Can a Catalina 22 be sailed from Annapolis, Maryland, 150 miles down the Chesapeake Bay, then 20 miles out into the Atlantic Ocean rounding Chesapeake Light, and then return to her home port? Kohl Coffman believed so when he purchased Alt Escape (hull number 1343) in 1993.

Kohl had done the trip many times before while racing the Chesapeake Lighthouse Challenge on a friend's C&C 40. While the race is no longer held, the dream of trying the trip on Alt Escape grew. But, as often happens, life had other plans an d the trip never materialized. In July 1997, Kohl sold the boat to me, Sam Gallagher, his fellow crewmate and friend. As part of the purchase of the boat, the dream came at no extra cost; and I began to think of the trip as an adventure and challenge.