A little history

There have been requests for some history of our journey. We bought our boat in July of 2002 in Fort Lauderdale and had it shipped on Dockwise to Vancouver Canada. Dockwise is a company that operates ships that transport boats, basically ocean going drydocks. They 'sink' the ship and all of the boats float on and are secured in place, they pump the water out of the boat and away they go. The boat was dropped off in Indian Arm Canada, which was an exceptionally beautiful place. We had a great time with our new friends, Roli and Kathy, who also had their catamaran, Katitude, shipped. We buddy boated for a while until they headed south in September. We stuck around in Canada slowly bringing our boat south. We then sailed it down from there in October 2002. Actually we motor-sailed mostly due to there being too little wind for most of the trip, which was better than the dreaded winter storms that could have materialized. We have lived aboard ever since then with many trips to Catalina, Long Beach and San Diego.

Words that strike a chord

“To be truly challenging, a voyage, like a life, must rest on a firm foundation of financial unrest. Otherwise, you are doomed to a routine traverse, the kind known to yachtsmen who play with their boats at sea… cruising, it is called. Voyaging belongs to seamen, and to the wanderers of the world who cannot, or will not, fit in. If you are contemplating a voyage and you have the means, abandon the venture until your fortunes change. Only then will you know what the sea is all about. I’ve always wanted to sail to the south seas, but I can’t afford it.” What these men can’t afford is not to go. They are enmeshed in the cancerous discipline of security. And in the worship of security we fling our lives beneath the wheels of routine - and before we know it our lives are gone. What does a man need - really need? A few pounds of food each day, heat and shelter, six feet to lie down in - and some form of working activity that will yield a sense of accomplishment. That’s all - in the material sense, and we know it. But we are brainwashed by our economic system until we end up in a tomb beneath a pyramid of time payments, mortgages, preposterous gadgetry, playthings that divert our attention for the sheer idiocy of the charade. The years thunder by, The dreams of youth grow dim where they lie caked in dust on the shelves of patience. Before we know it, the tomb is sealed. Where, then, lies the answer? In choice. Which shall it be: bankruptcy of purse or bankruptcy of life?”
- Sterling Hayden

A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, con a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. SPECIALIZATION IS FOR INSECTS
-Robert Heinlein

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.
-Mark Twain

Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now!
-Daniel George Culver

Life is a sexually transmitted terminal disease
-bathroom wall

"Be wary of strong drink. It can make you shoot at tax collectors - and miss."
-Robert A Heinlein

Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do.
-Benjamin Franklin

Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both.
-Benjamin Franklin

Security is a kind of death
-Tennessee Williams

Kayaking in Canada

Glenn and Monica on Jedediah Island



Glenn kayaking



Captain Jack, our friend and Glenn's mentor/partner



Bald eagles were plentiful as well as deer, seals, osprey, goats etc.



Sunset on our last evening on Rabbit Island.



This was a pre-cruising adventure at Rabbit Island off the coast of Vancouver Island. This was an excellent program for a great value that we would highly recommend but, alas, the college has sold the island, we were there for the last week. Now we are back working on the to do list so that we will be ready to go. Monica has been apprehensive about when to tell the company she works for, Glidewell Laboratories, that she will be leaving. The problem is that we do not know the exact date, due to some opportunities to make some money delivering boats that have come my way. We may not leave on our boat until December. That cat got out of the bag when our plans were published in a sailing magazine's online post. http://www.latitude38.com/LectronicLat/2007/0807/Aug13/Aug13.html#Story6
It was on the same post of a boat fire that was of interest to the owner of Glidewell Labs. When he got to the bottom of the post and read about us it only took a short while before Monica got a phone call. The good news is that they love her and understand, so they are very supportive. Anyway here are some pictures of us in Canada.

The birth of the BLOG!!!

This blog was created for all of our friends and family, so that they may keep track of our adventures. Hopefully one or both of us will get into blogging and there will be lots of information and pictures for all of you to enjoy. We are in search of the simple beauty and joy our planet offers. We will not be in a hurry but we do share a curiosity of what might be around the next corner. Our boat's name is Beach Access because it gives us access to most of the world's beaches and probably all that we would care to visit. Since we both like the weather to be warm to hot we will be staying in the little latitudes unless we make a wrong turn. Then as Captain Ron would say "If we get lost we'll just ask for directions". Hopefully this blog will serve as bait for some of you to come and visit us.