48° North columnist Bruce Bateau sat down with The Boat Geeks Podcast at the Wooden Boat Festival in Port Townsend to chat about small boat cruising.

Bruce is a small boat cruiser, and his enthusiasm is contagious. He has cruised Row Bird, his 18-foot open row/sail boat, from the Columbia River to the Broughtons. And much like the title of his stories in 48° North, he truly lives life “close to the water.” Recorded on location in the Fisheries Supply “Live at the Wooden Boat Festival Stage” during the 2024 Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival (PTWBF), hosts Darren and Daeron take a deep dive into the world of boating.

In this episode, D&D learn about and appreciate the small boat cruising lifestyle from a knowledgable proponent. Bruce has been cruising and writing/blogging about cruising in his small boat Row Bird for 12 years. Originally writing for Three Sheets Northwest, he now pens the monthly “Close to the Water” installments for 48° North magazine. He also writes on his own blog, Terrapin Tales.