Happy New Year

Thanks for stopping by.

It's been a busy couple of years with much travel, handling large heavy objects (boat and gear in crate), sailing and rowing through a wild and windy place, 45 days living aboard with about two hours off the boat, exploring in nature using muscles and mind, boat building classes and so much more. All in all (as always) it has been the people who have touched my life during this time that have made it special . It has been a wonderful small boat experience and I am happy I put in the effort.  I hope to continue using one proper little ocean going micro yacht for good, she is morphing into a sailing classroom! This seems a great destiny for a little boat.

I spent years of my time in preparation and paid my way without sponsors. Sponsors aside I had so much help from so many people and this is what made my voyage possible. I enjoyed sailing in the simplest of manner, free, not on the hot seat to have to produce any result for anyone else. I sailed as a song of my soul fueled by a curiousity I can hardly contain.

Boat and man finally stopped after the voyage in Chile. Time to put the boat away for a rest and to allow my molecules catch up. Now I can get back to blogging.

Here's where we are at on this project.
Projects for good are really about "people for good" and this one is no different The founders of the Voyage of Southern Cross are John Welsford, Gary Gnade, Kate Ebert and me.

I have invested in a boat and gear for very specific purpose, which has now concluded. What good can I do with all I have built? "Use it for good!" came the answer, find a way.

So I decided to make my boat and investment available for use as a sailing classroom. Can we pull this off? I have no idea. We certainly can't afford to do it and our hope is we can help others understand what we have come to understand. The voyage of the little ship Southern Cross has been a powerful and engaging teaching tool and so we sail on.

In December 2016 John Welsford and I engaged in live stream interactive broadcasts with three schools in the US enabling students to follow and live the voyage as close to first hand as possible.

Our 2018 schedule of live stream broadcasts begins from the Mississippi River this April and will continue from there.

Where is the Little Ship and what are her plans?

Southern Cross arrived at the Port of Seattle just before the Northwest Woodenboat Festival, which was held last September. She was on display at the show and her skipper was one of the featured speakers and presented twice about his just concluded voyage and this project. It was a wild weekend as Southern Cross was generally mobbed all the time. At times we had four people answering questions and explaining the boat and the multi country voyage she is on.

The Mighty Mississippi

Southern Cross will be taken out of her shipping crate in late March and be driven east to Iowa and the Mississippi River. She will set sail down the Mississippi to hook up with Living Lands and Waters in Alton Illinois from April 15th-19th. Somew of this voyage will be live streamed to classrooms and shared with friends.

SEAS- Sheboygan, Wisconsin

The Little Ship and her skipper will spend a week in Sheboygan live streaming from classrooms and from the water into classrooms. SEAS is dedicating their new 30,000 sq foot facility the weekend of April 28th and I have been asked to be the keynote presenter during the dedication. SEAS is an amazing organization administered by an old friend. We are ewcxcited to be invited and look forward to the week.

The Canadian North Channel

Southern Cross is extending an invitation out to small boat sailors who might wish to join her for a July voyage through the beautiful islands of the North Channel. We will be live streaming a few times during the trip and filming podcasts.

The Hudson River, New York State

This will be my 2nd sail down the Hudson. The Hudson is steeped in American history and the countryside is stunning. The voyage will be a short 100 miles beginning in Kingston and finishing up at the Hudson River Community Sailing Center in Manhattan. 

Southern Cross Ships to England for Leg 3 and Beyond

Southern Cross will be packed and containerized for planned shipment in August, if we can afford to go. If we have not been able to garnner enough support she will be stored until we are successful.

Once in England she will continue on an over land and water adventure unlike any other. 

Thanks!!

Shipped from the Strait of Magellan to Seattle Washington

Under that tarp is this, a crate built by my friends Marty Worline (photo) and Dave Chase. Wonderful people!

Strait of Magellan at the home we stayed in. Home Rental Willitu, what a place, what nice people.

Designer John Welsford meets Southern Cross for the first time. Punta Arenas, Chile

Arrival in Seattle. A well traveled boat. 

At the Northwest Woodenboat Festival

She is stored at the Port Townsend Shipwrights Co-op, Boat Haven, Port Townsend, WA

I drove west to Port Townsend from Michigan. I brought back most of the equipment from my voyage down the Strait of Magellan. Southern Cross is safely stored in the crate with all needed sailing gear, which will be used as she sails on.

I spent much of my boyhood in the west (Pleasant View Utah) and I like being back visiting while passing through. Here is a small boat expedition without the boat. Note: I resurrected my handy old 1986 Toyota farm truck (yes I used to own a farm, now home of the Blissfest music festival blissfest.org). I held onto the truck all these years and sure glad I did, fun, easy drive.

I am a bit short on time so since you came all the way over here for a visit I welcome you to take a look at these random photos.

I'll be back tomorrow to present the US itinerary for Southern Cross.

Thanks for visiting.

Off the Beagle Channel

Final packing on the Strait of NMagellan.

Fitting the woodstove and water heater in the large tent. This took place in 2016 during the last steps in the build.

Strait of Magellan, just north of Punta Arenas.

Nao Victoria

Please check back for the Leg 2 sailing itinerary. It's a good one.