Our anchor had barely settled into the patch of white sand in seven feet of water behind Shroud Cay when a dinghy approached from the only other boat in the anchorage. When pulling into a quiet cove with only one other boat, one never knows if you are welcome company or intruding on another boat’s… Continue reading Shroud Cay and Camp Driftwood
Category: Lifestyle
The Arctic Awaits – High Latitude Sailing in Norway
“Portland, Maine” a woman exclaims from the pier. “Did you sail that boat all the way from Maine?” her male companion chimes in. We are tied stern to at the visitor’s dock in Ålesund, Norway. The public floats are traversed several times a day by the parade of tour groups from the visiting cruise ships.… Continue reading The Arctic Awaits – High Latitude Sailing in Norway
Winter Project – Camper Van Conversion
After sailing our Whitby 42 to Europe during the summer of 2018, our cruising calendar changed to accommodate the winter cold of Europe. By mid-October it was best to leave the boat securely in Belgium and travel back to our home in Maine for nearly 6 months – mid-October to mid-April. Faced with 6 months… Continue reading Winter Project – Camper Van Conversion
Atlantic Crossing
Day four of an offshore passage seems to be the day when time and distance finally drift to the background. The journey becomes the focus not the landfall. During the first few days of a passage, I am constantly thinking about boat speed, distance covered, and the number of days still required to achieve the… Continue reading Atlantic Crossing
Providing Shelter for Feathered Friends
It is impossible not to feel exposed and vulnerable when sailing on a small boat far from land and sheltered harbors. Mother Nature is clearly in command of the seas and the weather. We venture offshore prepared as best as possible. We gather the most complete forecast available. We avoid sailing in the stormy seasons.… Continue reading Providing Shelter for Feathered Friends
Cruising Karma – Our Brilliant Green Stowaway
On a recent spring passage from Norfolk to Block Island, we discovered a small tree frog that was an unfortunate stow away. He must have snuck aboard when we were tied to the wall of the Great Bridge Lock on the Intracoastal Waterway outside of Norfolk, Virginia. Early on the second morning at sea, I… Continue reading Cruising Karma – Our Brilliant Green Stowaway
Offshore Passage to Bermuda – This Doesn’t Suck
This night is surreal. We are 300 miles from Cape Hatteras and 350 miles from Bermuda in the middle of the ocean. The moon is nearly full and the ocean is flat calm. A lazy swell rolls in from the east but on top of this are only ripples from the light breeze. The light of… Continue reading Offshore Passage to Bermuda – This Doesn’t Suck
Schooners Everywhere! Just Another Day on Penobscot Bay…
This past August we left Belfast, Maine for a short sail to Carver’s Harbor on Vinalhaven. The trip was about 20 miles down Penobscot bay past the ports of Camden and Rockland. Slowly we realized that in every direction we looked we saw another schooner under sail. Most seemed to be heading from the mainland… Continue reading Schooners Everywhere! Just Another Day on Penobscot Bay…
The Gulf of Maine – A Happening Place
We recently had the pleasure of crossing the Gulf of Maine in Alembic with a friend Sarah, an experienced biologist. Sarah kept us alert to wildlife sightings and also shared a number of interesting facts about this unique body of water. The Gulf of Maine is about 36000 square miles bounded to north by Nova… Continue reading The Gulf of Maine – A Happening Place
Western Caribbean Short Cruise
For US East Coast cruisers looking to extend their cruising experience beyond the Bahamas, the Western Caribbean short cruise offers an adventurous alternative to the more common Eastern Caribbean destinations such as the BVI and Windward Islands. My version of the “Short Cruise” includes Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Honduran Bay Islands, Belize and Mexico. For those… Continue reading Western Caribbean Short Cruise