Curtis & Sandra Collins met in 1996 while crewing in the Harvest Moon Regatta and have been sailing together ever since.
They were married exactly one year later, during a torrential down-pour, at Nautica Boat Club on the shores of Lake Texoma, Texas.
Their cruising adventures have taken them from the coastal waters of Texas to Florida, Florida Keys, Dry Tortugas,
Bahamas, Cuba, Jamaica, British Virgin Islands, Bay Islands Honduras, Rio Dulce Guatemala, and finally Belize. See their cruising scrapbook for stories and pictures of these adventures.
When they met, Sandra was new to sailing, but has since logged
many cruising miles and completed several ASA courses. Curtis had extensive cruising and racing experience. He is an
ASA Instructor Evalutor, ASA Sailing Instructor and holds a USCG 50-Ton Masters License.
Their plans to go cruising were
sparked by an unusually intense cold front passing through southern Florida. The next morning, Sandra stepped outside their home in
Bradenton, FL to discover ice in the bird bath and declared it was time to move somewhere warmer. That event set the wheels
in motion to leave for an extended cruise with a final destination of Belize. They sold the house, retired from their
respective careers, and set off on the "scenic route" to Belize.
Before retiring from their careers, Curtis was a partner
in an Information Technology consulting firm and Sandra was a Perfusionist (medical specialist). The are now establishing a new "career"
as charter operators in Belize.
