Key West is a very interesting place. It’s quaint and beautiful, filled with lush landscaping, architecture that only Key West can appreciate, and some of the best food I’ve ever eaten on the front porch of an old stately home. People everywhere travel by bicycle or scooter. It’s very quiet, laid back and friendly. But Read More
I know that predicting the weather isn’t easy. I’m definitely not a meteorologist, but when winds are predicted to be 8-10 knots from NNE, and they end up being 16-18 knots from E, along with 6′ waves on the beam, I can assure you they kinda got it wrong. Thats why we tucked in to Read More
Our first night. We made it to Venice Beach. I’m worried about this whole sea sickness thing, though. It seems to be getting worse. Maybe it’s because I’m getting older. I don’t know. But I’m not sure how I’m going to sail around the world if I keep getting sick to my stomach every time Read More
Today is a very emotional day for us. We’ve been planning and preparing for this day for the last seven years, to begin our adventure of sailing around the world. Today is the day we left the Harborage Marina in Downtown St. Petersburg. We’ve had see-you-later dinners with our families, had a 6-hour happy hour Read More
Well, this was exciting. We are docked at the Harborage Marina in St. Petersburg, FL. We love this marina. It’s a little pricey, but we always felt it was worth the extra money. We were actually offered a slip at a nearby marina for less than half the price. When we went to see it, Read More
How do you destroy a Lewmar triple clutch bank? Oh, that’s easy! Step 1 Start sailing in 28 knots of wind and 4-6′ seas coming at you from about 45 degrees off your starboard bow. Single reef your main and jib. Put up with that kind slop all day until the sun starts to set. Read More
I’d never been to the Dry Tortugas before. It’s actually two small islands about 70 miles west of Key West. Fort Jefferson is a brick fort built on Garden Key between 1846-1875 to protect one of the most strategic deepwater anchorages in North America. It was never finished or fully armed. And today it’s a Read More
So, we bought this beautiful sail last year. It’s called a Parasailor. It’s a downwind headsail meant for light winds. The set-up can be a bit confusing, and it has to be exactly right for it to work. We flew it for a few minutes during our training. Another time, our friends, Karl and Natalie, Read More
The second leg of our trip to the Dry Tortugas was a 4-5 hour sail into the Venice Inlet. The weather was fine, just a few squalls on the horizon. We motored under the Longboat Pass Bridge again, without the anxiety of its narrow space this time. The waves in the pass maintained their washing Read More
Remember when we went to the San Juan Islands to sail with our friends Bill and Kris in July? We loved the scenery and the weather. Long sleeves during the day and snuggling under four blankets at night to stay warm. I didn’t even have any hot flashes! As summer turned to fall, Bill and Read More