May 11, 2017
Dot dot dot…
We've had our heads down for quite some time, prepping for departure. Leaving New Zealand after so much time is a big deal for us for a number of reasons. It'll be the first sailing outside of NZ waters that we've done as a [...]
April 24, 2017
Rub-a-dub-dub
Living aboard full-time means that sometimes even the simplest of tasks isn’t straightforward. Like having a shower. Unlike many other boats, we don’t have a water-maker on board so the fresh water that we carry is a precious, finite amount stored…
April 11, 2017
Change is in the air
Autumn is here. For three years in the tropics we missed the changing colours that the turn of season brings. It wasn't until our camping trip all around New Zealand that we were able to re-familiarise ourselves with that shift of light, and time…
March 17, 2017
London buses…
...You wait ages for one and then three come along at once. The month of March is a bit like that for us and the publications we're in. It seems that we're everywhere this month. So, if you're missing us in person, chances are that you can pop into…
March 5, 2017
The uninvited guest
“Stop scratching!” I’m pleading with my 3 year-old daughter who has a cluster of red welts on both her calves. Yes, the cruising life is an extraordinary one, packed with fulfilling encounters and adventures. However, today [...]
February 18, 2017
Pescadora mia
There are some important milestones for a boat girl to go through. At 3 and a half our little Rocket has had a BIG moment... She just caught her first fish! She has an ongoing joke that "Dada is rubbish at fishing!" and [...]
January 26, 2017
We’re taking over!
Our good friends over at gDiapers have kindly invited us aboard their Instagram page for a couple of days. Why? Because they're keen to share the real stories from the gMums and gDads who use their products. So, on the 27th and 28th of this month…
January 12, 2017
New Year, new look
Things looking a little different round here? Yep, after more than five years at sea we figured it was time for a bit of an overhaul of the website. It's purpose has changed quite a lot over that time, going from a simple way of giving our families…
December 24, 2016
A river runs through it
In our years at sea we’ve sometimes had a break from the ocean swell or bouncy anchorages and chosen to sail on a river. Yes, it is unlikely that you will get an easy sail but even motoring upriver is a lovely adventure in itself. Plus, you’re…
December 4, 2016
Back to reality
I wake to find that we are the only boat at anchor in this spot. Our yacht hangs in a mere 3 metres of clear turquoise water, nicely enclosed by an island to either side of us. There’s sand, pebble and shell, which appear [...]
November 25, 2016
I can see clearly now
“Did we actually just miss the Pacific altogether?” I ask James in disbelief. The reason for the question is that we’ve made a little change on board with a big result. We’ve changed the acrylic on some [...]
November 11, 2016
Hard tack and ship’s biscuits
This weekend has been all about feasting on good food with great colours. Super fresh and gorgeous, and all without a weevil in sight! Perhaps not what [...]
October 24, 2016
All things winches
As an important part of our general maintenance we've been servicing our winches. With two little helpers of course [...]
October 6, 2016
In between jobs
Occasionally we get a proper weekend, free from boat jobs. This last one was all about making. Making food, making dens, making pictures [...]
September 21, 2016
Water babies again
James teaching Rocket how to balance and hold the paddle. Indigo clinging on to the bow on a [...]
September 7, 2016
The best laid plans of mice and men
So, you may be aware that the plan was to sail from New Zealand to Australia via Vanuatu and New Caledonia, getting to Australia for Christmas at the latest. James left for Vanuatu with a couple of crew but got into an unexpected storm with [...]
August 30, 2016
Our littlest crew…
...Has finally had his first passage. We made the trip up from Whangarei to Opua over a few days via Urquharts Bay, Tutukaka Harbour and Urupukapuka Bay in the Bay of Islands. The kiddos are adjusting to [...]
August 25, 2016
Beneath the keel
The very fact that our sailboat enables us to live on the water never ceases to amaze me. This may sounds obvious but, like the landlubber homeowner who always wants to spend more time entertaining in their dining room, taking a luxurious soak in…
July 21, 2016
The family car
We once left a taxi driver in St. Kitts dumbfounded when we explained that after getting out of his cab we’d be hopping into our dinghy to get to our yacht, lying at anchor. “You got TWO boats?” was his astonished response, “You even got a boat to…