Thank
you again for so much fun, oops I mean a great educational opportunity.
For me this voyage means the difference between cruising on the
coast and the possibility of venturing out on a passage .We are
just beginning our adventure and appreciate your help in making
us aware of so much; safety, tools and techniques, and for sharing
your home and heart.
It has been great to see that there are friends to make along
the way and I appreciate having met some of yours.
What a great time we shared!
Vicki Howard, Seattle, Washington
(2nd from right in photo)
Leg 3 2000 Acapulco to Panama
This was probably the most influential learning experience of
my life.
I found a lot of what I expected and a lot of what I never anticipated.
It will take me a long time to assimilate it all.
I hope our paths cross again in some remote port.
Jonathan Seaman, Nashville, Tennessee (Jonathon
with green fin)
jaseaman@dalcon-icis.com
Leg 4 2000 Panama to Tortola
Thanks for your generosity of spirit.
Beyond the instruction I've learned a great deal by observing
how you both live and work aboard, you show great efficiency in
your style. The expedition was great and has provided an open
door to further adventures. The highlight for me was the passage
to windward, I love the rhythm of boat and crew going around the
clock.
Ed Kish, Simi Valley, California
kishrig@aol.com
Leg 5 2000 Tortola to Azores
I really appreciated the opportunity
to make a major passage.
Tortola to the Azores is a significant achievement!!!
I feel that I am much more confident thanks to you both for teaching
me the insights.
Rosemary Hamilton, Halifax, Nova Scotia
(2nd on left in photo)
Leg 6 2000 Azores to Ireland
The sailing, food and companionship
were great! The weather was just what I had hoped for and the learning curve
was high. Thanks for all the gentle tips on sailing at night and
for being so organized; so many ideas to carry on to our boat.
The expedition truly met and exceeded what I had anticipated.
Linda Frye, Lincolnshire, Illinois
(Linda in center front)
dougfrye@grubb-ellis.com
Leg 7 2000 Ireland to Scotland
You lived up to your mission statement 10 fold over!!!
Your positive attitude about everything, your sense of how to
keep a crew happy, and your superb leadership gave me a whole
new understanding of sailing, plus I learned a lot too!!!
Donna Calhoun, New York, New York
Leg 8 2000 Scotland to Sweden
You two have the unique ability
to combine business with pleasure on the highest level, and it
permeates the entire learning experience.
In spite of Dr Sprocket's Rectum Rockets, I saw my food both coming
and going, but managed, with your help, to overcome this distraction
to learning.
My fellow students made this expedition complete.
Overall a tremendous experience!!
Rolf Forssander, New Orleans, Louisiana
Following the expedition, Rolf checked out his new HR 39 at
the HR boatyard which was being shipped to Texas. He and his wife
Lisa plan to go on ocean voyages once their daughter is off to
college.
Leg 1 1999 Auckland to French Polynesia
Thank you for your hospitality, kindness and understanding. I will never forget
the time spent with you guys. My midnight
watches with Amanda with huge seas, over 60 knot winds and jasmine
tea were the best. You gave us all - perfect weather mixture,
true sailing experience and a chance to explore beautiful French
Polynesia.
Hope to seen you again!
Mariusz Koper, Poland and Toronto, Canada
Leg 2 1999 French Polynesia
I enjoyed being in this beautiful
part of the world to learn about sailing and the cruising life
from your generous sharing. Especially liked snorkeling, pink
coral sand beaches, warm water, night sailing, Amanda's good cooking
and buying pearls.
Many thanks
Peggy Herman, Mercer Island, Washington
Cathy and Siegismund, her partner Ken
and boat Felicity.
John & Amanda, I wanted to drop
you an email that Ken and I have safely made it to San Diego.
Doing the trip with you in March first was a great experience.
I had a much better idea what to expect and the trip with you
gave me the confidence to bring our boat down the coast with just
the 2 of us.
We experienced everything coming down the coast from
long motors in pea soup fog to 6+ hours in sustained winds in
the high 40s with gusts to the low 50's off Cape Mendocino. It
was quite a ride, but our little Tashiba 31 behaved wonderfully,
and Ken, that rat didn't take a thing and never was sick once!
After my heavy reliance on the sick tubs on MT, I was very worried
about getting too worn down with just 2 of us onboard. For future
reference, I got a friend in the UK to send me some Stugeron and
it's worth it's weight
in gold. I never got sick, wasn't tired, no side affects -- even
in our roller coaster ride off N. California. I would strongly
recommend it if you can get it. We're finishing up last minute
projects and preparing for our trip to Mexico. If weather looks
good, we'll be joining the Baja ha ha rally on Tuesday. It looked
like you had a great trip to Sweden. Thank you again the wonderful
experience and all your patience. Hope all is well, and we'll
look for you in the SP.
Cathy & Ken s/v Felicity
wcz2917@sailmail.com
Leg 3 1999 Tahiti to Hawaii
Thank you for presenting such an
experience of a lifetime. I came with great expectations but left
with more than I ever imagined. Not only did I learn a great deal
about cruising but what it is to be a crew member, what it takes
to get people to work together, and most importantly about myself.
I really appreciate having the opportunity to be part of your
expedition.
Heikki Kanerva, Finland and Seattle
Heikkik@microsoft.com
Leg 4 1999 Hawaii to Canada
What a pleasure it's been. Thank
you for a wonderful beginning. While this voyage has come to an
end, the skill and confidence we have gained will surely serve
us well in our adventures to come. Fair winds and we hope to see
you soon.
Jim Haack, Seattle
Leg 6 1999 Petersburg to Queen Charlottes
I have certainly enjoyed the past
2 weeks with you and the "crew". A different climate,
new cruising water, interesting stories, all were great. You have
given me a real feel for the cruising life - some hard work and
organization, maybe it is all worth it. Hope to see you again
in Hawaii. Aloha
Diana Forster, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
Leg 9 1998, Coastal New Zealand
We took the chance, escaped Sweden's
winter to join you. We have really learned a lot! You have shown
us so much, we've got an insight to cruising over the BIG SEAS!
This knowledge will grow in your spirit of always having the security
of everybody onboard and the ship as first priority.
Susanne & Lars Johansson, Gothenburg,
Sweden
Lars.lj.johansson@goteborg.mail.telia.com
Leg 8 1998, Russell to Auckland, New Zealand
What a great learning adventure!
Your leadership and teaching styles have made this cruise a rewarding
and enjoyable 10 days that have flown by all too quickly. We enjoyed
great friendships with the entire crew!
Dorm and Sandy Anderson, Seattle,
WA
In 1999 Dorm and Sandy purchased a previous expedition members
HR 39, the minute it returned from Tahiti and are now lanning
cruising adventures of their own.
Leg 7 1998 New Caledonia, Norfolk Is., to New Zealand
A spectrum of experiences both emotional
and physical, from the depths of despair & believing bluewater
cruising was not for me to a determined desire to continue forward
and reach my goal of a long-term ocean cruise. John & Amanda
have led the way with a sound foundation in offshore cruising.
With this base I believe my dreams can come true.
Jim Phillips, Michigan
Leg 6 1998 Fiji, Vanuatu,
New Caledonia
Communicating wisdom and insight
with patience and good humor is a talent - what a fine learning
environment you have created!
Mac Felder, North Carolina
Leg 5 1998 Fiji
Thanks for the engine mechanics,
winch maintenance, for letting me go all the way to the top of
the mast. Thanks for the patience and repetition and thank you
most of all for your confidence in me. I'll always remember this
trip.
Ginny Harvey, Woodinville, WA
Ginny and family have outfitted their Amphtrite 43, cruised as
far as Alaska in the summer of 2000 and are next sailing for Mexico.
Leg 4 1998 Samoa to Fiji
Wind, stars, long nights on watch
while sailing the South Pacific, talking, new friends, new situations,
once in a lifetime, that's it!
Martin Striebel, Porto Alegre, Brazil
Leg 3 1998 Rarotonga, Palmerston, Niue, Samoa
This was extremely challenging and
rewarding - it's opened a lot of avenues for thought and discussions
on selecting a vessel, how and where to cruise, and how to prepare.
We also found an untouched tropical island - Niue. A coral gem
to which we will return!
