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What happens when after thirty years of living together a couple decides to try to recreate a magical year that they had in the early days of their relationship? We both regarded the year living and traveling aboard our thirty foot sloop, Escapade, to be a major highlight of our life together. After that year, our life had taken a new direction, which included extensive traveling throughout the U.S.. Canada, Mexico, and Central America and parts of Europe, and a serious interest in wilderness and whitewater canoeing and in photography. But neither of us had lost our love of the sea and out admiration of sailboats. So when Angie said "Let's do it again," we were off on a new adventure. Our search for a boat led us to Bel Canto, a forty-two foot Tayana sailboat. Little did we know what a challenge it was going to be to try to make our dream come true.
About the author
As a child I dreamed of an adventurous life. My career as a teacher may have seemed antithetical to that, but with summers free I was able to take long camping trips, while also enjoying the the exciting sports of skiing and whitewater canoeing. Although I grew up within a stone's throw of Lake Michigan, I discovered sailing only after becoming an adult, but once involved, I was hooked. For twenty years I got all of the experience I could, sailing small boats and large, so that by the time I met Angie, I was ready for my grand adventure.
Meanwhile I studied music and languages, traveled when I could, and did my best to instill a loving of learning in the students who passed through my high school English classes. Today my traveling is cut short and I split my time, along with Angie and our dog Belle, between our home in Ann Arbor and our getaway in the woods of Northern Michigan. I grew up in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, surrounded by water. As a child I watched the freighters passing through the locks on the St. Mary's River, going from Lake Michigan to Lake Superior and back again, and wondered about their far off destinations. The love of water and the desire to travel never wore off. As as adult I have canoed wilderness rivers, camped in national parks and state forest campgrounds, and traveled by van through 48 states, all the provinces of Canada, and most of the states in Mexico.
My career was teaching, which, along with photography, cooking, and writing, gave me an outlet for my creative urges. I also love art, music, and reading and learning new languages. Today I live with Jim and our Golden Doodle Belle in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
