Mahi Mahi: Fishing off a Catamaran

February 12, 2014February 7, 2014 ~ Kristina Stanley ~ 2 Comments

Sometimes life offers a bounty. Mattina is equipped with two stainless steel rod holders, one off each hull, and we love to fish while we’re sailing. Sometimes we catch a Mahi Mahi . . .

Sometimes we catch a shark. The trick is to get the lure back without hurting the shark. This shark snagged a homemade cedar plug, and lucky for us, it popped out of the sharks mouth and we got the lure back. The shark swam happily, or maybe grumpily, away and all was well.

Shark 1

And sometimes we don’t catch anything at all, but we still got to sail.

Thanks for reading . . .

Wind sports in the Bahamas

February 5, 2014January 31, 2014 ~ Kristina Stanley ~ 2 Comments

While we sail around the Bahamas, we are always on the search for places to windsurf or kite board from. We carry two windsurfers with us, and our friends carry kite boards.

The sand bar below appears at low tide and gives everyone a launch pad for their sport of choice. This is just south of Big Farmer’s Cay. Playing on the sand bar keeps us on our toes as far as the tide is concerned. When the water comes up, it’s time to head back to Mattina.

Sandbar for Windsurfing

If we can’t find a suitable beach or temporary sandbar to launch from, Matt rigs on the trampoline and windsurfs from the back of the boat.

We have the routine mastered, so it doesn’t really matter where we are, as long as there is wind.

Thanks for reading . . .

Windsurfing in the Bahamas

January 29, 2014January 29, 2014 ~ Kristina Stanley ~ 4 Comments

What does a sailor do when their boat is for sale?

Enjoy the Bahamas of course.

But first, Matt must know what the wind strength is.

Matt cheking for wind

Then, off with our kiting friends to enjoy the water.

Matt ws

Thanks again to everyone who has helped us get the word out and to those who have contacted us about Mattina.

Thanks for reading. . .

Rain in the Bahamas?

January 22, 2014January 21, 2014 ~ Kristina Stanley ~ 2 Comments

Rain doesn’t happen often in the Bahamas, at least while we’ve been here, but the skies can dump a large amount of water in a short period of time.

What do we do when that happens?

Sometimes, I’m caught out on the beach, usually running with Farley, but that’s okay. The rain is warm and often a welcome cool down during a work out.

Sometimes, we’re on board. Then we hide. The main salon windows mean we get at 360 degree view of the anchorage and can keep an eye out for moving boats.

Our cockpit enclosure keeps us dry and warm, so we have an extra room if we want to be outside while the weather decides to soak us.

Enclosure SB View

Mattina is for sale and we updated the photo gallery yesterday if you’d like to see more pictures.

Thanks for reading . . .

Mattina in the Bahamas

January 15, 2014January 14, 2014 ~ Kristina Stanley ~ 9 Comments

Emotions run full speed when life changes are on the way. Since we’ve put Mattina for sale, we’ve been very pleased with the response we’ve been getting. Gotta love social media for getting the word out there. Thanks to everyone who has shared, tweeted, or reposted my blog. The added visibility is a big help.

The added visibility also makes selling Mattina feel real for me, and I have to confess there is a little part of me that’s sad. But alas, new adventures await, and I’m excited about that too.

Mattina At Anchor

The Bahamas provide many beautiful places to anchor, and there’s nothing like the clear blue water to entice a sailor to stay a while.

This is our fifth winter roaming the Bahamian islands and cays, and I’m still amazed at the beauty of the water.

Now I need to make the most of it and enjoy what’s on offer. Hence . . . time to go beach running.

Thanks for reading . . .

Farley’s Friday: What? My Boat is For Sale

January 10, 2014January 9, 2014 ~ Kristina Stanley ~ 2 Comments

Farley,

So I’m part of the pack right? Then how come I don’t get a vote when it comes to major life changes? See me looking like the captain. I think I look like I’m in charge and this is my boat.

Farley On Deck

But . . . I hear Kristina and Matt talking, and I bark, “Wait, I don’t want to leave the Bahamas.”

Kristina smiles at me the way she does when I’m not going to get my way. “Don’t worry, you get to stay with us.”

“Stay with you,” I bark. “I want you to stay with me in the Bahamas.”

“Whatever we end up doing, you’ll still be the centre of the universe,” Kristina says.

Now that’s more like it. I just want to know I’m the top priority in their lives. I don’t really care where we live as long as I get to run free everyday, I get fed yummy food, I get groomed, I get to play with other dogs, and I get to sleep on a cold, hard surface. Other than that, bring on the changes.

Woof Woof

FOR SALE: 2007 Lagoon 380 S2 Owner’s Version

January 8, 2014August 30, 2014 ~ Kristina Stanley ~ 6 Comments

2014 has arrived and it’s time for Matt and I to make some changes and move on to new adventures.

MATTINA has been sold to happy new owners.

Mattina Sailing

Mattina is fully equipped for extended live-aboard cruising. She is a fantastic owner’s version example of the Lagoon 380 S2, one of the most successful catamarans ever built. She’s fun, fast and comfortable to sail thanks to her easily managed sail plan.

Key equipment includes a 5.5kw genset, 15 gph water maker, SSB, radar, solar panels, 2kw inverter, liferaft, spinnaker, air conditioning, full cockpit enclosure, and a 10.5 ft AB dinghy with a 15hp Yamaha outboard.

Mattina has cruised the Bahamas the last 4 winters and has been laid up on the hard in Florida in the summers. All systems have been fully tested and maintained by experienced owners. Mattina is ready now for more adventures. She’s never been chartered, is Canadian registered and is currently in the Bahamas.

To find out about Mattina click on:

If you still want more . . . you can also search the blog for Lagoon 380 and you will find everything I’ve written about her.

Please send us an email if you would like to inquire further about Mattina.

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I don’t usually asks this of my readers, but if would be great if you could help spread the word and share this blog for me.

Thanks for reading . . .

Farley’s Friday: Dog Toys Can’t Be Replaced?

January 3, 2014December 18, 2013 ~ Kristina Stanley ~ 6 Comments

Farley here,

Did you know when you’re sailing the Exuma Islands there aren’t stores to buy dog toys?

Well, I found out the hard way.

I’m playing with my favourite toy, minding my own business having a good chew – and lots of squeaking by the toy, so I think it’s having fun too.

Farley Chewing Toy

Then, oh oh. The seam rips. All the stuffing comes out. I don’t know how that part happened. I seem to have blacked out. The toy is ruined.

I show Kristina and wag my tail to tell her it was an accident.

She smiles and says, ” Well that’s the last of the toys.”

“What? Last of the toys. Can’t you buy me a new one?” I bark.

She shakes her head sadly. “There are no stores here.”

I had the realization that we’re not in Canada anymore. The question is, should I chew Kristina’s flip flop instead?

Woof Woof

The Moon, The Tide, The Weather: Workout Schedule

January 1, 2014December 18, 2013 ~ Kristina Stanley ~ 8 Comments

Keeping fit is a challenge, and sometimes nature dictates the schedule. While living in the islands, the moon, tide and weather all tell me when and how I can exercise.

On a full moon, with a high tide, the beach will be soft and make running, let’s say, unpleasant. The sand forces ankles and knees into odd angles.

With no moon and high tide, the beach might be in better condition, so it’s worth a try.

No moon, low tide is the best time to run. The tide is out, the beach is wide and hard. Running barefoot is fantastic.

Beach running

If I can’t run, I like to swim laps.

Sunny days are best. I like to see what’s in the water around me and cloudy days make that difficult. I’ll admit I might be a little afraid of sharks. I figure if they can see me, they won’t be interested in me. If the water is dark or murky, a shark might mistake me for lunch. Wind and current also affect when I can swim. Too much of either, and it’s not longer fun.

Shark

If I can’t swim laps, I like to kayak.

Wind and current dictate when and where I can go. The height of the tide doesn’t really matter, and I don’t usually kayak at night (although I have and a full moon makes this fun), so the moon doesn’t often come into play.

Kayaking

If I can’t kayak, then I like to do beach yoga.

High tide makes the beach wet, so not a good time. Too much sun and it’s too hot. Clouds are good for this activity.

Beach Yoga

If I can’t do any of these, I sulk. Just kidding. I can always read, write, blog, walk the dog, or hang with friends. The only activity Farley, my soft-coated wheaten terrier, can’t do with me is swim laps. He does an awesome downward dog.

Happy New Year 🙂

Thanks for reading . . .