Blog

The Big Daddy Fear I'm Keeping
The Big Daddy Fear I'm Keeping
Fears. We all have them. And we’d sure like to banish them, eh? Our culture supports derring-do. We thrive on it. We make documentaries about people who face their fears.... Read more...
Why I’m Having Coffee With My Fears
Why I’m Having Coffee With My Fears
You might think someone planning to sail across oceans might be afraid of storms, pirates, or running aground. But as Colin and I prepped for the next phase of our... Read more...
2021—Here We Come
2021—Here We Come
You don’t need reminding that 2020 brought a heap of surprises. For the crew of Pristine, the year meant a series of unexpected pivots. Read more...
Sometimes the Real Adventure is Getting Home
Sometimes the Real Adventure is Getting Home
Just ask Ernest Shackleton. True, our Baja Bash didn’t involve icebergs or Southern Ocean storms, but the name of his ship could have been the theme for our more recent... Read more...
Love From La Paz
Love From La Paz
For Colin and I, the tectonic shift of Covid-19 revealed itself slowly, then all at once. We were a week away from departure for the South Pacific when Tonga closed... Read more...
It's Go Time
It's Go Time
Even if you’re not a sailor, you’ve probably heard that a tidy boat is a safe boat. That whole place for everything and everything in its place kind of thing.... Read more...
Putting the Awe in Awesome
Putting the Awe in Awesome
It was my first shift of our first night passage in six months and for the life of me, I couldn't figure out what was just ahead. Read more...
Embracing the Butterflies
Embracing the Butterflies
To my knowledge, there’s no official name for the advanced yoga maneuver that involves wedging yourself between the galley and nav station, balancing on one foot and one knee while... Read more...
We Found Pristine Waters
We Found Pristine Waters
We were told that Pristine’s original owner named her after the quest for pristine waters. If so, consider her aims achieved. Colin, Pristine, and I had this bay—and many others... Read more...
Killer Whales in Our Bathtub
Killer Whales in Our Bathtub
It’s a unique experience to wake up, step in the shower, and find a razor-toothed predator. Colin and I live a pretty clean life on Pristine, bathing every morning in... Read more...
“Hard to Port!”
“Hard to Port!”
We’d left Isla Isabel far behind and were in 1500 feet of water, safely far from any obstacles.  So why was that seagull standing on a rock? The binoculars came... Read more...
Surf SUP!
Surf SUP!
After sailing 2500 miles to find warmth and waves, it was time to break out the toys. There’s something about taking the slow boat that improves one’s sense of geography... Read more...