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15th August 2024 – Elba, Corsica, Marseille

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Hello there,I hope this message finds you well.I wanted to update you a bit sooner, but unexpected travel got in the way. Let me take you back to about a month ago. After successfully fixing the chainplates on Santana, I enjoyed some time in the south of Elba, where the crystal-clear waters were breathtaking. Up until early July, things were a bit cooler, thanks to the weekly Scirocco winds. For those unfamiliar, the Scirocco is… Read More »15th August 2024 – Elba, Corsica, Marseille

26th June 2024 – back in the Mediterranean

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Hey my friend,What a trip it has been! Mexico City, Frankfurt, Engelskirchen, Workum, Bonn, La Spezia, Elba, Capraia, and back to Elba.These were the destinations since my last post. It’s been a whirlwind of time shifts, sleepless nights, hours and hours in the car, and finally, sailing again.I haven’t started the refit of Santana’s chainplates and knees yet but plan to do that within the next 14 days. I’ll post a couple of photos or… Read More »26th June 2024 – back in the Mediterranean

6th April 2024 – changed plans

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Hey there,today I am sending you another video, and this time with a description of my issues on board Santana. I think you can’t view the video in the email; you’ll have to open the app or the website.While writing this message, I am sitting at the airport in Frankfurt and waiting for my flight to Montreal, Canada, which is a short stopover on my way to Mexico City and tomorrow to Acapulco.I decided to… Read More »6th April 2024 – changed plans

21st february update – plan for the year

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Hey there, The year has barely started, and I feel like I am already well into it. And there is yet so much more to come. I am a bit cautious about announcing ambitious plans because last year really taught me a lesson on how differently things can go than expected. With that in mind, I am aware that things can happen, and I might change my plans. Having said this, I do have an… Read More »21st february update – plan for the year

connection & community

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Hello, and a warm welcome to all the new subscribers here! I’m currently in a marina on Elba with lots of office work. I plan to leave for Mexico in about one month, where I will meet a friend of mine to go sailing on her boat, and I’d like to take as little work to Mexico as possible. The last week was perfect weather to ride my bike around the island and I include… Read More »connection & community

13. July 2023 – Setting Sail

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Hey there! I’m back in the sailing mood and loving every minute of it. I’ve been anchored for over a month, cruising around the island twice, having friends on board, sailing through some crazy winds, and even getting into a running and cycling routine. Plus, I’ve started writing again, hosted an awesome masterclass, signed up new clients, and got the new Django Tours website up and running. Man, it feels so good when I put… Read More »13. July 2023 – Setting Sail

11. June 2023 – back on the boat

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Hey there, The boat life has resumed once again. The past month turned out to be more stressful than I anticipated, for various reasons. I spent the entirety of May in Switzerland, where I had to move out of and renovate our apartment. While there were a few sunny moments upon my arrival and departure, the three weeks in between were shrouded in dense fog and incessant rain. It felt as though I hadn’t glimpsed… Read More »11. June 2023 – back on the boat

marina, mountains, covid and tanzania

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Hey Patron, The last month didn’t go exactly as planned. I installed Starlink on the boat and immediately set off for some secluded anchorages where I had no internet before. The idea was to enjoy a few peaceful days in solitude with clear skies, calm waters, and plenty of time for myself. The internet worked perfectly, and I was able to get work done while still having plenty of time for some wonderful hikes. It… Read More »marina, mountains, covid and tanzania

October Update 2022 and 2023 preview

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In contrast to September, October has blessed us with beautiful weather, and I’m still out here anchored, enjoying every bit of it. I’m sharing some photos and impressions from the past month, and I hope you’ll enjoy them as much as I’ve enjoyed capturing them. Later this week, I may head into the port at Marciana Marina, where I’ve spent the last few winters. During November, a friend of mine will be staying on the… Read More »October Update 2022 and 2023 preview

summer of sailing

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Hey Patron, I‘m back on Elba and Santana for a bit over a month now and I enjoyed late summer sailing and 🥾 hiking as it not that hot anymore. I often enjoy late summer/early fall and remember that I had a couple of wonderful late summers in Berlin over the years. The last years I was mainly in the Swiss mountains for October and often the summer thunderstorms had already passed through. The nights… Read More »summer of sailing

July update from Santana

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Hello my friend, As romantic as Monte Cristo looks in the distance, most of my days are anything but. But I rarely take the time to fully notice them. After going all in to get everything done in Switzerland and prepping the boat for summer, a mountain of work piled up on my desk. While working on the boat, I signed a new client, which has been a very welcome financial boost—boats certainly aren’t cheap!… Read More »July update from Santana

Update on Boat & Office work

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Good morning everyone, I’m slowly pulling my head out of “installation and repair” mode and wanted to give you a quick update on the past few weeks. At the end of last month, I cleared and closed up our mountain chalet “Heidi.” Then, in early May, I traveled to Elba to take over Santana. After that, I started my journey back north, spending a few days in Liguria, some time in Switzerland, and then headed to… Read More »Update on Boat & Office work

Elba impressions

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Good morning Patron,I’m back in Switzerland and finally back on track! For some reason, I was sick for a week when I arrived in Elba, and again when I returned to Switzerland. Though I know what happened the second time—I had baby twins visiting, and they brought some baby germs along as a gift!Unfortunately, both weeks hit me with heavy headaches, so I had to limit my screen time as much as possible.Today, I want… Read More »Elba impressions

getting the boat in shape

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Hey there, My tiny boat didn’t take well to my Corona-forced absence. It was leaking both top and bottom, and some of the wood was at risk of damage. The mast, in particular, lost most of its varnish, and a few cracks have appeared. I spent most of June and early July on Elba, keeping myself incredibly busy. Between working on Santana—Boris’ 35-foot Hallberg Rassy, which we’re getting ready to take guests sailing—and getting Simplicity back into shape,… Read More »getting the boat in shape

sunset in levanto & logbook 20191216

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Hey, I hope you’re doing well and that the end of the year isn’t too stressful for you. I wanted to take a moment to share a beautiful sunset from Levanto, where we spent some wonderful days with new friends. I’ve just returned from Elba, and let me tell you—I made it there just in time. You can read the full story in my Patreon-only blog here: Simplicity of Happiness Logbook #20191216. To give you a quick rundown, I… Read More »sunset in levanto & logbook 20191216

patron update – 5th november 2019 (last months update)

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Hey there, I’m writing to you from our mountain house, Heidi, here in Switzerland 🇨🇭. We’re enjoying the last week before the snow arrives and making the final preparations for winter. The first snow is expected this weekend, and soon the road to the house will be closed until April. Since we’re also getting our new apartment near Interlaken next weekend, we’re making the most of the access we still have to move things while… Read More »patron update – 5th november 2019 (last months update)

patreon update – 24th august 2019 (slow sailing)

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Hey there, The sails are still up, and we’re moving along—just much slower than we ever expected. Since leaving Sainte-Maxime, we’ve had almost no wind, and when it does show up, it tends to vanish halfway through the journey. At least we’ve managed to avoid any major thunderstorms… well, except for one yesterday. But we reached our anchorage just in time with all sails down, and it was nowhere near as intense as the one… Read More »patreon update – 24th august 2019 (slow sailing)