From a violent windstorm in Rangiroa that broke the bottom of our rudder to swimming with manta rays in Tikehau, sharing boat life with our daughter and grandsons, and finally limping into Raiatea with a hose clamp holding our rudder together, the past few weeks have been an unforgettable adventure. Now, as Equus sits high and dry awaiting repairs, Bora Bora is visible in the distance, reminding us exactly why we persevere and why we sail.
As many of you who follow along with our daily updates already know, we are currently sidelined in Nuku Hiva with a broken engine. What we thought would be a manageable repair has turned into one of the most frustrating and drawn-out challenges of our entire voyage. The Part That Didn’t Exist Before we left…
Cousins, Coconuts, and a Change of Plans We recently took a much-needed vacation to Tahiti to meet up with Dan’s cousin, Dale, and his wife, Cindy, who had traveled all the way from Washington State to see us. Originally, they were going to come sail with us, but with Equus currently without an engine, we…
Life, Loss, and Lessons After an eventful Pacific Ocean crossing, Dan and I finally arrived in the Marquesas Islands, a place sailors dream about for years. Remote, dramatic, and unapologetically wild, the Marquesas sit nearly 900 miles northeast of Tahiti, rising steeply from the Pacific like something carved by myth rather than geology. These islands…
The Marquesas rise from the Pacific like a dream — rugged, ancient, and alive with spirit. From Hiva Oa’s artistry to Fatu Hiva’s heartfelt traditions, each island revealed lessons in simplicity, resilience, and grace. Here, true wealth is found not in comfort, but in connection.
Chapter 1: The Toughest Dive of Our Lives Our unexpected detour to the Galapagos Islands has been a rollercoaster of jaw-dropping sights, backbreaking repairs, and heartwarming connections. Picture this: Dan and I, seasoned divers since our twenties, geared up for a dive at Gordon Rocks with Shark Bay Scuba Shop. This would be one of…
Sometimes, there can be beauty in despair, silver linings in misfortunes, and blue skies in the future where there seems to be nothing but storms. A Confounding Time in Panama In our seven years of circumnavigating, I have to say that our time in Panama has been the most confounding. She beat us up, spit…
Ahoy, Sailmates! We’re getting ready for one of the coolest and silliest sailing traditions in the whole wide ocean—crossing the equator! In just a few days, we’ll officially leave the Northern Hemisphere behind and sail into the Southern Hemisphere for the very first time on this journey. It’s not just a big deal in the…
Perhaps you have read my sailing stories and perhaps even read Riding the Waves of Reality: Tales of Turmoil and Triumph. Las month, I published my latest fiction novel, The Seven – An Odyssey of Seven Horses and Seven Humans. This is the story of seven individuals from around the globe and their encounters with…
I am thankful every day for my husband, my captain, and the man who makes this dream possible. He faces daunting tasks, setbacks, and seemingly impossible odds, yet he perseveres. Sometimes, frustration sets in, but I always hug him and remind him that the freedom we experience comes at a price—being in countries where getting…