Author Archives: Mark
What is it Like to Make an Ocean Passage?
Being at one with nature and the elements is remarkably calming and soothing. One feels a sense of peacefulness as the boat gently glides across the sea and rippling waves. We listen to Caribbean-style ska music or Jimmy Buffet and we sip rum concoctions in the evenings. During the day we bask in the […]
Bora Bora
We made it to Bora Bora. This will be our last stop in French Polynesia. There is a funny saying, I went to Bora Bora and left poorer poorer. And, this adage is justly due. This place is the world’s ultimate tourist’s trap. Personally, I think the real purpose of Bora Bora’s place in our […]
Hurry Up and Wait
(This post contains some of my favorite pictures taken while in French Polynesia) For the past couple of months, we’ve been trying to put Tahiti in the rearview mirror. First, we had to wait for a small health issue to clear up and now, the weather is uncooperative. Our next venture means sailing into more […]
Drug Trafficking, Cheers, and Lost Treasure
Drug Trafficking Every time we arrive in a new country, we are required to clear customs and immigration. For the most part, this is a pretty relaxed process and very rarely have customs officials set foot on the boat to inspect. We normally fill out their forms, go to their office and get official papers […]
Yikes! This Blog is Getting Rusty
Cindy has returned from an extended visit to her family – yay! Unfortunately, just like any other time we’ve traveled internationally by plane, she caught a cold on the return trip. Thankfully, it was on the return so as not to spoil her visit. However, we’ve passed this darn cold back and forth now for […]
Meanwhile, Back on Tahiti…
Something happened today that made me think, this is it – I’ve finally lost my mind. Several people have questioned whether I am of sound mind over the years. I’m not like normal people and I know that. But until this morning, I’ve never questioned myself regarding sanity. So, here’s what happened. I woke up […]
Fun in Fakarava – The South Pass
Usually, when a place is hyped by fellow cruisers, it is often a bit of a letdown due to high expectations. This was not the case with Fakarava’s south pass. We have now spent a couple of weeks here on a mooring ball and have had tons of time to explore. The first thing I […]
Fun and Fuel in Fakarava
To continue on with part three ( Part I – Part II): Sailing inside an atoll Yes, fuel is available in Fakarava. In fact, it couldn’t be easier. Once we dropped the anchor near the small village of Rotoava after dodging bommies and pearl farms on the way up, we could see the fuel pump near […]
Fun in Fakarava – Part II
I am picking up where we left off in Part I. Here is a video I wanted to attach to Part I but, with the ailing hamster situation, it wasn’t possible. We have moved a little and believe it or not we have 4G service. Or perhaps the hamster has been replaced with gerbils, four […]
Fun in Fakarava – Part I
What is there to do in Fakarava? The short answer: not much. The internet here is either driven by a hamster in a wheel or a windmill. It seems like whenever the wind dies so does the internet. Or, perhaps the hamster collapses periodically from heat exhaustion. Or maybe, it’s a combination of both. When […]
Finding Fakarava
We are anchored in Fakarava. Where the heck is that, you might ask. Don’t worry if you’ve never heard of it. Unless you are a sailor passing through the South Pacific or a world-traveling SCUBA diver, the chances are you have no idea where we are. It’s not like Fakarava is high on any geography […]
Fish and Food
The topic of this post is fish and food. I am going to write about food while showing you pictures of fish. The fish pictures are all taken in waters surrounding Tahiti at some of our favorite snorkeling spots. One thing that is very true for both Cindy and me is, we’ve always eaten well. […]
7 Years of Sailing
Seven years ago this month we moved onto Cream Puff to live full-time. On May 4th, 2015 we departed St. Petersburg, Florida to set sail and travel the globe. Above is the picture we took as we departed wondering what lies ahead and over the horizon. Now we know what was over the horizon. We […]
7 Years Ago
Seven years ago today, we sold our house and started out on this wacky adventure of ours. Click here to take a look back at that day. Coming soon: Seven years of cruising, our favorite pictures, and fondest memories.
French Bureaucracy, iPods, and The World
There is a funny saying; the French may not have invented bureaucracy but they’ve certainly perfected it. It’s that time of year again. We need to renew our visas or carte de séjours (residency cards) for another year in French Polynesia. Before I talk about some of the bureaucratic idiosyncrasies, I must first say, […]
