I perched on the bow watching Bermuda and the determination of my fate draw closer. The blues shifted from dark purple and bright ocean navies into the array of turquoises that are inexplicably unique to the islands that possess them. After nine epic days with the phenomenal crew aboard Grande Read more…
Seven days into our five-day voyage we were still stuck in the windless doldrums and we had just struck half way… At the strike of midnight, after a tasty slice of homemade lemon meringue to celebrate Gildas’, the captain, birth; we were off. With a two-meter draft, we needed the Read more…
The Americans said “No!” They didn’t want me. I’d spent most of the money I had left in the world on a visa* and without giving a reason, my application was denied. (No, they did not check my bank account. Yes, I wore shoes). I stared in disbelief, put on Read more…
Haiti, a living postcard strewn among the Leward islands of the Caribbean. A land where the only thing more abundant than palm trees is trash. And the local greeting is “give me one dollar.” It was a stunning smooth six day sail up from Martinique. Good winds. Good waters. Great Read more…
Land ho!! We were only five days out of French Guiana, but the crew aboard S/V Papillon could not have been happier to see green tropical paradises looming in our path! This passage has been that rough! Saint Laurent Du Maroni – half rainforest, half former penal colony – was Read more…
We did it! We survived four weeks of the blues. And while that might sound depressing, I assure you that these blues were pure bliss. After a good fight wrestling the mooring ball for our lines, Papillon sailed out of Saint Helena; leaving the island to shrink in our wake Read more…
I was busy booking a flight to Europe when the neighbours dinghied over. “Do you want to come with us?” I thought they meant into town. But later that same afternoon I had moved all my earthly belongings one boat over and taken refuge in my new catamarany home; Papillon. Read more…
I couldn’t believe that we were finally off! After so many farewells and false starts and restarts; could it actually be that we were truly sailing out of Hout Bay? For good? Morwenna chugged out of the marina and we turned into the wind to set her sails. There wasn’t Read more…
Six weeks ago I sat on the beach watching what was meant to be my last Cape Town sunset. Surrounded by so many of my favourite people, my heart yelled at me to stay! Why did I want to drift away from the most beautiful city in the world? From Read more…
“Make sure you come visit if you’re ever in [insert random name of strange town you will likely never visit]” -Anyone who has ever traveled is familiar with this phrase. It has become something of a generic salutation, the “politically correct” open-ended goodbye that is expected among gypsies. On the Read more…