Paradise Found in High Latitudes
(published September 2017) It’s June and I’m cold. A heavy rain pelts my black Musto jacket and I pull the brim of the hood down slightly to let water drip off. I watch the drops fall on the toes of my sea boots, roll off and disappear on to the
Top Ten Items to Have Onboard
Not necessarily the "big ticket" items but items that have over the years the author has come to rely on (published September 2017) I’ve delivered countless cruising boats within and across virtually every ocean. Some of the vessels had the things I liked. Others may have missed a few things.
Land Ho!
The culture shock of life ashore (published August 2017) Stepping from the marina parking lot onto the sidewalk, cars rushed by in a flash and I felt my heart start beating a bit faster. Rain pounded on the hard pavement, the stench of exhaust hung in the air and I
Paradise Found
A charter in French Polynesia's Isles Sous les Vents offers wonderful sailing, beautiful anchorages and amazing diving (published August 2017) It was a while ago. Perhaps it’s been too long since the sight of jagged tropical mountains and the smell of freshly baked baguettes pierced the morning. Now, through a
For the Love of Alaska
Achieving a cruising dream (published June/July 2017) With our bright blue spinnaker poled out and full of wind, we sailed across the border between British Columbia and Alaska in perfect downwind style. Bathed in April sunshine, our family of four whooped and hollered at the occasion. It had been nearly
Fitness Afloat
Everyone knows that a balanced diet and regular exercise are the pillars of maintaining a healthy lifestyle but it can be difficult to put that knowledge into acton, especially on board (published June/July 2017) We spent 2016 exploring the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. Choosing to stay close to
Pace On When the Breeze is Off
How to coax out more speed and miles when the wind goes light (published June/July 2017) Waves of rising heat seem to distort visions of the distance, and the sounds of insects seem to increase as everything else grows more silent. The surface of the water has assumed a flat,
The Right Boat For You Is…
(published May 2017) When I overheard Porter, our newly minted four-year-old, say, “Mom, I love Yahtzee” while being tucked into bed for the night, I couldn’t help but smile. The topic between he and Jill was boats, ours and others, and it was comforting to know that he loves his
Galley Guide
The pressure cooker, a galley essential? (published May 2017) When we bought Kate I had both boating experience and cooking skills, but had never needed to combine them in such a small space before. I figured there were a few tricks of the trade I didn’t know. So, I went
Northward Bound
Daylight lengthens, and rumor has it that the weather is getting warmer further to the north. It's time to leave the tropics in favor of northern summers (published May 2017) Aquamarine water and pastel sunrises, warm breezes amidst softly swaying palm trees and the sound of tree frogs chirping: it