A Caribbean Christmas – Sunshine, Palm Trees & Rum!

Post author:Gavin
Post published:January 17, 2011
Post category:Atlantic Caribbean Sailing

The Atlantic crossing is fast becoming a distant memory, as I attempt to recollect the past four weeks of fun times, friends, family - celebrating Christmas and new year, absorbing the vibe of three separate Caribbean nations and feeling like a kid in a candy shop with all of the beautiful, sweet, cheap rum at our disposal! For those of you that followed our progress across the Atlantic, you may recall that the lack of trade winds in the early part of our crossing was threatening our…

Sail aboard Squander

Post author:Gavin
Post published:January 1, 2011
Post category:Travel

3rd APRIL 2011 to Early June 2011 San Blas islands March 2011. WHAT: Join a trip sailing from Panama to French Polynesia, aboard a 45 foot sailing boat that is sailing from Italy to Australia. HOW MUCH: We all contribute $150/week for food and living expenses. WHEN: Leaving Panama City 3rd April 2011. ITINERARY: this is weather dependent but is roughly as follows. 15 April 2011 - Arrive Galapagos early May - Arrive MArquesa islands and sail through this area Mid May - Sail for the Tuamotus…

The 2010 Atlantic crossing – 12 Short stories.

Post author:Gavin
Post published:December 18, 2010
Post category:Atlantic Fishing marine communication Sailing Travel

In an effort to give as varied a perspective as possible, I suggested to team SAGA (Simon, Agatha, Gavin & Andy) that we each set a topic for each other and with 3 topics each we will come up with 12 short stories from our individual perspectives. The idea was embraced wholeheartedly both in terms of setting varied topics and in writing detailed accounts of what we experienced. Here are the topics by Author, in alphabetical order. Agatha's Stories Crossing an ocean - the expected and the…

Canary Islands to Cabo Verde – Fish, sunshine and warm water!

Post author:Gavin
Post published:December 16, 2010
Post category:Atlantic Cabo Verde Fishing Travel

Tuesday, 16th December 2010 - most things were done, the weather window looked OK for at least 4 days and it was time to set sail for the 900 or so miles from Las Palmas to Mindelo in Cabo verde. A few last minute things, we got the scuba diving compressor serviced, printed up some promotional materials for the best electronic chart swapping network in the world - www.chartswap.net and finally stopped at the local Fuel dock for some cheap diesel, water and a couple of ice…

How to make a Mahi Mahi lure onboard a sailing yacht.

Post author:Gavin
Post published:December 12, 2010
Post category:Atlantic Fishing

On our recent crossing of the Atlantic from Europe to Barbados, we had a particularly bad run with losing fishing equipment, including one entire Rig (Rod, reel, line, lure - the friggin lot gone!!). Some of it I blame on myself, some of it is simply low quality equipment that fails and the majority is just part and parcel of trawling lines behind us for over 10,000 Nautical Miles in the past 9 months. Simon holding up a decent Mahi Mahi caught some 300 Nautical Miles off…

Two weeks in Morocco, new friends & fun times in the Canary Islands

Post author:Gavin
Post published:November 24, 2010
Post category:Atlantic Cabo Verde Fishing Morocco Spain Travel

Morocco is a colourful land of contrasts - be it the deep blue Atlantic ocean meeting the red dry desert, the proud Berber culture mixing with westernised ideals, the traditional Muslim people living their lives next door to Christians and less adhering Muslims, the extremely rich and the extremely poor, the list goes on... It seems that most cities perpetuate this contrast by having an old or often ancient side to the city as well as a new, more modern city. MOROCCO - 17th to 30th October…

Sailing with the Girl with the dragon Tattoo

Post author:Gavin
Post published:October 22, 2010
Post category:Atlantic Fishing Morocco Spain

Where were we.... Italy. It seems like a lifetime ago already as i write this from the capital of Morocco. There's a surprisingly pleasant wailing (a muslim call to prayer) in the mosque tower near the marina adding colour to my already colourful evening. Earlier, John from Solstice next door dropped off half a freshly caught Mahi Mahi for me for dinner, I cooked it up and have washed it down with plenty of Vino and am not allowed to get up from the nav station until…

Living la dolce vita – a slow sail south from Rome.

Post author:Gavin
Post published:September 27, 2010
Post category:Family Italy Sailing Travel

After a memorable week of Villas, lakes and family fun in lake Como - it was equally great to be back by the seaside again and back on Squander. To make things even better mum & dad were staying with me onboard in Rome for a few days and then driving down to Vietri sul mare to visit their friends where they would again jump onboard for a week. Back on Squander! Aaron, an old mate from Sydney, has been living in Rome for the past 4…

A family Reunion in Lake Como

Post author:Gavin
Post published:September 18, 2010
Post category:Budget airlines Family Italy

Nothing like a good wedding to bring the family together - having reentered the realms of family living slowly by first spending a few days with Agatha & JB, the three of us boarded an EasyJet flight from Rome to Milan where Mum and Dad were waiting for us with open arms. A great reunion and an exciting time for all as we shared countless stories - Mum & Dad had spent 3 weeks in Poland and driven from Poland, through Germany, France, Switzerland and onto Italy…

Sailing to Rome via Bonifacio Strait

Post author:Gavin
Post published:September 18, 2010
Post category:Italy Sailing Travel

Goodbye Ibiza... we woke up later then planned in Cala Llonga and pointed Squander North East, aiming at northern Sardegna (Sardinia) via Mallorca. We had a tight weather window that would allow us to get to Mallorca in one day where we would hide from the bad weather that was forecast to hit the area the following evening. From there we would pick the next good weather window, scrape past Menorca and continue sailing through the night onto Sardegna. We've been watching the storms that roll down…