Sail Far Live Free

"Live in the sunshine, swim in the sea, drink the wild air." - Ralph Waldo Emerson It seems many of the trips I plan have a mission statement similar to Emerson's prose. The sun, the sea and wild air sum it up nicely for me. This trip began with an amber moon setting quickly in the west as we motored out the channel to Lake Michigan at about 4:45am. We raised the main and motorsailed north for about an hour before the winds were up enough for full sails and the quiet calm that comes when the motor sleeps.  And so the motor slept all the way to the Manistee channel where our first night began at the recently renovated municipal marina. The last time we were here (~2010) the shower facilities were akin to standing under a leaky pipe in a musty basement. I'm happy to report that the new clubhouse features private showers (with doors!), painted walls, and just about all the amenities (cable TV, WiFi, nautical periodicals, etc.) many of us leave port for in the f

I'm still collecting my thoughts and storing my memories from our recent family sailing cruise, but the short summary in regards to the actually sailing is that it was the best we've ever experienced on a trip of two or more days. Favorable winds (both direction and speed), pleasant seas (mostly calm or quartering us in the right direction) and plenty of time to get comfortable with sail trim all made for very easy cruising. See some of the sailing for yourself here in this video:

Blue Horizons by K. Walters

Most cruising sailors I know have an assortment of dry boxes and dry bags to keep valuable equipment safe from the elements. We've personally got a small cylindrical dry "box" on a lanyard for toting small stuff (keys, cash, etc.), a couple of slightly larger dry boxes for our phones, and two large dry boxes for tools and gear. We also use a large dry bag as our ditch bag. But until now we haven't had dedicated dry storage in one of the places where it tends to get the wettest - our dinghy. Who among us hasn't been swamped by a wave when nearing the beach on a dinghy? Or caught in a rain shower while on a shore excursion? We certainly have. The Amphibian Weather Defense backpack from Outdoor Products combines the utility of a backpack with the water protection of a dry bag. Essentially, this is a 20 liter roll-down dry bag with shoulder straps - perfect for toting gear, clothes and valuables around on the dinghy and to-and-from shore. The 20 liter main co

"Our anchor is our title deed to our real estate, and we can claim our property all around our coasts or in foreign countries, either if we like." - Frank Cowper from Sailing Tours: The Yachtsman's Guide to the Cruising Waters of the English Coast Quiet.    Gone is the cacophony of dock parties and the clinking of cocktail glasses at the restaurant. Calm. No more herky jerky motion from 6 docklines tugging in all directions. Distanced from the wakes of marina traffic. Simple. Cable TV connections and WiFi signals are delightfully out of reach. Water pumped from a foot pedal. A cockpit sundowner with my true love in the glow of solar lights and moonbeams reflecting off the water. Slow.   A dinghy ride to shore. A hammock nap over the foredeck. Morning coffee on the stove. The squeaks of the anchor rode on the bow roller are my kind of music. The bobbing of the hull simply feels different away from the dock. It’s almost like