The funny thing about dreams is that sometimes you don’t know they exist until you’re living them…

After nearly two years of ‘staying put’ in the pacific waters around British Columbia–most of which were spent exploring the province’s miles of intricately worn and wild coastline–this year, we were once again finally able to journey beyond Canada’s Pacific Northwest.

To the adventurer, go the memory-laden spoils, winter adventures included. To make the thought of taking off on a winter sailing trip way less daunting, read on. Ten ways to make cold weather cruising more attainable and enjoyable!

We glide past forests of giant plumose anemones dancing in their subaqueous environment. Their lacey crowns open, gathering food as the water carries it past their place on the rocks. A few bold quillback rockfish dart in and out of the rugged wall, while other species, like the China rockfish with its bright yellow lateral stripe, hide safely in the shadows.

I don a few layers of warm clothing—both top and bottom—and the warmest, tallest pair of socks I own. Next, I wriggle my way into my thick neoprene dry suit and get zipped up. Conlee is double checking the marine charts and slipping the tablet into a clear dry bag to use for enroute navigation. He grabs the handheld radio and hops down into the dinghy…

Beyond the beaten paths and crowded anchorages of the Southern Gulf Islands, Desolation Sound, and the Broughton Archipelago lay some of the more unexplored areas of the British Columbia Coast.

Living Aboard with a Dog - The Reality!

Okay sure, we may have romantically sailed off into the sunset on our maiden voyage, but it didn’t take long before I realized there was a whole lot more to this sailing life than I could have imagined…

The idea of living on a sailboat may seem like a simple life, full of free time and romance. In reality, it is more complex and intricate than life ashore. Celeste Brooke-Landon reveals the realities and practicalities of the “liveaboard lifestyle” in part one of her series.