Today, the joys of sailing met the labyrinth of voltage wizardry! This afternoon’s adventure didn’t involve navigating tricky currents or dodging overzealous seagulls—it was a deep dive into the mysterious workings of the engine alternator’s voltage controller (a Balmar MC-614). Picture me hunched over this mini-computer (the unsung hero controlling our battery’s fate), muttering about…
Stormy Skies In The Keys
Saturday, 29 March, 2025Later in the day, an ominous thunderstorm rolled in like a dramatic villain in a nautical movie. Staying put in the Keys a little longer than originally planned now felt like a very smart decision (nothing says “unwise” like trying to outwit Mother Nature with a sailboat!). The forecast promises more atmospheric excitement tomorrow, but…
Adding a Glow to Marathon Nights
Friday, 28 March, 2025You never realize how much you miss the small comforts until they’re absent—like our beloved inflatable solar lanterns, the unsung heroes of cockpit evenings on our previous boats. These cute lanterns are the only items—so far—we realized we’d forgotten to bring along. Luckily, being in the Keys for several days has its perks, including the…
Marco Island To Everglades
Monday, 24 March, 2025Today was one of those magical days I’d been dreaming about since I first began mapping out our adventure back in December—an unforgettable leg that would lead us into the untamed wilderness of Everglades National Park. It wasn’t just the destination that had my heart racing; it was the journey itself. The thought of sailing…
Venice To Boca Grande
Friday, 21 March, 2025Take a look at the photo on the left. This is the sight that greets us after a quick nap, following an otherwise sleepless night. The motor yacht we mentioned in the previous post is still holding on, clinging to that single, precarious line wrapped around the channel marker. But now, the current and wind…
Operation Dinghy Liberation
Friday, 14 March, 2025You would think after the odyssey of unloading a minivan crammed tighter than a sardine can, we would get to kick back and soak in the glory of our efforts. Nope. The universe had other plans—because we still had to tackle the dinghy situation. Step one: extracting the dinghy from the minivan. This was less…
Running On Adrenaline Pure
Friday, 14 March, 2025The open road—a 25-hour drive only interrupted by a few short power naps in parking lots and questionable gas station coffee strong enough to strip paint. At 8:30 AM, with the sun grinning down at us like it knew something we did not, we rolled into the parking lot of Harborage Marina in St. Pete….
The Art Of Stashing
Tuesday, 11 March, 2025The art of provisioning—where necessity and ingenuity collide in a small fridge and a freezer that some might consider more “polite suggestion” than practical storage. It is the glamorous, gritty, and sometimes groan-worthy part of living aboard, where space is as sacred as rum (and twice as scarce). Allow me to introduce you to the…
V-Berther Or Aft-Dweller?
Friday, 7 March, 2025Today, we tackle one of life’s most critical boat-related questions: Where do you sleep best on a sailboat? Are you a front-and-center V-berther, a snug aft-dweller, or a wild card who prefers counting stars from the cockpit? First, a quick nod to the salty purists out there—those hardy souls who swear by sleeping amidships, as…
The First Real Sail
Tuesday, 25 February, 2025Ah, the grand plans we had for today! Boat chores were neatly lined up, waiting for us like patient soldiers ready for inspection. But, as we sailors know all too well, the weather often tempts one to abandon plans and set a new course. The morning greeted us with a sky that could not quite…