One hundred twenty-four days ago, we waved goodbye to our family and friends in Seattle and sailed into a September sunset beneath the Olympic Mountains. In 124 days (September 30 – January 31), we traveled from Seattle, Washington, USA to Manzanillo, Colima, Mexico. I figured this would be a perfect time to crunch some numbers […]
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January 2015 It’s dawn on the 15th of January. I’m wrapped in a blanket savoring the few moments of the day when the thermometer drops below 80 degrees. Thousands of silver fish with neon yellow fins dart behind the aft of The Red Thread. It’s the magical witching hour when the seas seem especially alive, […]
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After two days in Avalon, we began planning our next passage. We enjoyed our time in Avalon so much we had considered staying longer. Unfortunately, I had developed a mysterious rash all over my body, except for my face, and I was pretty distressed by the physical experience of the rash and its dreadful appearance. […]
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Monterey for days Monterey was an unexpected stop for us. Initially, we had hoped to sail roughly 300 miles directly from San Francisco to Santa Barbara, but we are learning quickly that Mother Nature will play just as large a part in voyage planning as we will. A large storm rolled in, which prevented us […]
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After five nights beneath the glimmer of Ghirardelli Square, we weighed anchor and departed the Aquatic Park at 8 pm. As we motored west toward the Golden Gate Bridge, we watched our first major port of call fade under the glitter of an unexpected fireworks display. Since we knew not the cause for the celebration, […]
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One of aims of our journey is to travel off the beaten path and to sail to remote locations. As much as my nature is to focus on what could go right, rather than on what could go wrong, there is a very real possibility that one or both of us could become ill or […]
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Our list of things to do is dwindling, as it should be given that we set sail in just three days. Today, we finished stocking our ditchbag. If we ever have to launch our life raft and abandon ship, this will be the first, and potentially only bag, we will grab. During our prior excursions, […]
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One of the things on our behemoth Ready, Set, Sail To-Do List was building a sail repair kit. We’re approaching many tasks with a divide-and-conquer mentality these days, and I was tasked with this particular item. Sail repair is something that Neil and I have absolutely no experience doing, so we attended a sail repair […]
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The most substantive modifications to our boat have been aimed toward improving her performance and safety. However, we’ve also devoted a bit of time during the last year to making subtle changes and practical renovations that have helped to make The Red Thread feel more like home. Although the modifications described below are not exactly […]
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For any sailor, except those with extraordinarily deep pockets, cruising means making difficult tradeoffs. We end up having to ask ourselves questions like, “New running rigging this year, or an updated chart plotter?” Preparing for our journey abroad, Jessie and I have often had to ask these questions of ourselves. A generator or a windvane? […]
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Before the advent of watermakers, boats would set to sea with as much water as they could hold, tanks full to the brim and jerry jugs lining the lifelines. Rainwater was funneled into tanks for drinking or used for other tasks (e.g., laundry, bathing), a practice that continues among cruisers today. Many, but not all, […]
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“Behold, my friends, the spring is come; the earth has gladly received the embraces of the sun, and we shall soon see the results of their love!” -Sitting Bull I’m not certain whether it is the closeness to nature I experience living aboard The Red Thread or whether my farm girl roots are longing again […]
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Being just over six months away from the big day, we are inundated with lists of things to be done, supplies and equipment to be purchased, and loose ends to be tied. We try to tackle a couple of things each week, so that we can see progress toard our goal and keep the feelings […]
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“I start from the premise that no object created by man is as satisfying to his body and soul as a proper sailing yacht.” ~Arthur Beiser Owning a sail boat has been a dream of mine for quite some time. And, thankfully, I found a partner who was inspired by that dream and made it […]
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"The cure for anything is saltwater – sweat, tears, or the sea." –Isak Denesen
Author, Poet, Satirist, Social Commentator
follow our family on our sailing adventure.
"The cure for anything is saltwater – sweat, tears, or the sea." –Isak Denesen
gad·a·bout ˈɡadəˌbout/ noun a person who travels often or to many different places, especially for pleasure.
Story telling with data and pretty graphs
A publishing project of SF Creative Writing Institute
Sharing stories about how the pandemic is affecting you.
Sailing in Search of an Endless Sunrise
"The cure for anything is saltwater – sweat, tears, or the sea." –Isak Denesen
"The cure for anything is saltwater – sweat, tears, or the sea." –Isak Denesen
The Adventures of SV Cariba and her crew.
"The cure for anything is saltwater – sweat, tears, or the sea." –Isak Denesen
A family of four traveling the PNW aboard our 40-foot sailboat
Sailing adventures and photography
"The cure for anything is saltwater – sweat, tears, or the sea." –Isak Denesen
Sailing around the world, can't open a tin!
Nomads. Full-time RVers. Former cruisers.
Sail with the Flo - from England back to England - via the rest of the world
"The cure for anything is saltwater – sweat, tears, or the sea." –Isak Denesen
"The cure for anything is saltwater – sweat, tears, or the sea." –Isak Denesen
"The cure for anything is saltwater – sweat, tears, or the sea." –Isak Denesen
Sailing the world with kids
The adventures of Mia, Jon and Teo on Itchy Foot
Life is too short to say later. And winters suck.
s/v The Red Thread 