Costa Rica Recap: The Pura Vida Experience

If you're planning to cruise Central America, don't skip Costa Rica. The good life is for real. Prior to November 2021, our family had never visited Costa Rica before. From friends and acquaintances who have come to Costa…

A 10 Year Milestone: From the PNW to the Panama Canal

This article was originally published in the April 2022 issue of 48° North. Looking forward and aft — at what, I'm not exactly sure — our canal pilot, Francisco, says simply, “Slow down, we need to wait here.” I can feel…

The Springtime Shift: Making the Most of the Pre-Season

This article was originally published in the March 2022 issue of 48° North.  

A Very Dinghy Christmas

Over the years, 48° North has decked the hulls with a variety of boating related yuletide joy. Since it's that season again, we're digging into the vault with some stories of holiday's past to help get you in the spirit.  In…

Winter Shakedown: A Year-End Cruise in Icy Alaska Offers Family Warmth

This article was originally published in the November 2021 issue of 48° North.

What’s life like on passage?

From Washington, Oregon, British Columbia and Alaska, all the way south to Mexico and Central America, one of the things I've always enjoyed about writing this blog (going on 7 years!) is that I get to share our family's…

Happily Home on the Sea

Last week I wrote a sailing story for the blog, but it felt a bit rushed to jump back in after so many months off and I didn't hit publish. We'd recently returned home to Yahtzee in southern Mexico, cleaned her up, gotten…

Return to Alaska

With their beloved boat Yahtzee on the hard for hurricane season, the Cross family returns to their old haunts for the summer and finds their way onto the water. by Andy Cross

The Buddy System

Seasoned cruisers share their experiences pairing up with other sailors. This article was originally published in the September 2021 issue of 48° North. Smoke drifted upward from the grill on the stern, salads and side…

Pacific Gale Sail: 24 Hours of Preparation, Endurance & Recovery

This article was originally published in the August 2021 issue of 48° North.