Kent came across a crazy Reddit post recently, a harrowing tale of a sailboat, dismasted and adrift at sea for 6 days. The redditor was the rescuer, and the story happened during his Pacific crossing from the Marquesas Islands to Panama. Without giving it all away, I’ll just say that it was wild to come …
Destination Puerto Rico: Coquito for the Holidays!
In January 2022, Kent and I visited Fajardo, Puerto Rico. It was one of the most beautiful and relaxing getaways we've ever had. It was made extra special by the fact that we stayed at the El Conquistador Resort (pictured above ↑↑↑), a place where Kent's grandfather used to stay back in the day (1950s?) …
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Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Hope you have a blessed holiday!
Boats, Trains, and Automobiles
As I mentioned before, we signed on in late August with SailTime Chicago, a fractional membership sailing club, and have enjoyed several outings in Lake Michigan since then. The club keeps their boats in Burnham Harbor in Chicago during the sailing season, but winter is coming and it’s time to move the fleet up to …
We did something…. This is new.
We might be gluttons for punishment. We bought into a fractional membership sailing club in Chicago, at Burnham Harbor Marina on Lake Michigan. We signed on in late August (at a discounted rate) and the boat is a Beneteau Oceanis 30 which we share with the owner and a handful of other members. Being new …
Kent Won a Contest!!
A few months ago, Offshore Sailing School (OSS) announced they were going to run a contest in celebration of their 60th anniversary. They invited their graduates to "create an original photograph or artwork (painting or sketch) that illustrates or was inspired by taking a sailing or powerboating certification course…. Include a 100-word, typed essay about …
12* Ways We Get Into Sailing Without Owning a Sailboat
If you’d have asked me 5 years ago if I’d ever thought about sailing, I would have guffawed - it’s not feasible, not practical, and frankly, not possible here in Iowa. (Isn't Iowa a fly-over state?!) So when we tell people we’re learning to sail in Iowa, we sometimes get the side-eye. I’m not saying …
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How to make a Paloma – The National Drink of Mexico!
Today is the start of National Hispanic Heritage month and I’m here to celebrate! Admittedly, I only learned of National Hispanic Heritage month recently, but since my mother was born in Ecuador, I’d like to take this opportunity to recognize and lift up the richness of Hispanic culture and its delicious contributions! I would be …
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New Boat, New Water, New Skills
Last Sunday we crossed another set of firsts: we sailed our new club boat out of Burnham Harbor in Chicago. Read about our new club membership here: We did something…. This is new. Weekend before last, we spent a night on the boat and practiced docking just inside the harbor. But this time, we took …
How I Earned my Light Weather Helmsman Ranking
In October 2022, on Lake Macbride with the Iowa Sailing Club, I earned my light weather helmsman ranking. This credential qualifies me to sign out an FJ, Laser, or Hobie Wave in light weather. To earn this ranking, I had to demonstrate competency in the following skills: Rig, launch, retrieve, and stow an FJ Leave …
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