Totem Bears Witness: An Environmental Photo Essay from Around the World
Immersing our family in the realities of the natural world is a meaningful part of our cruising dream When we set off from the Pacific Northwest aboard Totem over a decade ago, we anticipated the rewards of living with a…
A-Sail Luff Curl: Sometimes, Always, Never?
An Interview with Sailmaker and Sail Designer, Dan Kaseler "I'd guess people are over-trimming their spinnakers as much as 80% of the time." After a few recent races with very smart sailors who were asking an asymmetrical…
Rally Reflections, Part Two: The Real Business of Living
The big bay of the Crown Jewel. Exploring the Crown Jewel Sucia Island is both well known and well loved, and is commonly referred to as the "Crown Jewel of the San Juan Islands". It is a favorite among savvy cruisers and…
For Earth, Oceans, & Each Other
Boat Life’s Inherent Eco-Friendly Attributes From the April 2020 issue. Anchored at Cortes Island after a glorious month cruising points north, we awaited the arrival of two Seattle-based friends who were joining our family…
Birds and a Birthday at “Booby Island”
Discovering what makes Isla Isabel the "Galapagos of Mexico" An orange- and yellow-hued sunrise spread across the vast Pacific Ocean illuminating Yahtzee and the only other noticeable thing in our path, Isla Isabel. After a…
Rally Reflections Part One: Sailing to Sucia
Take a Trip Back in Time to Last Year's 48° North Cruising Rally (formerly called the Cascadia Cruising Rally) It’s natural to hop in the time machine right now—fly off to carefree days of travel, exploration, and…
Pristine Glacier Bay
THE DYNAMIC, FRAGILE GEM OF SOUTHEAST ALASKA From the APRIL issue of 48° North. Glacier Bay: The utterance of those syllables alone causes anyone who has cruised these majestic waters to glaze-over in a faraway gaze. Almost…
Infernal Combustion Blues: Learning To Go With The Flow On Cortes Island
“Life is short. Whatever happens, make sure you enjoy it." Liam, the author's partner in life and extravagant travel plans. Silver Linings of an Engine Breakdown The engine squealed, loudly. It was the kind of squeal that…
Dog-Friendly Destinations
Around Puget Sound Gig Harbor Charming Gig Harbor is a wonderful stop on any cruise. With multiple guest moorage options and anchoring space to boot, there is a spot to be found and some fun to be had in Gig Harbor for most…
Sirius 40 DS Boat Review
48° North Tests the Stout, Twin-Keeled Bluewater Cruiser The Sirius 40 Deck Saloon (DS) just made its North American Boat Show debut in Seattle in January, and I have to admit, it had not been on my radar. It certainly is…