The October issue of Blue Water Sailing is on news stands now. Inside you can find the second edition of my column on crew health and welfare, “Heather Francis Onboard”. This month I address the aliment that lots of sailors have suffered through but not many talk about; Seasickness. Here’s a photo sent from Kim,…
Top Ten Galley Myths
In no particular order, here are the Top Ten misconceptions I would like to break about cooking and eating on a small sailboat. 1.“Boat” food is different than “land” food. It doesn’t have to be. Sure you have to think ahead, the grocery store is not just around the corner, and you may not be…
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How to Survive the Swine Flu and other Pork Related Advice
A tale of engine problems and eating in the seaside town of Puerto Vallarta
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On Watch
I am writing to you from Port Resolution, our anchorage at the island of Tanna. Tanna, well known for Mt.Yasur, an active volcano, and delicious coffee grown on the island, is only 135NM south east of Efate. On paper that would be an easy overnighter on Kate. In the real world it took three days…
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It is 5 o’clock somewhere…
Sailors have always had a bit of a reputation when it comes to booze. Way-back-when rum or grog was actually a daily ration, it often being safer to drink than the putrid water supply on board. And when the crew finally got a night ashore, sometimes after months or years at sea, it was not…
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Tsunami Stories on a Throwback Thursday
Todays 8.3 earthquake in Chile has again sparked tsunami warnings throughout the Pacific, although it does not sound like it will affect us here in Vanuatu. Thankfully. But this isn’t our first tsunami warning. In 2010 an earthquake in Chile caused a tsunami warning to be issued while we were afloat in Panama City, and…
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Galley Notes; Saffron Yogurt and Stove-Top Baked Yogurt Herb Bread
When Steve returns from a stint away working he always brings me a few special things. This time it was some fancy hand cream, a couple chocolate bars from duty-free (chocolate is expensive in this part of the world), a can of ready-to-eat hummus, a small bottle of perfume and a bottle of hazelnut butter. An…
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Tropical Boat Storage article in Cruising World
It is that time of a year again, the seasons are changing and many of us sailors are planning how and where spend the storm season. We spent four cyclone seasons holed up in Vuda Point Marina, Fiji, which meant we got the process of packing up and shipping off down to a fine art….
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Strange Drums and the Banks Band in Port Vila
I have always been attracted to the beat of a drum. In the sixth grade when we all had to pick an instrument to study at school I choose the drums. For the next seven years I played in the school band. I was never particularly interested in the drum set, no teenage dreams of…
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I swam with the tiger sharks and survived!
I am not big on New Years Eve, never have been. Maybe it is because in Canada where I grew up it arrives shortly after we see the darkest day of the year, hardly feeling celebratory. Also knowing that the coldest of winter weather is still to come and months will be spent trapped inside,…
