A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius started out and ended a fantastic book. The middle part left a little to be desired. Eggers knows this and warns the reader that he/she may just want to skip the middle part of the book which deals mostly with his life as 20-something in San Fran [...]

I have gotten several questions about life on the boat–how stuff is laid out, how much room there is on board and just the general routine of things.  Life while the boat is moving and life while the boat is anchored or in a slip are completely different.
First, life while moving: We have traveled about [...]

p>Don’t ask what an Orab is–just embrace the fact that it is nothing….and everything–but just mostly nothing.  And this alumni from Sheldon High School wouldn’t want it any other way.  What a better mascot?!?  I mean really. We are told our entire lives to not conform.  To be an individual.  Those Bulldogs and Cougars and Trojans out [...]

I’m on a Dave Eggers kick, mostly due to Brandi’s influence and leftover book.  I read Zeitoun in about 2 days. At first glance I didn’t think I would like this one.  The story is about a family and their lives before, during and after Hurricane Katrina.  Having just lived through my own almost natural [...]

I would suggest reading Jeff’s version of this story first; mine version is bound to be filled with hyperbole. For dramatic affect I will also include a suggested soundtrack.  Anyway–let’s start the story.
Opening score: Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Daa
Scene: Oblivion entering the port at Ensenada–a floating dock that moves with the water–which at this point is a little rough.  Sky is blue.  Temp: 65 degrees.
Narrator(aka [...]

A man named Han Dieter once told me that there are two types of experiences–Good Experiences and Learning Experiences.  Here are some of our Learning Experiences.
Learning Experience #5: Jeff and Tim’s attempt at shore leave in Magdalina Bay.  This anchorage was recommended to us by every person we encountered.  They spoke of whales that would come right [...]

Part of the appeal on going on this adventure was presumably the unlimited time to read books.  Now that I think I have the seasickness under control, I have been able to read two so far: The Shack and Shakespeare by Bill Bryson.
The Shackwas given to us by a well intentioned friend who I can [...]

We have been using your waterproof, shock proof camera for just over a year.  Jeff used the camera daily to take pictures of the sailboat engine or winches so he could be reminded how to put them back together. I would use the camera to take pictures of Jeff trying to fix the engine.  This [...]

Jeff and I are 15 days into this adventure, but it seems like months.  I can’t decide if that is good or bad.  I’ve lost track of what day of the week it is and the time of day could be 9am or 3pm–it just really doesn’t matter. This is a bit of a change [...]

It’s Sunday night at about 6:00.  We are getting ready to depart for Ensenada, Mexico.  The trip will take from 12-16 hours as there is no wind.  For our on-board entertainment we have VHF channel 16.  This is the channel the Coast Guard monitors for emergency purposes and where others make announcements.  In this part of the [...]