 years with a Fortune 500 company that sent us overseas for 17 of those 31 years – traveling to more than 25 countries and experiencing the various cultures and cuisines while making lifelong friends around the globe. It was a dream come true for Julie, who had known since she was 13 that she wanted to live overseas, and an enjoyable means to an end for Bernie’s goal of an early retirement followed by a seasonal life over the seas!
A multiyear search for the perfect blue water yacht resulted in our purchase of Circe, a 48′ Hallberg Rassy sailing yacht…..the yacht of our dreams due to its extreme high quality and attention to detail, exceptional safety record, outstanding comfort motion, and ultimate luxury. Now with a destination, fair winds and following seas, good food and excellent company…..who needs anything else for following the rainbow?
Bernie – A sailor at heart, or as Julie called him – “A corporate beach bum”. Bernie grew up in the Republic of Panama and sailed much of his teenage years. During his career, many family vacations were spent on chartered sailboats or visiting boat shows around the world to understand what we wanted on a boat versus what was required in the ultimate blue water yacht. Charter vacations in the British Virgin Islands and St. Vincent and the Grenadines as well as sailing with friends in ports around the world was sufficient to scratch the sailing itch until retirement in 2018 when Bernie finally unfurled his dream of cruising at will.
Julie is along for the ride. While she loves traveling and prefers terra firma, she has her sea legs after many sailing related vacations and five sailing seasons on Circe! She keeps the crew happy and well fed as each port of call can lead to a newly discovered dish or dessert. “Yoga with Julie” is a common occurrence along the aft deck if at anchorage or alongside Circe at the dock. Her recent transatlantic crossing as 1st Mate on Circe as part of the ARC is her most recent sailing accomplishment!