kateandjohnsail.boats

We were planning a family visit—twelve days with our daughter, her husband, and four delightfully squirrely children, in the spring. “Visit Crete,” people said. “It’s always sunny there.” We did a little research and found that Chania, on the north (normally less stormy) side of Crete has a snug harbor and a welcoming old town,…

Several thoughtful blog readers have inquired about the disposition of our old anchor, once we attached the new one. Very good question. It turns out many retired anchors sink to their destiny in the watery deep, joining other unwanted objects, such as outboard motors and 1989 Peugeots, on the bottom. Others, like this one pictured…

We have just said goodbye to Quintessa’s first guests of the season. Johanna and Paul are Pacific Northwest friends who were bitten by the sailing bug in the last decade and got serious quickly, taking classes and entering into boat ownership through San Juan Sailing Club in Bellingham. A formative experience for John and me…

A storm was brewing to come down on Chania from the north, and we know how to prepare for a storm. We got out the winter lines, which are like shock absorbers. These are kept in our “garage” and I always feel resentful of the space they occupy with their heavy, ungainly presence, but of…

Q: How is in anchor like a glass of warm milk? A: Both are sleep aids. When your boat is bouncing in a bay in a 50 knot storm that is blowing over the top and swinging the boat around, the quality of your sleep will very much depend on how much you trust your…

It would be so, so wrong to give the impression that sailboat cruising consists only of Instagram moments! We were knocked down this week. Hours after a particularly delicious restaurant meal in Crete, John was visited by Hurlus, the Greek god of projectile vomiting, and Diarrheas, the god of, well, you know. We did all…

Time for a slice of what we find delightful about visiting places that are someone else’s home. We had just arrived back in Turkey, and had only a one-hour car transport between the airport (at Dalaman), and the marina. We knew citrus was in high season and that there were many fruit stands along the…

    One January day in Portland I was on the phone with a friend, explaining that we were having some things done to Quintessa while we were away. Being a non-sailor, she asked me “what kinds of things would you need to do to a boat?” That launched me into probably too much detail about…

ALL IS WELL. That is what I have relayed to several friends and family members particularly in the last week, as we have been non-communicative during our preparations for sailing. My deepest apologies to those of you who were wondering about our welfare. Preparing for sailing is never a streamlined affair, but when you add…

Well, it seems that our fall sailing season has come to an end. We are in Marmaris, Turkey for Thanksgiving week—a week to be thankful and also to prepare Quintessa for winter. This year we will have some maintenance done so she will be on the hard in the boatyard here with a few hundred…