The Crew

Annapurna Circuit trek (3rd time), Nepal

The Crew:

Both of us are from Vancouver, B.C., Canada, now residents of Whistler, Squamish, B.C. We (Michelle & David) retired early (in our 50s) so that we can sail south (we came back home to B.C. in 2015). 

David is a retired university professor; Michelle is a retired university administrator. 

Mountains and the sea are always pulling at us -- in addition to sailing, we both love skiing in the Winter and hiking in the Summer and Fall. That's why we moved our home base to the mountain resort of Whistler, and more recently to Squamish, B.C. Then there's Nepal, where we've completed 13 (Michelle) to 15 (David) treks.



Sailing experience: 

British Columbia sailing:
We purchased our first sailboat together in 1999, and have sailed local B.C. waters regularly since (including many trips to Desolation Sound and two trips to Barkley Sound, west coast of Vancouver Island, and several trips to the Broughtons). 

We've also done some much wider ranging trips in B.C.:


2002: Vancouver to northern B.C. coast/Haida Gwaii  via "outer" Inside Passage to Prince Rupert, over to and through Haida Gwaii, then "offshore" (overnight) to Winter Harbour on the west coast of Vancouver Island (VI), and down the outside of VI around to Tofino, Victoria etc and home to Vancouver.
Duration: 103 days    Total nautical miles: 1826 (~387 sailed)

2002 route to Haida Gwaii & back

2003: Vancouver to the north end of VI via the Broughtons and return.

2007: Vancouver to north of Cape Caution up to and around Aristazabal Island and back.

2011: Vancouver to northern B.C. coast/Haida Gwaii  via "outer" Inside Passage to Kitkatla (a little south of Prince Rupert), over to and through Haida Gwaii, then "offshore" (overnight)  back to VI, the Broughtons, Desolation Sound, Gulf Islands then home to Vancouver. [blog]
Duration: 94 days    Total nautical miles: 1545 (~244 sailed)

Hotsprings Island, Haida Gwaii (2011)

2011 route to Haida Gwaii and back

2016: Circumnavigation of Vancouver Island: with "detour" to Princess Louisa Inlet. [blog]
Duration: 79 days    Total nautical miles: 976 

Pelagia's 2016 circumnavigation of Vancouver Island

2018: to Northern BC coast and return to Haida Gwaii
Duration: 88 days         Total nautical miles: 1401
[blog]

2017, 2019, 2020, 2021: Vancouver to Broughtons (Northern Vancouver Island), and in between. 

2022: to Prince Rupert, over to Haida Gwaii, down the wild west coast of Moresby Island

 Duration: 91 nights       Total nautical miles: 1600

[blog] 

Pelagia's 2022 cruise: to the west coast of Haida Gwaii

Offshore sailing experience:

2004: In July 2004, we flew to Hawaii and sailed Hawaii to Vancouver as crew (skipper Jim and crew David and Michelle)  on a 40' Valiant (SV Berkana). We really enjoyed the 22-day, 2400 nm passage, which included everything,  from calms to boisterous trade winds to (two) 35-knot gales, clear sunny days and star-filled evenings, to thick thick fog.

2012: August-September 2012, we helped a friend (i.e., we crewed) sail his Cambria 48 from Vancouver B.C. to San Francisco. A quick trip: 3 nights in Port Angeles/Neah Bay, then six nights (5 at sea, 1 anchored in Drake's Bay) at sea, with winds on the nose (1.5 days) then (mostly) winds from behind. Learned good information for our 2013 trip down to SF and south, and became more aware of crewing ups and downs.

August 2013- June 2015: We sailed Pelagia down the west coast of the USA (Neah Bay to San Francisco area in one "hop"), then down the Pacific coast of the Baja peninisula, into the Sea of Cortez (distance cruised August 2013-May 2014: over 2000 nm). In late April 2014, we sailed Pelagia over to Mazatlan, where she spent the Summer of 2014.  Later in the Fall of 2014, we sailed Pelagia back to La Paz and the Sea of Cortez for a 2nd cruising season. In June 2015, we shipped Pelagia home to British Columbia via freighter.

 

Our boats:
#1: 1972 Cal 29 (1999-2001)
#2: 1982 C&C Landfall 38 (2001-2008)
#3: 1983 Sceptre 41 "Pelagia" (2008-current)