Close to nature and at her whim
There is always something going on at the cafe in the small village of Enxames. It’s a no frills café with several tables inside and outside under a large metal awning. The espresso is 50¢, the galao (café latte) 70¢, a glass of wine or …
For most of us growing up caused a trauma. Either we were born during wars, dictatorships or military rule, in an oppressive society, with a despotic father, a cruel mother, in an intolerant religious family or in an institution. We were abandoned, abused, bullied or …
On land I feel like a fish out of water. Not in my natural habitat anymore. It’s so different to be back on land and in a big city. So much concrete. I could hug every tree. In Berlin every single city tree is numbered …
A kid in my neighborhood in Hamburg, American I think, owned taped US versions of Sesame Street, very unusual for us who had never even seen a tape recorder before. And then he introduced me to a new world. I was six or seven and …
Hailed as our savior in clean mobility and finally fully embraced by the automotive industry, lithium or 3Li is the main component in the electric car batteries. Tesla Motors jump-started this e-car revolution and its founder Elon Musk took over from the late Steve Jobs …
My dream was to live sustainably and Radu’s dream was to travel. We found the SV Imagine and combined our dreams. We pushed off the dock three years ago and I started writing while sailing into Mexico, in the cockpit, typing into my cell phone. …
A friend recently commented that the world I live in is a magical world. Very true. I love my life and the places we visit. I find enormous pleasure in watching the world. If a moment translates into a photo, even better, because then I …
When we left Santa Rosalía in the afternoon for Ísla Salsipuedes, we calculated to have favorable winds after the sunset for this overnight passage. First it was flat calm, no wind, no waves, so we were motoring along, used the last bit of cell service, …
This was a windy season! Maybe we were always in the wrong spot at the wrong time this spring or that low pressure field over the Pacific was holding out for too long continuously sending winds over the Baja California to the Sea of Cortez, …
Cosmetic surgery is women’s modern day corset. At the time when women weren’t allowed to vote, had no civil rights and their husbands made all decisions for them, women wore corsets. As if to make them constantly feel that they lived in shackles, they felt …
San Diego is playing Miami today. Humidity is through the roof. It’s smoldering hot. I am sweating. Moving just a little bit feels like running a sprint. Even my brain is lazy and I can only come up with some lame 80’s song for a …
Nature is exuberantly creative, inventive and expansive but always, well, natural. The artificial is a human invention. Only humans can and want to escape the natural. Humans pursue the artificial relentlessly. The artificial seems to make us feel secure. Germs are fought with drugs and …
We left Santa Rosalia with the forecast of winds in the afternoon. That suited us well, we would get through the narrow Craig Channel without too much turbulence and in the afternoon sail down the Bahía Santa Inez. And sail we did. It was a …
Is it in us on a cellular level that we have this urge to compare? Or is it a left over animal instinct when being the first to eat in a pack meant power and a better chance of survival? Anyone sensitive enough to consider …
In 2020 regulations dictate in Washington State and California that the hull paint on pleasure vessels should be of the non-copper kind and/or have a very slow leaching rate. Thousand of pleasure boats are mostly sitting at the docks and are continually leaching copper into …
We love Bahía de los Ángeles. It’s so remote in its outpostness, but there is plenty going on. Daily motorcyclists arrive in town. A small group of dirt bikers on a trip across the Baja’s mountain ranges climb off their dusty bikes walking like cowboy’s …
A boat yard is home for a while for all boaters. Unless the maintenance of your boat is completely done and managed by others, you’ll spend some time in a boat yard. We are do-it-yourselfers and perfectionists, so that we spend a lot of time …
It took us months but there she is in all her restored glory ready for new adventures. Completed as hull #54 on the 7th of March 1969, our Imagine turned 50 this year. Radu discovered on the day that this hull ID number is actually …
You might remember a time when sitting around and staring into space was a pastime. A pastime of a time past. Now young, old, women, kids, men, everyone is busy all the time. Every increment of time is filled, with work, commuting, family, entertainment. I …
In the current heated immigration debate we forget about the European history of constant migration. Migration was fostered by wars or famine, same as today, and rarely by cultural motives. It is not easy to leave one’s home behind, travel with a couple of suitcases …
Iceland has everything: breathtaking landscape, glaciers, volcanoes, waterfalls, fish, sheep and energy. And so much of it. Countries worldwide try to save energy and find alternative energy sources. Uniquely Iceland will never have to worry about energy nor fresh water. This volcanic island is sitting …
The boat splashed, we turned the engine on and motored away. Not too far, just from Cabrales Boatyard across the harbor to Fonatur Marina. I looked back to see that everyone had come out: the New Zealand/Canadian couple getting their colossal catamaran painted for their …
We don’t have many clothes on board. Most are geared toward living on on boat in a warm climate and some cold weather gear for sailing. We have enough clothes to last us about 2-3 weeks and all together fit in two large duffle bags …
Sails we carry on our Alberg 37. Our #1 Genoa is our hardest working sail, it’s on the furler, easy to handle, very big and at 135% it goes 3 feet past the mast. We often reach 8-9 knots only with this headsail and without …
A list of practical things onboard for the boat & sailing Flashlight – our favorite, waterproof, rechargeable 12 volt flashlight. link here Floating Handheld VHF with internal GPS – we take it everywhere… Must Have! link here Deck Brush – very fine and good for boat …
It was nice to be in Santa Rosalía again. Visiting places several times gives a sense of familiarity to our unpredictable life. Santa Rosalía is a thriving mining town and on Father’s Day Sunday the men of the city were dined at restaurants all over …
A list of practical things for having a dog onboard Some dogs learn it right away, some take a long time to do their business on board. It is very unsettling when your dog holds it for 48 hours straight and doesn’t want to go. …
A list of practical things onboard for personal hygiene Wet wipes – Good also for cat baths under way. These are made out of bamboo, are biodegradable and stay fresh for a long time, at least one year. link here Dr. Bronner’s Soap – best biodegradable soap …
A list of practical clothes that work for us: Fast Drying Women Shorts – by Exofficio link here and by Royal Robbins link here Fast Drying Shirts Women’s – I like especially ExOfficio for their classic style and great, sun protective fabrics link here Bugs-away, breathable tunic link here …
