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What Happens in Vegas, I mean – Key West…

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

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Our Sail Around the World – Day 1

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

Emotional

It’s Hard to Say Good-bye, My Love

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

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Surviving Eta

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

clutch blowout

Clutch Bank Blow-out

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

Dry-Tortugas-1

Life Can Be Exciting. Let it!

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

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First Time for the Parasailor

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

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Risk Your Life to Save a Fish?

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