Anatomy of a knockdown
S/V One Ocean Anatomy of a knockdown North Atlantic Passage Halifax/Lockport to Bermuda 0930 hrs, October 17, 2025 37d31m N/66d44m W Seas 15 - 30' Barometer 1002 falling Wind 25 - 35kts Main triple reef, mizzen down, jib 1/4 Apparent wind angle 160 - 180d Boat speed 5.5 - 8+ (all good, seas/swell
Ecuador, Equator and Calamari
It was the night of our equator ceremony when I thought, for certain, we were being taken over by pirates. My heart leaped into my throat as I remembered Mark’s words… never ever let anyone board this vessel. When a boat rapidly approached One Ocean at night—men yelling and pointing a green laser
Decisions
When we made the decision to turn right and transit the Panama Canal, we based it on three factors: finances, weather, and time. The weather was against us and we were storm-weary. We weren’t going to make Uruguay for Christmas, and our funds were nearly gone. So we turned toward the Canal to keep
Moments
Moments and stories: Around the Americas I hope it is normal for someone of a certain age to vividly remember titles of books or headers in a drawer full of files and then notice some details, backstories and descriptions are a little fuzzy, or missing altogether. It could be the case that after
Tides of Change: From the Arctic to Guna Yala
It had been years since I first sailed through the Guna Yala archipelago (formerly the San Blas Islands) with Sarah, Paige, and John Dalton aboard his catamaran, Blue Bamboo. We always said we’d come back, and being here again has been unexpectedly emotional. I hear Sarah and Paige’s laughter in
Bocas Del Toro: Where Bureaucracy Meets Pizza-Gate
One Ocean finally made it to Bocas Del Toro, Panama, surfing in on an easterly wind and a string of squalls—right up to the channel entrance. We even managed to arrive with daylight to spare, which felt like winning a small lottery. Normally I’m grateful for our electronics when entering new ports
St. Croix to Panama
St. Croix to Panama We seem to be storm magnets — and flying-fish magnets… especially me. One Ocean has been surfing through gusts into the mid-40s with huge, heaving waves. Who knew the Caribbean Sea could throw punches like that? The “Christmas Winds” — the seasonal trades get stronger as the
One Ocean's course changed - the mission didn't
We left Culebra with Antigua on the horizon and a clean plan: slip past the island, push out to the windward side of the Caribbean chain, and begin our long run south toward Uruguay. The trades had other plans. Predicted 15–17 knots became a relentless 20+ from the E/SE, gusting over 30. The seas
ATA November Newsletter
Check out the latest newsletter issue below: ATA November Newsletter
Hurricane Melissa
Still bruised from our crossing south across the Atlantic, Tess, Mark, Charley, and I had just about finished repairing One Ocean from the beating she took when I first heard whispers about a hurricane forming to the south. We were at dinner at Wahoo’s in St. George’s, Bermuda — celebrating our
"It was as dark and stormy night" - Volunteer Charley
All good sea tales start with “It was a dark and stormy night.” I know for certain of the One Ocean crew wished this tale would have none of those words. Unfortunately it does. My ties to the Skagit Valley College Marine Tech Center have been strong since my retirement. I was refitting all the
Bermuda Blues
During our crossing from Lockeport, Nova Scotia to Bermuda, One Ocean and crew faced a storm that lasted 3 days with wind up to almost 70 knots and waves larger than their 48 foot ketch. This is a glimpse into what the team of four was dealing with while out there. I wrote this in a text to a friend