Category Archives: 2020 Voyaging

OK my digital stowaways—all hands on deck, batten down the hatches and shorten sail ’cause this next tale is a lulu… For me, the story starts several weeks ago; for the heroes of the story, it starts several years ago. On March 11th, I entered the British Virgin Islands (BVI) at Spanish Town on theContinue reading “Go & Lan”

Let me ride on the wall of death one more time,Let me ride on the wall of death one more time.You can waste your time on the other rides,This is the nearest to being alive.Oh let me take my chances on the wall of death.—Richard Thompson, Wall of Death (added to hjsailing playlist) Some quickContinue reading “Space Mountain (from the passage)”

Is there ever enough, space between usTo keep us both honest and true?Why is it so hard, just to sit in the yardAnd stare at the sky so blue? —John Prine, You Got Gold (added to hjsailing playlist) Between celestial navigation and grief, our recent posts have been rather heavy. Given the news of theContinue reading “Diversionary Tactics”

I can taste the ocean on your skin,Because that is where it all began.We all go back to where we belong,We all go back to where we belong.—REM, We All Go Back to Where We Belong As I began to formulate this plan to sail to the Virgin Islands, another idea came to me. It’sContinue reading “We All Go Back to Where We Belong (from the passage)”

My middle and high school friend Paul and I reconnected recently, partially due to this blog which is neat. He recently added a kind comment to the blog that it’s such a welcome diversion from all the Coronovirus craziness. I hope others find the same. A couple of related items in light of the currentContinue reading “A Sense of Where You Are, Part 3”

In Part 1 of this celestial navigation mini-series, we focused on concepts, definitions, units and tools. In this post we’ll focus on the easier of the two coordinates: latitude. As a quick refresher from Part 1, latitude is a measurement of distance from the equator. It ranges from 0 degrees at the equator to 90Continue reading “A Sense of Where You Are, Part 2”

If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.—Lewis Carroll I think there is a sailing and a strategy corollary, “If you don’t know where you are, your course is meaningless.” For those of us who did a lot of driving in the pre-GPS days, you can probably remember beingContinue reading “A Sense of Where You Are, Part 1”

When I started this blog I never thought that music would play such a big part of the story. I should have known better. In thinking about all the references, it hit me that a playlist would be a handy addition. I’m thrilled to say that a Spotify playlist is now available with all theContinue reading “hjsailing Playlist Now Available”

Let’s face it, I dated a lot before Colleen and I married. I was looking for that special something—my life-partner for a very important and specific part of my life. The funny thing is—now that we’re being totally honest—you’d think that 29 years of marriage would have slowed down my dating. It didn’t. If anything,Continue reading “The Dating Game”

I’ve been in the U.S. Virgin Islands National Park the past several days and have been so impressed with the hiking. The vistas of the mountains descending into the sea is incredible. Also, I love the flora, the cacti mixed in with other tropicals is such an interesting mix. It’s also amazing how empty itContinue reading “Pinch Me”