Living By the Compass
…And other wanderings by John and Becca
Life Onboard
Our wanderings on Halcyon. From artsy descriptions of picturesque beaches and exciting passages to candid reports of battles with rats.
Life Onboard
May 23, 2019
We have finally hit the trades! The southeast trade winds
are a band of ideal wind and current that stretches from here all the way to
French Polynesia....
Life Onboard
May 16, 2019
Sailing across the ocean was an endurance event. Once all of
the preparations were done, all of the food was stored and all of the tanks
were full, we...
Life Onboard
May 3, 2019
How do you summarize something that demanded every ounce of your perseverance and patience for 36 days? Something that consumed every thought and decision...
Life Onboard
March 23, 2019
I had plans yesterday. I should know better. You should never make plans on a boat. I thought my plans were innocent enough, but Neptune disagreed.
My...
Life Onboard
March 20, 2019
As Andrew (Halcyon’s third crew member for the Pacific crossing) was rinsing dishes in the bin of water that sits in the starboard half of the galley sink,...
Life Onboard
March 17, 2019
Almost every boat in the Pacific Ocean that wants to go to the Atlantic Ocean, and every boat in the Atlantic Ocean that wants to be in the Pacific, passes...
Life Onboard
March 15, 2019
I’m lying in bed, but I’m not falling asleep. I know I should; it’s the last full uninterrupted night of sleep I’m going to get for a good long time. But...
Life Onboard
December 3, 2018
You haven’t heard from me in a while, and I’m sorry for that. I’m not mad at you, I promise. It’s just that it took me a while to decompress after turning...
Boat Projects
They say cruising is really just doing boat work in exotic places. They’re right. A few accounts of the boat work we do on Halcyon on a regular basis.
Boat Projects
March 12, 2019
Another year of boatwork behind us, and it was a big one! We (started to) install a new engine, added more alternative energy, and completed a thousand little projects in between. Below is the highlights
Boat Projects
February 3, 2019
While we paced around the marina waiting for our new engine, I spent some time giving our website HalcyonWandering some new style. Will you take a look? I'd love to hear what you like or don't like, and
Boat Projects
August 2, 2018
This article appeared in 48 North last month, so it's a little bit out of order now - but I thought I'd share how those final weeks of preparation felt.
***
Like so many of life’s greatest adventures,
Boat Projects
January 27, 2018
I've updated our THE PROJECT page with what we did for Halcyon in 2017. But so you don't have to hurt your thumbs by clicking more than necessary -- here's what I added.
2017
This was our first full year
Boat Projects
August 21, 2017
During the passage to Zihuatanejo back in April, our transmission took its last breaths. Once we had sailed onto anchor, recovered from the passage, and had a beer or two, we set off in search of a mechanic
Boat Projects
May 7, 2017
I awake with a start, anxious to know what time it is. We have an appointment this morning, so the time matters, but we don’t have to be there until 10. It is rare these days to have a timeline in the
Boat Projects
March 24, 2017
A momentous occasion, you might say. I’m waiting for someone to arrive with champagne to celebrate us. I’ve got the champagne glasses and the party hats all ready to go. They must be late...
If Halcyon
Northwest Passage
In the summer of 2018, we joined s/v DogBark in their attempt to transit the Northwest Passage. Unfortunately, ice blocked our path and we were forced to retreat to Hawaii. Read about our journey here.
Northwest Passage
December 17, 2018
Well, in the end we didn't sail through the northwest passage. But we did have an incredible experience. You can explore our route here, including links...
Northwest Passage
December 13, 2018
*This article appeared in the November issue of 48 North*
Sailing through the arctic is tough, there is no doubt about that. The winds blow hard and...
Northwest Passage
December 7, 2018
*This article appeared in the October publication of 48 North, and then I forgot to share it with you in November. So here it is, to answer the question...
Northwest Passage
October 5, 2018
We were, quite literally, in the middle of the north Pacific Ocean. It was 1,200 nautical miles backwards to Alaska, 1,000 nautical miles forward to Hawaii...
Northwest Passage
October 2, 2018
Here is a piece I wrote while on passage from Alaska to Hawaii, but of course didn't have the internet to post it in real time.
It is the fifth day...
Northwest Passage
September 5, 2018
I’m not one to post glamorous photos of my most recent dinner on Instagram. While I enjoy cooking and consuming delicious and nutritious fare, I don’t...
Northwest Passage
August 30, 2018
This post is out of order, sorry for the inconvenience.
Usually, the stories of our adventures materialize here a few weeks after we have adventured...
Northwest Passage
August 19, 2018
Here is a fun video John shot with the drone of our Arctic Party shenanigans. Such a fun time!
I also published a short piece for Cruising World about...
