An Unusual Encounter of the Moth Kind

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

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…

Sailing the Salish 100

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…

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

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

Close to the Water: Dreaming of the Inside Passage

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…

Tales of the Northwest Passage: What’s in a fish?

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…

Sail to Surf: One Passion Enables Another

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

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…

Embracing ‘One Week Cove’

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…

World’s Best Potluck Spot: Mopelia

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…