Aleria's Adventures

View over Punta Lagoa in the Ria de Vigo. Vigo on the left. Cangas on the right.  In Spain, the winters are wet and wild but not that cold. Technically, it's possible to stay in the water and enjoy sailing through the winter months. Realistically, it can be challenging as the storms can be strong and unpredictable. The Atlantic swell is perhaps the most challenging element for overwintering, so locations with the best protection from the swell are the most attractive. We have spent a couple of winters in Spain and have checked out multiple options. We often get questions from friends about where to go. I thought I'd write down our thoughts for the benefit of those wishing to spend more than a few days or weeks in the Rias.

Buy now on amazon The editors of SisterShip held a contest for stories about cruising pets. So naturally I wrote a story about Onyx's ocean crossing. It was one of the stories selected for an anthology they just published called Voyaging with Pets. There are some amazing, highly creative and amusing tales in this delightful book. It's available in eBook format now and soon to be available in paperback.

I attended a cruising conference organised by Irish Sailing this past weekend. It turned out to be excellent. The lineup of speakers included:

The Joy of Missing Out comes in places like this. Not your office cubicle, for sure. I was reading an article about the hottest trends of the year and I had to smile when I got to this one. JOMO or the joy of missing out is replacing FOMO or the fear of missing out. I'd say that bodes well for sailing. If more people are asking, is there all there is, then more will say, "Let's go see for ourselves." Yes, I think there's a new generation of sailors in the making.

For Immediate Release Contact: Alex Blackwell Ablackwell@knowledgeclinic.com White Seahorse Publishing announces the release of the 3rd edition of Happy Hooking – the Art of Anchoring. USA and Ireland, 13 February 2019 – White Seahorse Publishing is pleased to announce the third, expanded edition of the best-selling book on boat anchoring, “Happy Hooking – the Art of Anchoring”. Receiving consistent five-star reviews from verified purchasers on Amazon, the authors and licensed captains, Alex & Daria Blackwell, reworked and updated much of their book. This latest edition includes new gear, new reviews, many new illustrations and much more. “Anchoring is a subject very close to our hearts,” says Capt. Alex Blackwell. “Not only does confidence in anchoring have important safety implications but sitting in the cockpit on a lovely evening anchored in a spectacularly beautiful location watching the sun set rates up there with the most enjoyable things one can possibly d

Alex and I sailed away from the US 11 years ago - amazing. We've been back for short stints to visit family but not for prolonged periods. We've always been amazed at how much things change in a short period of time - cars, tolls, supermarkets, shops, technology all march along at a rapidly increasing pace. But this time, I've been here for three weeks and I've become acutely aware of one major difference since I left - massive consumerism. I didn't think it could get more acute than it was but it certainly has. The fruit salad display. Lots of packaging. Little work. I've been amazed by the availability of goods in stores (Wegemans, CVS) and the quantity of stuff people buy. I am also astounded by what people throw away, just because something new becomes available. Yet all profess to be environmentally conscious. I believe that everyone should be made to live on a boat for at least a month. Once you shlep all the ingredients, discard all the packagi

Sailing 'fun'damentals! Yesterday I made a prediction that the next generation of sailors is already in the making through the effects of the new Disney classic Moana. I also made a plea not to turn kids off when they show up to sail training by forcing them into racing. Today, I am going to continue to expand on my writings about the shortcomings of how sailing is taught for the most part in sailing clubs around the world. In 2015, I wrote a piece for Yachting World about how making sailing programmes fun can help keep more kids sailing. I'd written similar pieces for magazines on both sides of the Atlantic before that. It's sadly not a localised problem. Somehow, we've allowed racing to define sailing. Last month, a series in Scuttlebutt tackled the issue of keeping kids in sailing and gave several great examples of how some clubs have managed to increase retention significantly through "Adventure Sailing" programmes. Can it be true? Is the con