Behan Gifford

LATEST ARTICLES ( 537 )

• Shipyard List: Refit for the South Pacific

  

  Siobhan and Mairen replacing the pole track and cleaning the mast Hot days pulling sticks on the hardstand, digital postcards from a dusty town in the Sonora... Read more

  Posted on 19 September 2019 FAMILY, OUTDOORS, SEA, TRAVEL

• Top Reasons Cruising is Great for Families

  

  Tight tribe: siblings on the bow off the Costa Rica coast Over the years, we have run into many couples cruising as empty-nesters who expressed regret they... Read more

  Posted on 12 September 2019 FAMILY, OUTDOORS, SEA, TRAVEL

• Mail Call Challenges Highlight Cruiser Priorities

  

  No mail service anywhere near here. The instant gratification of click-to-buy for next day delivery disappears faster than steak at a potluck when you go... Read more

  Posted on 28 August 2019 FAMILY, OUTDOORS, SEA, TRAVEL

• Cruising Relationships Are Different

  

  Familiar names come into focus on the hulls of sailboats as Jamie and I walk along the gravelly hardstand rows. It’s like seeing old friends after the space of... Read more

  Posted on 20 August 2019 FAMILY, OUTDOORS, SEA, TRAVEL

• Sea Change

  

  Our language is full of words and phrases drawn from maritime origins. Whether you’re hoping to be on an even keel, can’t fathom what that is, or simply need... Read more

  Posted on 06 August 2019 FAMILY, OUTDOORS, SEA, TRAVEL

• Challenging Anchorages Revisited

  

  Miles and years slide by, but the feel of an anchorage sticks with you. Name a bay, and memories flood back: the quality of the holding. The way the swell... Read more

  Posted on 06 June 2019 FAMILY, OUTDOORS, SEA, TRAVEL

• Migrating for Hurricane Season in Mexico

  

  Cruising has seasonal rhythms; weather is the dominant factor, and for cruisers in Mexico it’s time to be in – or well on your way to – an area to spend... Read more

  Posted on 26 May 2019 FAMILY, OUTDOORS, SEA, TRAVEL

• Murder in Paradise: is Cruising Dangerous?

  

  A few days ago we learned that a cruising family was attacked on their boat in Guna Yala (aka San Blas), Panama, with the tragic outcome of death aboard. Read more

  Posted on 05 May 2019 FAMILY, OUTDOORS, SEA, TRAVEL

• Tanked: Mixology Woes Aboard

  

  The dull thud of your heart sinking at that horrifying moment when you realize what you just did and consequences will follow: we all dread it. It happens... Read more

  Posted on 10 April 2019 FAMILY, OUTDOORS, SEA, TRAVEL

• New Tools on Totem

  

  It’s fun when you’ve been cruising for a bunch of years and can find delight in a few new pieces of kit on board. Here are a few new additions to Totem that ear... Read more

  Posted on 27 March 2019 FAMILY, OUTDOORS, SEA, TRAVEL

• Totem’s Coppercoat Application

  

  Coppercoating Totem’s hull was a thrilling prospect, but pressure to do the application correctly gave me more anxiety any boat project in memory. Read more

  Posted on 25 March 2019 FAMILY, OUTDOORS, SEA, TRAVEL

• Weather Waffling: the Passage Departure Decision

  

  I watched from Totem’s cockpit yesterday as friends sailed out of the La Cruz anchorage. Their next stop: the Marquesas, French Polynesia’s nearest island... Read more

  Posted on 13 March 2019 FAMILY, OUTDOORS, SEA, TRAVEL

• Cruiser Karma: Alive and Well in La Cruz

  

  Nine years ago this month, Totem rocked at anchor in this exact curve of coastline on the north side of Banderas Bay where we find ourselves today. Read more

  Posted on 16 February 2019 FAMILY, OUTDOORS, SEA, TRAVEL

• Crewing on Totem

  

  For the 800 mile run from Puerto Peñasco to Puerto Vallarta, two coaching clients responded to our spontaneous offer for sharing the sail; Sam shares their... Read more

  Posted on 07 January 2019 FAMILY, OUTDOORS, SEA, TRAVEL

• What 2018 Taught Us as Cruisers

  

  Pausing for reflection at the transition into a new year: living so much in the present, it’s worth stopping to draw out significant events that too easily slid... Read more

  Posted on 02 January 2019 FAMILY, OUTDOORS, SEA, TRAVEL

• Give the Cruising Dream! Last Minute, No-shipping Gift Ideas

  

  Need a little something at the last minute? Here are a few ideas to help inspire the hopeful cruiser in your life… or, put a smile on that cruiser across the... Read more

  Posted on 23 December 2018 FAMILY, OUTDOORS, SEA, TRAVEL

• Schedules, Cruising, and the 800-mile Passage Nobody Wants to Make

  

  “After this, no more schedules!” Jamie ranted a little while coiling lines at the mast possibly a little more vigorously than necessary while we motored into... Read more

  Posted on 21 December 2018 FAMILY, OUTDOORS, SEA, TRAVEL

• Preparing Totem for Coppercoat

  

  Coppercoat’s advantages in durability (=savings!) and environmental friendliness (=how we live!) have made me more excited about antifouling than I believed... Read more

  Posted on 08 December 2018 FAMILY, OUTDOORS, SEA, TRAVEL

• Coming Soon to Toronto and Seattle Boat Shows

  

  Making winter boat show plans? Let’s meet! Jamie and I are excited to have finalized plans for presenting at the Toronto Boat Show and Seattle Boat Show in earl... Read more

  Posted on 01 December 2018 FAMILY, OUTDOORS, SEA, TRAVEL

• Holiday Gift Ideas: Inspired by Social Side of Cruising

  

  The cruising lifestyle shimmers with a wide social streak; gathering for cockpit sundowners or beach barbecues is routine, and comes with distinct practices. Read more

  Posted on 23 November 2018 FAMILY, OUTDOORS, SEA, TRAVEL