We began our blue water cruising adventures in 2017. Bright-eyed, optimistic, and confident in our knowledge of the resources and equipment we needed to set off on our circumnavigation, we cast off the dock lines owning only what fit aboard our 43-foot Taswell cutter rig. Our research on cruising was extensive. We took a 1,000-mile…
Embracing Change: From Blue Water Sailing to Grandparenthood
“Change is the only constant in life.” – Heraclitus This timeless quote by the ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus perfectly captures the essence of adapting to change. It embraces the reality of the bluewater cruising lifestyle. Only by embracing change can you successfully navigate the ever-evolving nature of our world. After five long months of…
Setting Sail or Going Stale: The Best Food to Have on Board for Bluewater Sailing
“At sea, I learned how little a person needs, not how much.” Robin Lee Graham When we first moved aboard our Taswell 43’, cast off the dock lines, and headed out to sea, every cabinet, every bilge, every empty pocket of space aboard our boat was filled with stuff we thought we couldn’t live…
Top 5 Blue Water Cruising Essentials
“The lovely thing about cruising is that planning usually turns out to be of little use.” Dom Degnon Whether it’s the weather, global pandemics, family emergencies, or epic breakages, you can only sketch a rough guideline of where you want to sail as a blue water cruiser and when you want to be there. However,…
Out of the Med and Into Chaos With a Side of Morocco
“It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.” – Ernest Hemingway Our journey in the Med ended as we prepared for our: Sailing Adventures to Morocco: Exploring the Vibrant Mediterranean Coast. We had worked our way east after leaving the safe harbor…
From Curious to Dangerous: The Risks of Sailing in Areas with Orcas
Actually, orcas aren’t quite as complex as scientists imagine. Most killer whales are just four tons of doofus dressed up like a police car. Christopher Moore If you are planning on sailing along the Atlantic coast of Spain or Portugal, you might want to keep an eye out for some unexpected visitors: orcas, also…
Sailing Naked – Speaking the Bare Truth – Top Five Embarrassing Moments
Before we left on our sailing adventure, our Yoga instructor, Lumi, rolled her eyes when we announced to her that we were selling everything and heading out to sea. We looked at one another and cocked our heads at her response. She seemed agitated by our announcement. “Yeah, my husband’s parents did that,” she explained…
Six Boat Items That Make Life Aboard Easier
“It has long been an axiom of mine that the little things are infinitely the most important.” Arthur Conan Doyle Everyone who has lived aboard a sailboat for an extended period of time will concur that living aboard is challenging. This level of difficulty may differ according to the type of boat you purchased…
Half Way Around the World – What’s Our Next Sailing Adventure?
“No, this is not the beginning of a new chapter in my life; this is the beginning of a new book! That first book is already closed, ended, and tossed into the seas; this new book is newly opened, has just begun!” C. Joybell It’s wonderful to know that every day is a…
Overcoming Adversity Sailing in the Med
“You can’t calm the storm, so stop trying. What you can do is calm yourself. The storm will pass.” – Timber Hawkeye My vision of what life would be like living on a sailboat and the reality of life aboard a sailboat might be akin to a person going out for a hike. The map shows…