... try and find us

We generally refrain from commenting on politics.  We have amazing friends on both sides of the political divide and one of the joys of being Canadian /Australian is we do not identify ourselves with the political ideology we support.   But we live in interesting times. A time when our BFF has turned on us, is threatening us and is not being a good friend at all.  It is not the country as a whole, just a select and powerful few who are being nasty.  To our dear and wonderful American friends, we love you and we always will. Threats of tariffs and annexation, we know, are not coming from you.   But we do need to push back and say Elbows Up Canada !*  *Elbows Up is a defensive "ice" hockey term.   And please remember that Blogger posts your comment as anonymous if you don't have an account, so please sign off with your name so we know who you are!

After a long passage, sometimes we need to fuel up and concentrate on something that ISN'T life-or-death related. "So, you two have been tied up in Milford Marina for weeks now.  You have gone on a few day trips, but what do you all day?" Staying in Milford Haven through the winter has allowed us to get the boat organised.  When we first moved aboard last March, we threw things into lockers so we could get out sailing with the Garcia staff.  Not a lot of rhyme or reason to where things were put - we poked spares in with bedding, jammed clothes into drawers and under bed lockers, popped plates and cups behind the sink without consideration for how practical these locations would be.   When we left the boat on the hardstand to sail the North West Passage, Garcia were doing some warranty work.  So we packed all our belongings into lockers that allowed them to access the areas they needed to.  Then (sigh), once back, Garcia wanted to take us sailin...

There are terrible reasons for wonderful events. This is one of them. After being picked up Lorne in Tuk and enjoying a high-speed and surprisingly non-bumpy drive down the Dempster Highway, we overnighted in Dawson City and the next day continued down the sealed road to Whitehorse. Lorne had a plane to catch, so he deposited us in front of our hotel, we said our ‘goodbyes’ and he left us to make our own way back to Calgary. Then the email came. My brother, Jeff, let me know that Uncle Mark, one of the reasons we were inspired to transit the NorthWest Passage, had passed away last night. Generally in good health, he had been managing some heart issues and had woken up the previous night with chest pains. An ambulance ride to the local hospital took place with him joking with the Medical Technicians on the way.   A helicopter transfer to the regional hospital was next, then the rest of the day in Intensive Care with a brain bleed. By 3 am the next morning, he quietly...

We have been asked a number of times what we are wearing to keep warm in the Arctic - so here is: Dressing for the Arctic 101! We have found the temperatures to be quite mild.   We have yet to experience anything below zero but being wet and humid is what takes the toll.   Fortunately, we have not had a lot of rain.   We had some on the trip across from Newfoundland to Greenland but we were able to do most of the watch keeping from inside so we didn’t often get wet.   Rainy and cold but snug and warm below.  Our onboard lifeguard kept us safe! In Aasiaat, we have a lot of rain.   Tucked up at the dock, we could generally choose when we ventured out which saved us from a soaking. When you don't have to go ashore, sometimes pyjamas and slippers are all that is needed! We are currently experiencing dry, cool conditions which are relatively easy to dress for.   And we do have all the right clothes.   We did a lot of research prior to leavi...

Storms tend to whip up the seas and it takes some time for the waves to settle down after the storm.  So, while we managed to dodge the storm, we were left with an absolutely horrid sea state.  The waves were big and steep and coming from every direction.  We think they were ricocheting backwards and forwards between Greenland and Canada, thumping in from the Atlantic and every butterfly that flapped its wings in the Amazon created a wave from yet another direction.  Things just got worse as the wind dropped and the boat slowed.  This is NOT detailed in the ' Buy a Boat and Sail the World ' brochure.   Okay, not the storm we ducked but one coming through later this week.  Guess we are staying in Nuuk for a while! Without a gimbal , any video we take does not show what we are dealing with.  Wearing socks will send you sliding across the boat.  It is an art to lift the toilet seat and get seated before the lid slams back down.  Loo...

Still missing you Dad... Here is the eulogy my sisters and I gave at Dad's memorial service in April 2021. Susan With a father like Dad, our childhood was run on adrenalin. The adrenalin of both pleasure and angst from adventures, misadventures and mad-capped antics with Dad.  Dad did and we followed with the thrilling discomfort that dominates our memories. And our childhood came with a soundtrack - Neil Diamond, Carley Simon, Cat Stephens, Barbara Streisand... We sent to sleep with the likes of ‘Sweet Caroline’ and ‘Peace Train’ being played loudly. Very loudly. There was no ‘sshh, you’ll wake the kids’ in our world. As little people, a highlight was accompanying Dad to the sales at the Dandy Market to sell the vealers. It was a mass of noise, colour and smell and he humoured us with a walk around the many pens of various animals. Though he would not buy me a goat, Kate a pig or randomly and quite irrelevantly, Wendy a monkey, we loved the adventure of the trip. But th...