Show & Tell
untitled
I'd rather be in outer space 🛸
🪼
Love Begins
almost home
occasionally subtle
tannertan36
todays bird
Claire Keane
❣ Chile in a Photography ❣
#extradirty
Aqua Utopia｜海の底で記憶を紡ぐ
$LAYYYTER
EXPECTATIONS
Kaledo Art
"I'm Dorothy Gale from Kansas"
KIROKAZE
No title available
art blog(derogatory)
seen from Poland
seen from France
seen from Germany
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Italy
seen from Bangladesh
seen from Israel
seen from Germany
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Syria
seen from Kenya
seen from Ecuador
seen from Indonesia
seen from Japan
seen from Kazakhstan
seen from Germany
seen from Germany
seen from France
@ahlaniadamson
My time in the Caribbean has come to an end but that doesn’t mean the adventures are over… I’m heading stateside today for some much-needed mountain lovin’ in Montana ✈️ Check out this quick video I put together of the British Virgin Islands.
Keep an eye out for a new blog post about the Dominican Republic, coming soon!
British Virgin Islands
It’s been a full week of adventuring for the crew of L’Eclectik. On Wednesday night, we said goodbye to St. Maarten and began an overnight passage to the British Virgin Islands. It was a perfect crossing with fair winds and a full moon. We decided to take our watches in easy three-hour shifts, which made the night fly by.
We arrived on Thursday morning at The Baths on Virgin Gorda, where we were lucky to grab one of the last mooring buoys. The Baths are an extremely popular destination for cruisers and charterers alike. Huge boulders form a series of caves along the shoreline, creating ideal swimming holes. Light shines through the spaces where the rocks meet, turning the sunshine into natural spotlights. There are ladders and ropes to help explorers navigate the routes between grottos and guide the flow of traffic in one direction. Despite some rain, we spent the afternoon snorkeling, paddle boarding, and exploring the caves.
The next day, we sailed to Copper Island where dozens of sailboats were moored in dreamy mermaid water just offshore from another beautiful coastline. Celia and I took the paddle board out for a spin while Chloe and Marei swam to shore. Eventually, the girls made some new friends on a neighboring sailboat and were quickly incorporated into a lively game of “King of the Kayak.” With some time to myself, I decided to lounge on the trampoline and read a book while soaking in the sunshine and spectacular views.
That night, we anchored alone near a beach resort that was post-card perfect in every way. The sandy stretch of shoreline boasted seven private cabanas that were tucked into the trees and outfitted with lounge chairs and floor-length curtains. The best part? It was completely deserted, a perk we found ourselves taking advantage of as we sipped our 5 o’clock beverages and watched the sun set over L’Eclectik. After returning to the boat for dinner, we set up a movie projector and watched “Transcendence” on the front deck. As the movie played, we spotted several falling stars against the backdrop of a still-full moon.
Our final day in the British Virgin Islands led us to The Indians, a pair of jagged rocks that rise out of the ocean to form a spectacular sight both above and under the water. We spent the better part of an hour snorkeling around one of the most beautiful reefs I’ve ever seen (and I’ve seen a lot of reefs). The shallows met a steep drop off about twenty feet from shore, creating an oasis for hundreds of tropical fish and coral species. Between The Indians and the island, there was a cool open-water cave that we were able to swim through. Super cool! We ended the day anchored off Norman Island with several other catamarans where we watched yet another breathtaking sunset.
In the morning, we prepared the boat for another overnight crossing, which meant meal prepping and general tidying. I’ve discovered that pasta is an easy dish to cook beforehand to avoid boiling water while under way. I made spaghetti sauce and plenty of noodles for this particular crossing and it turned out to be a hit with everyone on board.
We set sail for Puerto Rico around 3pm with the wind comfortably at our stern. Around sunset, a pod of dolphins decided to join us on our journey. Dozens of them played in the waves at our bow for almost an hour. Dangling our arms as far into the water as we could, we managed to slide our fingers along their backs.
Finally, we parted ways with our new friends as the shores of Puerto Rico swam into the horizon.
Next stop: the Dominican Republic.
St. Maarten, FWI
I am sitting in the galley of a 40′ catamaran, L’Eclectic, watching dinghies cruise through the channel in front of me. A light breeze makes the palm trees dance as storm clouds begin to gather in the mountains. To my left, the sunset is lighting the sky on fire above dozens of distant sailboats.
Let me explain how I got here. Three weeks ago, a friend invited me to join a sailing crew on an Atlantic crossing. Without (too much) hesitation, I quit my job, moved out of my house and boarded a red-eye to St. Maarten. When I arrived, things didn’t go according to plan and I ended up jumping ship after three days.
Luckily, the night before my untimely departure from my original ship, I met Maryline and her two adorable daughters.
Unsure of whether to stick it out or bail, I expressed several concerns about my situation and she immediately offered to help. The next morning I moved into the spare bedroom on L’Eclectik and took on the role of au pair.
Maryline and her family are originally from the south of France and have been sailing the world since 2015. Their long-term plan is to circumnavigate the globe, but for now they are enjoying their time in the Caribbean. Soon, we will set sail for the Dominican Republic and Cuba and I couldn’t be more excited.
Life onboard L’Eclectic is busy. Each morning, I wake up with the girls at 7am to help get them ready for school. At the moment, they are enrolled in a public school on the island in order to make friends and ease the responsibility of home-schooling for Maryline. The walk to school takes about twenty minutes and we usually talk about animals or playdates. Rocky, the family dog, also accompanies us on this daily trek.
With the girls in school, there’s plenty of chores to be done on the boat in preparation for its relaunch sometime this week. At the moment, we’re “on the hard” which means the boat is out of the water so work can be done on the hulls. Life in the boat yard is interesting and somewhat challenging. The biggest inconvenience is that we can’t use the heads on the boat, so instead we have to climb down and walk across the yard (rain or shine) to the public restroom. One benefit of being on land, however, is that we can come and go as we please which makes entertaining the girls a hell of a lot easier.
Another important aspect of my job is speaking English (obviously) with the girls on a regular basis. Their English is actually really good and miscommunication is pretty rare. I’m trying to learn the basics of French to fill the communication gap. I’ve never been immersed in French before, but I’m picking it up pretty quickly.
St. Maarten is divided into two territories: Dutch and French. L’Eclectik is located in Marigot Bay which is on the French side, but I find the Dutch side to be nicer. The culture clash results in a completely unique vibe with an any-language/currency-goes sort of feel. Acceptable languages here include Dutch, French, English and Spanish while Euros and US dollars are accepted and interchangeable.
I’ve been on the island for three weeks now and I’ve made some awesome memories with great people. Occasionally, we’ll get access to a car which makes getting around much easier. Swimming in the ocean is a daily necessity because of the heat and humidity down here in the Caribbean. It seems like every day is a beach day and there are so many beaches that I still haven’t been to the same one twice!
I’m excited to see what the next few weeks have in store, but for now I’m enjoying my time on St. Maarten.
Hey there, I’m back and on a brand new adventure!
I recently accepted a job as an au pair for a French family on a sailboat in St. Maarten. We will be sailing for the Dominican Republic and Cuba soon and I couldn’t be more excited!
Keep an eye out for a blog post, coming soon.
Nothing beats a hike with this smiley boy!
Today we explored a few new trails along the Truckee River and Emerald Bay. Tai kept his frisbee close by while I practiced my photography skills. We also made some lovely friends at a bagel shop in Tahoe City. All in all, a great day amongst the pines. We live in a beautiful place!
Summer 2016 // New Zealand
Working at Cardrona was an experience I will treasure for the rest of my life. I met the most incredible people and was able to pursue my passion for snowboarding in my favorite place on Earth. Does life get any better than this?
I finally got around to making a (very short) edit of my year of travels. Here are my favorite clips of the people and places that make me very happy.
Happy Heart
Find a place that makes your heart happy.
Find your space. Maybe it's a rock overlooking the Friday night lights of your hometown. Maybe it's a lazy river winding through a quiet pine-covered canyon. Maybe it's the top of a giant, snow-capped mountain.
It could be a single tree or an entire forest. A room in a single house or an entire city. A pond or an ocean. Heck, an entire country!
Or maybe it's not a place at all. Maybe it's the thought of something that makes your heart swell ten sizes and sends shivers all the way down to your toes. Maybe it's your dog. Maybe it's your mom, or your best friend, or the love of your life.
Everyone has something that inspires and drives them. Whatever it is, find yours and don't ever let it go.
California done right This is the first year that I have ever really made new year resolutions. I made two: talk to more strangers and to say yes to more opportunities.
Nothing beats the feeling of landing here.
Wanaka, home.
Hello New Zealand, I’m back! Last November, my best friend and I spontaneously bought tickets to New Zealand. Originally, the plan was to stay for a month and live out of a van. Somewhere between then and now, however, those plans changed pretty drastically. By some incredible good fortune, we both applied for and landed jobs in the rental department at Cardrona Alpine Resort. Positions at…
View On WordPress
Sometimes ya just gotta hop a few fences to get the best view.
Feedback wanted!
I always love and appreciate the advice and opinions of my readers, thank you so much for your feedback! Please check out my new site, www.todayiswild.wordpress.com (there’s not a whole lot of content yet), and let me know what you think. I would really like to learn what you guys want to read about most! I’m currently searching for some inspiration, if you have any please don’t hesitate to share!
I absolutely LOVE this travel blog! All of her adventures are inspiring and well-documented. This article is too good not to share, enjoy!
Avoid boredom like the plague.
The Donner Summit Train Tunnels in Truckee, California are great for hiking with friends. The tunnels give way at several points to spectacular views of Donner Lake and the surrounding mountains.
Yosemite, California // October, 2015