Tag Archive

Blowback 5 – In the Middle

By marc

We landed in Saint George Harbor, Bermuda, in late May of 2002 after a boisterous and eventful five-day crossing from Norfolk, Virginia. There we met the crews of other eastbound sailing vessels, all closely monitoring daily weather forecasts. Every afternoon we gathered in a little waterside pub to talk about the 1800 miles of... »

Blowback 4 – Sailor’s Status

By marc

Two years into our voyage the Yucatan current catapulted us northward in a great arc toward the east coast of the United States. From the Keys, we snaked our way in and out of the inland waterway toward the Chesapeake Bay. Along the way we used the few anchorages we could find between $100-a-night... »

Blowback 3 – Entropy Rules

By marc

We achieved escape velocity on a foggy September morning. Songline, ship-shape and bristling with new boating gadgets, loped southward on a light westerly. Over the days and weeks that followed we grew accustomed to the rhythms and routines of voyaging. For the first month life seemed idyllic. Then the Second Law of Thermodynamics (Entropy)... »

Blowback 2 – The Trip Takes Us

By marc

Like you, the idea of voyaging under sail infected me at an early age. I don’t think I took it seriously. It was a fantasy. People who actually did push-off were wild-eyed adventures or rich jet-setters. The reality of voyaging crept up on me slowly after years of day sailing, racing, and weekend cruises. One day... »

Blowback 1 – Coming Home

By marc

Blowback is the unanticipated consequences of your actions. Everything you do produces some blowback. Sometimes blowback can get serious. This is the story of some serious blowback from living the dream of sailing away. Stories about the trials of voyaging in small boats usually contain hair-raising accounts of life-threatening adventures and heroic deeds. Crews... »