Latest Blog Posts
-
Academic rigour and readiness: is it possible to homeschool kids on a boat to prepare for University?
Homeschooling four kids on a boat
-
Project management in the boat yard: the importance of setting expectations early
Cruising on a boat requires an enormous skill set. To be fully self-sufficient you must be your own mechanic, electrician, plumber, upholsterer, weather forecaster, chemical engineer, procurement officer, accountant, all the while being a community-minded, knot-tying, swim teaching, social director. It is small wonder that some cruisers wind up in their dinghies with sunburns and alcohol poisoning. Arriving in Trinidad in late June, we lifted our catamaran out of the water and my husband departed for Canada, leaving behind me and our four children. He said that he left to look after our house in Ottawa. But, we know that…
-
Why the Caribbean has virtually no tides
Why Caribbean tides are tiny — and why Panama’s beaches can vanish at high tide.
-
An unexpected visit to Aphrodite from the Secret-Santa Amazon fairy
Amazon knows. Someone knows. But, we are in the dark. Some packages arrived in the mail today. Each package contained things we did not order. The contents of each box was eclectic. It was a bit like opening a window into a different world. The person who placed the order clearly valued healthy, decadent foods. And, they had a practical streak. For example, their clothespins were amazing. They looked very strong and colourful. Their laundry bag was made of strong mesh. I wish that everyone could have this experience. It felt a bit like swapping grocery carts with someone whose…
-
Freezing on a catamaran in Georgia
We are missing some critical boat parts. The temperature is dropping to below zero. We just ran out of propane, and I’m looking like a ninja wearing a balaclava because our heater just stopped working. These are not the scenes I would usually associate with catamaran living. Certainly, when people stop by our boat and say things like, “You are living the life!” they are probably not imagining scenes from A Christmas Carol being played out on our boat. Tonight our catamaran feels like a conduit for the cold weather and water that surrounds us. My blanket feels like a…