MIKE was born and raised in Denver, Colorado. Naturally leaning towards outdoor activities, 39 years ago at the age of three he nearly gave his mom a heart attack by riding his tricycle around the block solo.
After getting his degree in biology he moved to the great state of Alaska at the age of thirty, where he fell in love with the ocean while working aboard research vessels and started to dream of heading someplace a little warmer. In 2004, he started work aboard the hydrographic research ship Fairweather where he met Verena who told him endless stories about sailing and cruising. He also caught the cruising bug and learned to sail on our first boat, a West Wight Potter 19. Friend Mike on Facebook!
VERENA was born and raised in Germany as an only child to german parents. Always eager to explore, 37 years ago at the age of three she rode her tricycle into a row of rosebushes. In the late 80s Verena and her parents set off on their 38' sloop JOY to immigrate to California and in 1992 they became US citizens. After high school in San Diego and working on loosing her accent, Verena received her degree in geography and cartography from a small northern California college. Not knowing what to do next she applied to every job that sounded fun and ended up on a hydrographic research ship in Alaska with Mike. (Unless noted, all posts are written by Verena) Friend Verena on Facebook!
AFTER TWO COLD YEARS IN ALASKA Verena moved to Portland, Oregon. Mike followed within a month, and another year later we finally realized there was more than just friendship between us. We spent the next five years saving nearly every penny working as hydrographers for a mid-sized engineering firm. In 2008, we both became licensed US Coast Guard captains (100 ton near-shore masters) and in 2011 we moved aboard Camille and started cruising full time.
Verena's parents also bought another sailboat and are currently cruising Mexico while producing the travel show Travel Secrets Mexico which airs on the Family Net channel every Saturday at 9pm Pacific, 10pm Mountain, etc.
ABOUT OUR BOATS
CAMILLE
2001 Hunter 380
We bought Camille Thanksgiving 2011 (read from the beginning) to start a new chapter in our lives and head south! Follow our blog to find out what adventures we have aboard Camille and learn about our favorite GEAR aboard Camille. |
At anchor in Mexico
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| Saloon looking forward |
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| Nav Station (looking aft) |
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| Galley looking aft (and into aft cabin) |
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| Galley all stocked up to head out |
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| Aft Cabin |
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| Head/Shower and Vanity |
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| V-berth (guest cabin) looking aft |
2011 Zodiak 250 Cadet
February 2012 - present
Dinghy to Camille. It has a rigid bottom made of fiberglass (RHIB). Though it's a bit on the small side it was important to us that it can ride on the foredeck (we don't like davits). It also has a folding transom so we can store it below on longer passages. With its light weight one of us can easily pick it up and launch it. We added baja wheels to make beach landings even easier.
2011 Hobie i9s Inflatable Kayak
March 2013 - present
Our newest addition to the fleet! Since it's inflatable we can store it below while underway so we can keep our decks uncluttered. The best part is that it can be peddled or paddled! Check it out here.
2006 Walker Bay 310ST (Super Tender)
March 2009 - present
Great dinghy we bought while boat-less and needing a fix. Was supposed to be tender to Camille but we decided it was just too big and heavy since we don't feel davits are safe. Now in storage near Los Angeles and for sale for the right price.
PAST BOATS
To record a bit of history here are some of the of boats we have owned and worked aboard together.1999 MacGregor 26X "Webfoot"
May 2009 - January 2011
We wanted a boat that we could trailer easily with our small Toyota 4Runner, sleep in (very) comfortably, cook aboard, run up on a beach, go real shallow places, and generally be able to spend more than just the day in. The boat is great for our neck of the woods, if we had purchased a boat with a fixed keel we would have been confined to the five or ten mile stretch of river by our marina slip. As it is we can load Webfoot up on the trailer and within hours we can be sailing in Puget Sound or a pristine mountain lake. Visit the Webfoot website here. Sold to a family from Tillamook, Oregon.
1998 West Wight Potter "Prudence"
May 2008 - November 2008
Our first trailer sailor. Bought her for the same reasons we bought Webfoot but realized after one summer that 19 feet is just not enough space. Sold to a lovely lady in Newport, Oregon who changed her name to "Chill Pill".
Folboat folding kayak “SeaGrin”
2004 - present
Mike bought this folding kayak while we were working in Alaska. He did a two week kayaking trip by being sea-planed into a remote area of Kodiak Island. He also spent six weeks in South America lugging the kayak all over the place. For sale...
WORK | R/V THEORY, R/V WESTERLY and R/V CHINOOK
Armstrong Marine Catamarans
Summer of 2008, Columbia River
Summer 2011, Biloxi, Mississippi
WORK | R/V PRESTON
Our company's main survey vessel (I seem to only have a photo taken from inside...)
WORK | R/V PACIFIC STORM
Summer of 2009, Oregon Coast
Old fishing vessel converted into a state-of-the-art research vessel. Staterooms were in the old fish holds (luckily everything had been completely remodeled). Surveyed the coast of Oregon to three miles out.
WORK | R/V SEALTH
Summers of 2006 and 2007, Virginia
We spent two summers working out of Deltaville on the Chesapeake Bay on this beautiful catamaran.
WORK | NOAA Ship FAIRWEATHER2004-2006, Alaska
We own a small part of it with our tax-dollars and lived aboard for nearly two years. Nothing like cruising South East and South Central Alaska and getting paid for it!
