Category Archives: Life on Board

Our Whirlwind Sail to Ahe and Back

John, Elise, Francesca and I pose for a photo while snorkeling in the lagoon on Rangiroa in the Tuamotos. The water was calm here, but during our sail from Rangiroa to Ahe, the conditions were so tough that no one on board was able to take any photos. September 2016. Photo: F. Rehnborg
John, Elise, Francesca and I pose for a photo while snorkeling in the lagoon on Rangiroa in the Tuamotos. The water was calm here, but during our sail from Rangiroa to Ahe, the conditions were so tough that no one on board was able to take any photos. September 2016.

You haven’t received much news from me, not because there isn’t anything happening, but because we’ve been through a weather washing machine for the last few weeks. It hasn’t been the idyllic sail through the South Seas that I had anticipated or remembered from years back. Continue reading Our Whirlwind Sail to Ahe and Back

19 Wild Days Across the Pacific

Some more incredible cloud formations. What do you see in the clouds? July 2016. Photo: R Rehnborg
Some of the most spectacular sunsets I’ve ever seen were in the doldrums ON the equator. With so little air movement and a water temperature in the high 80°s F, moisture rises up from the water into the clouds, making for magnificent, slow moving cloud formations. We saw faces, like those of various presidents, and images of animals in several different sunsets. This is one of the most amazing places in the world. July 2016. Photo: R Rehnborg

It is August 15th, and it has been 11 days since we dropped anchor at Nuku Hiva in the Marquesas Islands. Both Rod and Zack have left for the States to return to their day jobs, while my wonderful Francesca arrived just a couple of days ago. I’m so happy she is finally here, but also glad that she didn’t join us on the crossing as it was really a wild 19-day ride across the Pacific. Continue reading 19 Wild Days Across the Pacific

Ready. Set. Sail.

Dr. Sam in red jacket and cap, smiles for the helicopter above taking a video as the Double X sails under the Golden Gate Bridge to the South Seas. All hands are on deck for the beginning of this amazing adventure. San Francisco, Calif., July 16, 2016. Photo: C. Woods.
Yours truly in red jacket and cap, smiling for the aerial video as the Double X sails under the Golden Gate Bridge to the South Seas. All hands are on deck for the beginning of this amazing adventure. San Francisco, Calif., July 16, 2016. Photo: C. Woods.

The Double X crew officially set sail for the South Seas on July 16, 2016, passing under the Golden Gate Bridge at precisely 12:30 p.m. It has taken over two years of preparation and a healthy dose of persistence, but it has been worth all the hard work. In fact, it’s nothing short of a dream come true. Continue reading Ready. Set. Sail.

Eating Our Way Across the Pacific

A sunset lights up the horizon during a pre-launch sailing trial to the Channel Islands. May 29, 2016.
A sunset lights up the horizon during a pre-launch sailing trial to the Channel Islands. We’re looking forward to more of nature’s wonder as we cross the Pacific Ocean. May 29, 2016.

It’s hard to believe, the first leg of the Double X journey, crossing the Pacific Ocean from San Francisco to the Marquesas Islands, is just three days away. I expect it will take us about three weeks to cross the ocean, but with all the wild weather these days, it’s tough to predict just how long it will be before we arrive. Continue reading Eating Our Way Across the Pacific