cruising guides

When we left from Mexico to journey across the Pacific we had lots of questions about what we would find among the islands. We savored the few chances we had to talk to cruisers that had been there in recent years and gleaned a lot of good information and advice from them. We also read a lot of articles in magazines, SSCA bulletins and the Internet but we never found a comprehensive source of information about the trip. So, once we reached New Zealand we decided to write one.

Cruising the Coconut Milk Run  (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader - get it here)
Written for the Puddle Jump Class of 2002, this guide covers everything from preparing to leave Mexico to cruising through the traditional Coconut Milk Run. The content is based on our experience in 2001 and some info has changed. Of particular note, French Polynesia has changed their visa regulations significantly. Also available in Microsoft Word format in both compressed (112kb)  and uncompressed (650kb)  formats.

New Zealand  (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader - get it here)
This guide will provide a quick-start resource for first-timers to New Zealand and answers the unique questions of the cruising community. Topics include officialdom, marina selection, basic services (electrical, television, telephone, and Internet), boat work, buying a car, touring, and more. Also available in Microsoft Word format in both compressed (50kb)  and uncompressed (230kb)  formats.
 

getting ready to go?

Our dream started ten years before we actually left to go cruising. During that time we spent lots of time reading about, researching and feeding the dream. For those of you feeding the dream, the following articles are for you.

Our "Idea" Cruising Yacht
Is there such a thing? Probably not, but there are some qualities that we've come to appreciate that we would like in our next boat. This article gives you an insight to what we would like to do differently in our next boat.