We purchased Rafiki in October, 2013 and after five frenetic months of refit we finally left the dock in March. Although we had a loose idea of where we wanted to go, our usual goal was to get to the next anchorage without calamity or breakdown and the first six months were a frustrating, maintenance…
People always ask me “what was your favourite part of the trip” or “what was your favourite island” and in truth I was not expecting this trip to turn out the way it did. When people mentioned the Caribbean before we started, I pictured white sandy beaches, dolphins and clear water all the time. I…
This trip had been in the making for over a decade. We became inspired to cruise ever since we said goodbye to our good friends, Linda and Allen Dobie, as they ventured off on a one-year adventure aboard their sailboat back in 1997. As they left the dock, I remember turning to Robin asking him…
My whole life has been spent in different and unique places, but this trip has been the most memorable of all of my experiences. It will be something that I can share with my friends, family, children and… dogs. When my parents first proposed this sailing trip I thought they were joking. As Scout Finch…
Wow, sensory overload! We landed in Florida and immediately started getting our lives together. No phone, no car, no house…no worries. The day we arrived in Stuart, Mommy rented a car and with wheels we promptly checked into US customs. On the way home we activated two cell phones and then rented a small locker to…
We had always intended to spend the spring in the Bahamas and really wanted to explore the Northern Abacos which we had skipped on our way down. After the death-defying experience in Georgetown however, we were very cautious with the weather and spent many days dodging for cover in what was one of the worst…
Life presents itself with opportunities and coming to visit the Morrin family on the final weeks of their three-year adventure afloat Rafikki, was one that I knew I could not pass up. As I embarked upon this trip with my 18-year-old daughter Emily, I realized that this was indeed a trip that would be out of…
We have been in the Bahamas since early December and the theme of our time here has really been friends and weather. We have welcomed Paula and Steve from Florida, the Wiebes from the far North, Uncle Wally from the Prairies, Moma from Victoria and will pick up Uncle Hugh this week in Nassau and finally…
January 6, 2016: We have spent the last three weeks in the Bahamas and fill our days with beach volleyball, walks in the surf, and lots of socializing. Christmas was celebrated with a huge potluck followed by an evening bonfire, and everyone is enjoying the social atmosphere and relative civility of Georgetown. The anchorage is well…
As we approached Cuba on an incredibly calm sea, we were once again joined by these majestic creatures…..a fabulous welcome to an island we have become very fond of. On a vacation to Cuba several years ago we met the Hildago family and have stayed in touch over the years. We had always planned to visit this…
Weathermen – a pox on all their houses… After three fabulous weeks in Cartagena, carefully watching weather patterns and cancelling two intended departures, we finally had a window. “A trough settling over the region bringing light and variable winds with three foot seas”, sounded pretty good so with all systems working and six extra jerry…
We didn’t feel that our last blog entry did justice to the colourful streetscapes, architecture, and people of Cartagena. So we decided to dedicate an entire entry to the photos alone and let the pictures speak for themselves…
Cartagena is the jewel of the Caribbean. The Old Town is littered with Spanish colonial buildings adorned with bougainvillea, intimate restaurants, and boutique hotels discreetly tucked behind unpretentious facades. The pulsing rhythm of Colombian life animates the narrow streets with vendors selling crafts and the deliciously barbecued meat-on-stick on every corner. Rich in history and…
When we decided to forego a second year in Grenada and spend the hurricane season in Panama, our principal motivation was to visit the remote and largely untouched San Blas Islands on the east side of the country. After more than two years afloat, a beach is a beach, and we have seen some pretty…
Alex here… Since my spring article in Multihulls was such a hit, my Dad decided to make me write a blog entry too. Great, a victim of my own success!! Like most eleven-year-olds, I had no idea where Panama was until we sailed into Bocas del Toro in the spring. After being stuck on the…
Morrins Afloat 