Sailing About....

 “Some years ago, never mind how long precisely, having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world.” -Herman Melville

When Opportunity Doesn't Knock

I love this tweet from    +LovePop Cards .   The quote from Milton Berle is spot on!

    "When opportunity doesn't knock, build a door" -Milton Berle

  It often reminds me that you have to make your own change if you feel you are doing the same thing over and over again and not getting the results you want. It is not always the easy way but it will make you stronger and possible help others find their opportunity as well. Waiting for something to happen doesn't always work, you have to be there, be ready and most of all want it. Create your own path. Change happens but not without you at the helm to steer into the wind.
 

When opportunity doesn't knock, build a door -Milton Berle. #MondayMotivation #innovate pic.twitter.com/GgIvLrUWWI

— lovepop (@lovepop) August 3, 2015

Sea Dragon is 1 Yr Old!

Well, that time finally came! We have owned SV SeaDragon for one year. We actually moved aboard in September 2014 but signed the paperwork and took over ownership in July 2014. This is an exciting time! I have never been more happy to own a boat and call it home. I imagine us cruising for years to come making passages to islands and exploring many places I could only once dream about before. I feel so tied down, forgive the pun but it is true, we are still tied up here at the dock. It is a struggle right now with our finances trying to catch up on previous debts and  new ones that keep growing. I do want to  have a goal of cruising within 1 year. At least make it down to the Florida Keys by next Spring. There are lots of things we want to do but money is the issue right now. I know we can do this and we will continue trying! We made it thus far without killing each other! :)


We both are trying to find steady work here locally but it  has been taking some time to find something. I enjoy blogging and writing about our lives but that is not enough until the traffic to the sites increase. Our advertisers will only hold out for so long before they will suspend the relationship. Please let me know what you would like to see on this blog. Would you like to see more posts on saving money, cooking, nature, or maintenance on the boat? I try to include a little bit of everything each week!


I am going to start a meal and budget planning guide soon and will post it here on the blog when it is completed. Also the boys are finishing up on their classes and will have more free time to go out on some more adventures and field trips.

....

Ebooks while Cruising: Win a $100 Gift Coupon!

There are hundreds of great ebooks by ebooks.com to enjoy while cruising. Ebooks are a great way to save space, and less chance of the book getting water damage! eBooks.com has tons of genres of books to choose from. 

Look below for details on the contest and search on the homepage for ebooks you might enjoy reading.

Share, RT, Like to pass this on to your friends a chance to win too! 

LovewithFood Delivers | Healthy Snacks for Liveaboards

 I just found a great company that is US based and delivers healthy snacks!  LoveWithFood.com!  They are a monthly snack box subscription service that helps you discover the best organic or all-natural snacks delivered to your door for only $10/month. 
For every box sent, a meal is donated to feed hungry children in America. To date, they've donated more than 400,000 meals.
This is a great idea for live-aboards! I am always searching for quick and easy ways to feed my family healthy snacks. 
   
  With two growing teenage boys,  our galley constantly needs replenishing but we are on a  very small budget and cannot stock up for many weeks at a time yet.  We are constantly making runs off the dock the night before or early in the morning and grabbing drinks and snacks off of some local convenient store shelf. It gets frustrating with so little choices in healthy items and also expensive! I usually grab some quick protein such as trail mix or beef jerky but that really gets old too.
   
Sometimes you are too tired from working on the boat or sailing all day to make something. It is nice to get this delivered right to our mailbox and we are also making a difference in other lives as well! No one should go hungry in this country!

 ******
Love with Food - Get 40% off on Healthier Snacks. Find a fun and convenient way to discover all-natural or organic surprise snacks delivered to your home(or Boat!) or office for FREE. Subscribe Now at LoveWithFood.com! 
For every box you receive, a meal is donated to food banks all across US. 

Click the link below for more information and get a special discount by using our link ( +SV SeaDragon will get a portion of the sale for every sign up) 
Get 40% off on Healthier Snacks. Find a fun and convenient way to discover all-natural or organic surprise snacks delivered to your home or office for FREE. Subscribe Now at LoveWithFood.com!

What a great way to keep healthy snacks on board for those spur of the moment trips!

Learn to Sail | A list of my favorite ebooks

As a new sailor I try to learn everything I can hands on, reading, asking lots of questions on the sailing groups/forums and learning from others with experience.
It wasn't that long ago that I didn't know a thing about sailing except that it moves when the wind blows. Now I know a little more each and every day thanks to some great advice, getting out there and trying something I have never done before, reading and learning the basics! At 40, I believe we are never too old to stop learning and start a new chapter in our lives. I say..... If you have ever thought about it, don't stop, just go for it!

I have put together a list of books that I found pretty helpful.

This first one is a an official text book for ASA!

American Sailing Association Sailing Made Easy Sailing Made Easy is a highly visual, easy-to-read teaching tool for would-be sailors with little or no prior exposure to the sport. Sailing Made Easy is the new official textbook for the ASAs Basic Keelboat Sailing Standard course, ASA 101.Setting a new standard for sailing education materials, Sailing Made Easy was written by a team of expert sailing instructors with more than 150 years of combined sailing experience. It was co-edited by Peter Isler, world famous Americas Cup winning navigator and commentator, and Jeremy McGreary, a 30-year veteran sailing writer and editor. The text closely mirrors the customary sequence in which beginning students are introduced to the theory of sailing, the boat in which they will learn, and the skills they will acquire.With its high-quality, detailed illustrations and easy-to-understand sailing lexicon, we expect Sailing Made Easy to help more people discover the joys of sailing, said Charlie Nobles, executive director of the ASA. As the leading authority on U.S. sailing instruction, we believe that this is the source book for anyone who is serious about this exciting sport and lifestyle American Sailing Association Sailing Made Easy

Knotty7: Sail Date

If you cannot view the video click this link:
https://youtu.be/CMNKhIhtzVw


Capt. Kim and I had a great sail date yesterday (6/28/2015)

We sailed at a top speed of 7.1 kts at one point. It was a beautiful summer day around 85 degrees with a nice south westerly wind.  

Found a nice spot to throw the anchor in at Ponce Inlet by the lighthouse and had lunch.

 A summer storm rolled in right on top of us. Kim sat out in the cockpit at the helm watching to make sure we didn't drag or the anchor did not give way due to the winds.

 It was set perfectly. The storm passed by and the sun came back out for our sail back to home port.

Google Celebrates 130 Years of Lady Liberty

130 years of Lady Liberty in the US thanks to our friends in France! #GoogleDoodle
https://g.co/doodle/56nq7b

    Thousands upon thousands of visitors and immigrants have passed thru this harbor and have greeted Lady Liberty.    

Wishing....Dreaming...Staying Positive

Wishing this was US  right now enjoying  some time in the Caribbean!
 Soon very Soon hopefully!!
Trying to stay positive and keep the dream alive. :)

Celebrate Sailing with Summer Sailstice!

Celebrate Sailing with Summer Sailstice! 

Showcase your sailing: Saturday June 20, 2015.
Organize an event! or Enter your sailing plans!

-   When you sign up or create an event you become part of a global demonstration of sailing
 - whether it's open to the public or a private sail it all gives an insight of the world
of sailing. You can sign up your regular club event, create a special event or just go for
a sail or win a prize.  It's all about sharing one weekend of sailing 'together'.
 - See more at: http://www.summersailstice.com/about-sailstice#sthash.a1O61TBU.dpuf

Cruising Fast and Furious

We were head to head with a fellow sailor when this pic was taken. Going nor thon the ICW from the Dunlawton Bridge back to Halifax Harbor.

We had only our One sail up and he had two sails and his motor going.
As a converted cruiser from a racing yacht, I am totally impressed.

Yes,  we are Fast and Furious!!!

Dolphin and Kitty

Watch this cute video!! 

 Dolphin and Kitty Playing

Dolphin and kitty playing! I hope Abby gets to experience this someday!
Posted by SVSeaDragon on Monday, May 4, 2015

Do Something...

“Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson

New Beginnings.

Hi, welcome to our blog!
We will be sharing our experiences living aboard. Look forward to boating tips, budgeting, homeschooling and all of our adventures at sea!
Sea you soon!