An Unusual Encounter of the Moth Kind
September 29, 2021
When a midnight moth party erupts aboard, a sailor joins the festivities and bails them out the best he can. This summer’s two week cruise was scheduled to begin June 26 aboard our 34-foot Jeffcat catamaran, which happened…
#TBT: A Father’s Lessons
September 23, 2021
Throwback Thursday is back with the story of an adventurous father and the lessons he taught. Originally published in the October 2004 issue of 48° North by Sarah Mitchelson. My dad is a blustery British sailor who is…
Cruising,Cruising Stories,Featured
Sailing the Salish 100
September 16, 2021
This article was originally published in the September 2021 issue of 48° North. Every year of my childhood, without fail, my parents tried to sign me up for a new sport or group activity — when I was far happier exploring…
Cruising,Cruising Stories,Featured
Pacific Gale Sail: 24 Hours of Preparation, Endurance & Recovery
August 19, 2021
This article was originally published in the August 2021 issue of 48° North.

Cruising,Cruising Stories,Featured
Close to the Water: Dreaming of the Inside Passage
August 17, 2021
This article was originally published in the August 2021 issue of 48° North. In some ways I never really returned from the Inside Passage. After my meandering, six-week solo journey from Port McNeil to Anacortes in 2019, I…
Cruising,Cruising Stories,Featured
Tales of the Northwest Passage: What’s in a fish?
June 25, 2021
This article originally appeared in the June 2021 issue of 48° North. Night had begun to return since leaving the last settlement of Cambridge Bay. Headed west, the wind on our nose, Breskell pounded into the teeth of the…
Cruising,Cruising Stories,Featured
Sail to Surf: One Passion Enables Another
June 10, 2021
This article originally appeared in the June 2021 issue of 48° North. Never leave two feral ‘tweenager’ kids in charge if you aren’t prepared for some mayhem. My good friend, Matt Nelson, and I were paddling over to the…
Video: 450 Glorious Downwind Miles from Nicaragua to Mexico
May 13, 2021
The crew of Yahtzee embarks on a 450-mile passage from Nicaragua to Mexico. With hurricane season coming in the tropics and a summer in Alaska on the horizon, our crew decided to leave San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua and head…
Cruising Stories,Featured,Guest Dock
Embracing ‘One Week Cove’
May 1, 2021
When a lone anchorage unexpectedly becomes home base for a week, the best thing to do is make an adventure out of it... Sitting on Yahtzee’s cabin top, I watch in utter fascination as prehistoric-looking pelicans catch their…
Boating Lifestyle,Cruising Stories,Featured
World’s Best Potluck Spot: Mopelia
April 14, 2021
When someone with Amanda's vast experience has a favorite cruising potluck stop, one would do well to listen! Editor's note: The voyage to the tiny French Polynesian atoll of Mopelia may be long — especially if starting from…
