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Life Between Islands — When Sailing Is Simple

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Sometimes it really can be as easy as that: flat seas, full sails, and the quiet hum of water sliding past the hull. Just sailing. From the outside, living on the ocean looks like a dream come true — the colors, the freedom, the endless horizon. And it is that, sometimes. But it’s also easy to slip into complaining. That’s the paradox of living in sync with nature: the beauty comes with dependency. We, as… Read More »Life Between Islands — When Sailing Is Simple

Finding Shelter — and a Surprise Festival

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After a few days anchored off the coast, right in front of massive all-inclusive hotels, we were secretly grateful for our little hideaway aboard Santana. From out there, we could watch the shoreline with resort entertainment activity — while enjoying our own quiet, floating world. But peace never lasts long when the swell moves in. Forecasts promised enormous huge rolling toward the south of Gran Canaria, so we started searching for a more protected spot.… Read More »Finding Shelter — and a Surprise Festival

sailing to south Gran Canaria

Switching Roles — Sailing South in Gran Canaria

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Back in March, I stayed on my own for a month in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria. During that time, I hardly moved the boat — just stayed in the same anchorage, got a few projects done, and buried my head in work for a while. When Nike returned, it was time to move again. We decided to sail around the island and enjoy the sunnier south side of Gran Canaria. This time, though, we switched… Read More »Switching Roles — Sailing South in Gran Canaria

A Smooth Day Sail from Fuerteventura to Gran Canaria

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In the last episode, we stopped at the southern tip of Fuerteventura to wait for a good weather window. Luckily, it didn’t let us down. We sailed the whole way across to Gran Canaria under perfect conditions — steady wind, gentle rolling swell, and Santana carrying us beautifully over the water. I’ve heard people rave about the sailing in the Canaries, and this must be what they meant. We left early in the morning to… Read More »A Smooth Day Sail from Fuerteventura to Gran Canaria

Sailing Further South

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We managed to steal a little time off in Fuerteventura. In Puerto del Rosario we tucked ourselves away from the swell, enjoying sunshine, catching up with friends, and exploring the island at an easy pace. Fuerteventura is also where we met Laerke from Women and the Wind — a wonderful documentary about three women who crossed the Atlantic eastbound on a 50-year-old wooden catamaran with almost no equipment. Meeting her in person and hearing parts… Read More »Sailing Further South

Nike and Floh sailing their boat Santana through high Atlantic swells in the Canary Islands.

Surfing the Canaries

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I was so happy when we finally reached the Canary Islands. I knew we wouldn’t find endless anchorages, but I was fine with one or two places to linger — some sunbathing, a swim or two, and plenty of time to catch up on work. I don’t mind working a lot. I just prefer to do it where other people go on vacation. Turns out, that wasn’t so easy. La Graciosa has almost no infrastructure.… Read More »Surfing the Canaries

Reaching the Canary Islands in January

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When a weather window finally opened in January, we left Rabat, Morocco behind and set sail—450 nautical miles to the Canary Islands. The year hadn’t started the way I’d imagined. Morocco was colder than expected, and somewhere along our road trip I picked up a nasty bug that left me wiped out for more than a week. But once I was on the mend, we replaced the through-hulls and pointed Santana toward the open ocean… Read More »Reaching the Canary Islands in January

Offshore Passage to the Canary Islands: The Quiet Challenge

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480 Nautical Miles of Atlantic Blue, Fatigue, and Flow Somehow, I’d picked up a nasty bug on our Morocco road trip. It started with a bit of aching here and there, and then hit me hard—knocking me out for over a week. I think I even slept through my birthday. You might’ve noticed it in the last video—I skipped diving in to plug up the through-hulls because I was still barely upright. But eventually, I… Read More »Offshore Passage to the Canary Islands: The Quiet Challenge

In-Water Seacock Replacement: What Worked, What Didn’t, and Why We Did It Anyway

(Untie the Lines – S8E19) Here we go again—another boat job, another lesson. Back in November, after launching Santana in Port St. Louis in the South of France, I realized that the seacock for the head (that’s sailor speak for “toilet”) wasn’t working properly. At first, I thought it just needed a little convincing—it felt stiff, but with a bit of force it seemed to move again. Turns out, that was wishful thinking. The internal… Read More »In-Water Seacock Replacement: What Worked, What Didn’t, and Why We Did It Anyway

What Are the Options?

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A Real-Time Update from El Hierro to Germany and Beyond Next week I’ll continue sharing Nike’s video series, including a wild little episode where we swap out two through-hull valves while Santana is still in the water. But before that, I wanted to give you a quick real-time update from the road—or more precisely, from the dock in Lübeck. Santana at the Edge of Europe Right now, Santana is moored at La Estaca Marina on… Read More »What Are the Options?

Walking the Desert Again: A Return to Where It All Began

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Sahara Road Trip, Part 3: A 4-Day Walk Into the Silence Where It Started Back in 2010, I went on a road trip in Morocco with a friend, my brother, and my dad.Thinking about it now, I realize: that was the only vacation my father and I ever took together after being a kid. Probably the last adventure he ever went on. That trip brought us to Merzouga, on the edge of the Moroccan Sahara.… Read More »Walking the Desert Again: A Return to Where It All Began

Morocco Road Trip: From Snowy Canyons to Desert Memories

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(Part 1: Dades Valley to M’Hamid) A Country I Thought I Knew After all the time I’ve spent in Morocco, I thought I knew what to expect. I’d seen the wide extremes of its landscape and was excited to share my favorite places with Nike. But as it turned out, this journey still had plenty of surprises for both of us. Nike had never been to Morocco before. But she’d done her homework—reading up, asking… Read More »Morocco Road Trip: From Snowy Canyons to Desert Memories

Morocco by Road – And Why I Almost Said No

A Love for Adventure, Rediscovered Morocco is where I re-discovered my love for adventure. I’ve always dreamed of faraway places. As a kid, I devoured stories of wild expeditions—deserts, mountains, and uncharted roads. But when it came to setting out on my own, I never really dared to go all in. Sure, I’d gone hiking. I’d taken bike trips. I’d pitched my tent in beautiful corners of Europe. But nothing quite scratched the itch for… Read More »Morocco by Road – And Why I Almost Said No

Sailing to Rabat: Leaving the Med and Entering Morocco by River

Childhood Stories and Quiet Crossings I always imagined adventure would feel bigger. As a child, I loved stories about explorers—the wild west, the Amazon, the North Pole, and, of course, Africa. I wanted to read about people heading into the unknown, discovering things they hadn’t even known to look for. Now, when I find myself in some of those places, it doesn’t always feel the way I expected. Less like an expedition, more like a… Read More »Sailing to Rabat: Leaving the Med and Entering Morocco by River

Sailing into the Unexpected: From Melilla to Morocco

Changing the Plan Mid-Course When I first mapped out the journey west, Morocco wasn’t even on the list.In my mind, the route was straightforward: stop in Gibraltar or maybe La Línea, the Spanish town next to it, then find a good anchorage somewhere along the Spanish coast before crossing to the Canary Islands. I had been to Morocco before—several times. And from a sailor’s perspective, it had never felt like an easy place. Regulations, unclear… Read More »Sailing into the Unexpected: From Melilla to Morocco

sailing

We Actually Sailed to Africa

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Africa has been a dream destination for as long as I can remember.And for those of you who’ve known me a while, you know… it’s been a bit of a love-hate relationship. That’s why I’m especially glad that Nike convinced me to take the southern route this time—to sail along the African coast instead of hugging the Spanish mainland.Especially after seeing Gibraltar and Barbate on my last trip to the Canaries, this felt like the… Read More »We Actually Sailed to Africa

What We Like (and Don’t) About the Hallberg-Rassy 35

After sharing Part One of our full boat tour, here comes Part Two—this time, with a more honest take on what it’s reallylike to live aboard Santana, our Hallberg-Rassy Rasmus 35. As with anything in life, every decision comes with trade-offs. And boats are no exception. While Santana is a solid, beautiful, and capable sailing home, there are of course some downsides that come with the package. In this episode, Nike and I each share… Read More »What We Like (and Don’t) About the Hallberg-Rassy 35

Ibiza Road Trip: More Than Just a Tourist Stop

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One of the ideas that has always shaped the way I travel is this:I don’t want to be just a tourist.I want to stay long enough to really get a feel for the land and the people. Long enough that I can find my way around without a map or having to ask for directions.That, for me, feels like a good sign that I’ve truly arrived somewhere. But on this trip… that didn’t quite happen… Read More »Ibiza Road Trip: More Than Just a Tourist Stop

What Did I Say About Fixing Boats in Beautiful Places?

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I thought I had sorted out the boom issue during the crossing. But after taking a closer look, I found a few more loose screws—and when I finally removed the boom while anchored, I realized it was actually broken. Luckily, I managed to find another screw with the same thread and almost the same length. While Nike went off to explore the tiny island we were anchored near, I stayed on board, removed the damaged… Read More »What Did I Say About Fixing Boats in Beautiful Places?

Boat Tour: Welcome Aboard Santana

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Finally, we took the time to record a proper walkthrough of Santana. Even though I’ve been living on board since April 2022 and have shared plenty of photos along the way, I never managed to film a full tour—until now. Well, Nike did. 😉 The video was shot in February in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, and we decided to include it a bit earlier in the Untie The Lines series. A lot of Nike’s longtime… Read More »Boat Tour: Welcome Aboard Santana

Sailing with a Screw Loose

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After spending a few days along Spain’s Costa Brava, I was eager to keep moving west. I had a feeling the weather would soon turn cold and stormy. Westerlies often barrel through this time of year, and when they do, leaving the Mediterranean becomes a serious challenge. I think Nike would have happily stayed a bit longer, soaking up the last warm days, but I couldn’t shake the urge to keep going—I didn’t want to… Read More »Sailing with a Screw Loose