Chasing the Nomadic Dream

Step into the life of the author as he chases his dream of ditching his life on land and embracing that of a nomadic cruising sailor. After selling his house and his truck and selling or giving away everything that didn’t come aboard, he buys a 1972 Cartwright 40 and embarks on a solo mission. Come along for the ride: sailing offshore, alone, and through the Bahamas. Chasing the Nomadic Dream is a nonfiction singlehand-sailing adventure, beginning with buying an old boat in Massachusetts, moving aboard, and trying to make it to The Bahamas ahead of the coming winter. The book is immersive, sometimes dramatic, and occasionally poetic. The author’s intention is to share the beauty, adventure, hardships, and all the emotions that come with offshore solo sailing and exploring tropical islands, both above and under the water. The author also shares lessons learned along the way, as well as GPS locations of anchorages, descriptions of spearfishing and surfing, photos, and poems. Whether you are an armchair sailor wanting to live the dream vicariously, or an offshore sailor looking to gain experience through reading, this book will take you there. This sailing nonfiction adventure story begins in Massachusetts with the purchase of the author’s boat, Windflower, a 1972 Cartwright 40. The story follows sailing the boat from there to the Chesapeake Bay in October, with two crew. From there the author sails alone for the rest of the book. The next passage is a cold one, to Beaufort, North Carolina, in December, during which the author has a bit of problem solving to do along the way. The final problem requires getting in the water immediately upon arrival. From Beaufort begins a seven-day offshore passage to Eleuthera, which is almost cut short due to one of many mechanical failures, but with some creative problem solving, the passage is completed. The author spends four months in The Bahamas, exploring Eleuthera, the Exumas, and the Abacos. All the anchorages are described, as well as spearfishing, snorkeling, and surfing locations. The Covid-19 pandemic begins while the author is in the Abacos, which are already nearly devoid of cruisers due to the lingering destruction of Hurricane Dorian, from the previous year. The final passage is a stormy one, from the Abacos to St Augustine, Florida. Many photos are included, and a video of the passage to Eleuthera is on YouTube, and is referenced in the book. This is poetic and immersive sailing nonfiction, but also full of useful information, mostly regarding cruising in The Bahamas.