Gone Livin’

If we had a door knob onboard that is the sign that would be hanging on it – “ Gone Livin’ ” Life onboard for the last few weeks hasn’t been hectic but it has been full. Full of conversation and good food. Full of catching up and slowing down. Full of unplugging and recharging….

Discover New Caledonia with Cruising Helmsman Magazine

I don’t get to see myself in print very often but Steve found a copy of the August issue of Cruising Helmsman at the Brisbane airport. Any Kiwi or Aussie sailors interested in hearing about our time sailing in New Caledonia last season pick up a copy today!!! ​

10 Down, 1 to Go 

When we first bought Kate in 2008 I had no expectations about what life onboard would be like. I hadn’t been dreaming of sailing the world since childhood, hadn’t furiously read any and all books related to sailing and I wasn’t an armchair sailor who leafed through a pile of sailing mags every month. I…

Goodbye

Saying goodbye is par for the course when you travel by boat. The people you met ashore stay on land as you sail away. The friends you make on other boats sail in the opposite direction. Saying goodbye is something you get used to but it never gets easy. But when you miss the opportunity…

Is that…normal?

As of the end of June I have been a high school graduate for 20 years, and in keeping with tradition there was supposed to be a reunion. Somehow the powers that be failed to organize anything in time so in lieu of an actually gathering someone started a Facebook group and graduates were invited…

Top Ten Ways You Know You’re a Full-time Liveaboard Sailor 

Top Ten Ways You Know You’re a Full-time Liveaboard Sailor You refer to the dinghy as the family car You can shower, including washing and conditioning your hair, in only 2 liters of fresh water. When talking on the phone you say “Over” at the end of sentences. Reggae island cover tunes played at ear…

Throwback Thursday; Mexico Family Beach Day

It is a warm Sunday morning in Acapulco. Downtown, across the bay from the anchorage, a beautiful beach lined with high rises and fancy hotels is tempting me. It looks like paradise from here, a strip of gleaming white sand and perfect blue ocean under a clear sky. But I know, close up, it is…

To make a Brummel Splice in Dyneema

This time last year we were bashing to windward with our newly installed dyneema inner forestay and staysail flying. It made the three day trip from New Caledonia to Vanuatu a whole lot easier. Read about how to splice dyneema in the June issue of Cruising World Magazine!

Markets: Food for the Soul

Amidst the unfamiliar countries and uneasiness of travel the markets are where I find a connection to the people, to the landscape. Although I have a deep and passionate relationship with food this is not why I seek out these places. It is the everyday-ness of the market that I crave. Disconnected from family, country,…