From 2021 to 2023, I lived aboard and cruised on sv NIRVANA, a Freedom 36 sailboat, which I co-owned with my partner Will. Read about and view photographs of our adventures living aboard, cruising, and adventuring in Maine, Bahamas, and Italy. These posts include personal reflection on many subjects beyond sailing.

Click here to read about us.

2023

Nirvana Epilogue
Summing up the sv NIRVANA saga after four months on land

NIRVANA S4:E7
Cruising the Abacos, crossing from Bahamas to Florida, transition time, and reflections on finding home, responsibility, and relationship

NIRVANA S4:E6
Little San Salvador Island, Governor’s Harbor, Glass Window, and Spanish Wells, Eleuthera

NIRVANA S4:E5
Stocking Island (Georgetown), Long Island, Conception Island, and Cat Island, including shore leave

NIRVANA S4:E4
Crossing the Great Bahama Bank from Key Biscayne, checking in at Chub Cay, exploring Morgan’s Bluff, Kamalame Cay, and Fresh Creek in Andros, and cruising the Exuma chain

2022

NIRVANA S4:E3
65 days traveling 1720 nautical miles through 13 states from South Portland, Maine to Miami, Florida

NIRVANA S4:E2
The Sailor and Her Mate, an epic poem inspired by The Walrus and the Carpenter by Lewis Carroll about our experiences in North Carolina and South Carolina

NIRVANA S4:E1
Shakedown cruise along the CT, NY, NJ, MD, and VA coast, the ICW in VA and NC, and reflections on steadfastness, responsiveness, and adventure

NIRVANA S3:E4
Frenchboro, Swan’s Island, Monhegan, and South Portland, Maine, and sailing south to Isle of Shoals, Cape Cod, and Warren, RI for six weeks of boat work in preparation for our trip south

NIRVANA S3:E3
Southwest Harbor, Mud Hole, Roque Island, Horseshoe Cove, Belfast, Holbrook Sanctuary, Barred and Butter Islands, and Isle au Haut

NIRVANA S3:E2
Casco Bay, Birch Island, Long Cove Vinalhaven, Rockland schooner race, North Haven, Seal Bay, Brimstone, and Hurricane Island

NIRVANA S3:E1
Pre-season experiential learning about composting toilets, cooling systems, dyneema, and CO alarms, pogie fishing, and early season cruising in Casco Bay

The Trip of Generosity S2:E5
Will describes our Seattle and Santa Cruz adventures and house-sitting in South Portland when we became vegetarians

CASCADE II S2:E5
Living aboard sv Cascade II in Marina di Ragusa, Sicily and land touring to Piazza Armerina

CASCADE II S2:E4
Cruising in January aboard sv Cascade, a Jeanneau 41 from Marina di Ragusa to Syracuse, Sicily

2021

Cascade II S2:E3
Follow us on our six day trip across Sicily by car to Catania, Caltagirone, Enna, Cefalu, and Agrigento, narrated by Will, the architect

NIRVANA S2:E1
Reflections on living aboard at DiMillo’s on Portland’s waterfront as winter approaches

NIRVANA S1:E10
End of season cruising in Casco Bay, moving into our slip at DiMillo’s on the Portland waterfront, and adventures on land in Bethel

NIRVANA S1:E9
September sailing in Casco Bay and reflecting on life on land after a summer at sea

Remembering Roland
A tribute to my dear uncle Roland Barth, one of my sailing mentors, on his passing

NIRVANA S1:E8
Rockland, Matinicus, Round Pond, Boothbay, South Freeport, and reflections on home

Up Perry Creek without a Starter
Our week in Perry Creek, Vinalhaven without a starter where JO Brown comes to our rescue

A Day in the Life Aboard sv NIRVANA
Will’s reflections on a day in the life aboard sv Nirvana, complete with architectural rendering of our yacht

NIRVANA S1:E7
Belfast, Castine, Holbrook Sanctuary, Barred and Butter Islands, Seal Bay, Winter Harbor, and North Haven

NIRVANA S1:E6
Belfast, Horseshoe Cove, Buck’s Harbor, and Pond Island

NIRVANA S1:E5
Sweet Chariot Music Festival on Swan’s Island and Eggemoggin Reach Regatta

NIRVANA S1:E4
Northeast Harbor, Webb Cove, Stonington, Round Island, Eggamoggin Reach, Wooden Boat School, Buckle Harbor, Hell’s Half Acre, Southwest Harbor, Mackerel Cove, and Burn Coat Harbor

NIRVANA S1:E3
Maple Juice Cove, Birch Island, Hurricane Island, Carver’s Harbor and Golden Cove on Vinalhaven, Pulpit Harbor, North Haven Harbor, Merchant Island, Kimball Island, and Frenchboro

NIRVANA S1:E2
South Freeport, Snow Island, Christmas Cove, Greenland Cove, Round Pond, and Muscongus Bay

NIRVANA S1:E1
Setting out from Spring Point in South Portland on our summer cruise

About Us

Will and I met in June 2020 on lovesail.com. At the time, I owned a Sabre 28, and he owned an Alberg 35 after previously owning a C&C 41. Because we both like looking at boats and fantasized about “maybe someday” buying a boat together, in the summer of 2020, we went to look at a couple boats. The Freedom was suggested by the broker with the added bonus that the owner was a “motivated seller.” We fell in love with her the minute we stepped on board and decided to make a low-ball offer, which was accepted. After only four months of knowing each other, we co-owned a boat and shortly thereafter each sold of our respective crafts.

We laid her up for winter and read all we could about this strange design with a carbon fiber mast, no stays, and a self-tacking jib. In June, 2021, I rented my house, we launched the boat, and we set out to cruise the Maine coast. We loved everything about the boat, and living aboard was a dream come true for both of us.

We decided to live aboard that winter at DiMillo’s in Portland, which we did until the end of November when we got a much better offer to spend the winter in Sicily living aboard a Jeanneau 41. While most of the time we were dockside in Marina di Ragusa, we did some land and sea touring around this delightful island.

We returned to Maine after three months, but with my house rented and little desire to move onto the boat in February, we did some house-sitting and traveling until the weather warmed up. In April, 2022, we moved back aboard and cruised the coast of Maine once again. It was then that we decided to sail south to spend the winter in the Bahamas.

We set sail early September and spent six weeks in Warren, RI upgrading the boat for our trip south. In mid-October, we finally set out down the coast in earnest, spending about half the time off the coast going in and out of inlets, and the other half motoring on the Intra Coastal Waterway (ICW). While there were plenty of highlights along the way, it was a long haul and we had a number of harrowing experiences on what felt like a shakedown cruise sailing for the first time in open ocean.

At the beginning of January, 2023, we crossed to the Bahamas and spent three delightful months exploring these extraordinary islands. Our travels took us to Andros, the Exumas, Long Island, Conception Island, Cat Island, Eleuthera, and the Abocos. There was much wonder to discover and enjoy, including delightful people and gorgeous scenery.

In early April, 2023 we crossed back to northern Florida, whereupon I returned home to South Portland and Will continued sailing the boat north. He made it as far as Long Island, where he ran aground, which sadly caused damage to the keel such that she was totaled. So our adventure together aboard sv Nirvana has come to an end, and only time will tell what comes next as we forge a new path, together and apart.