Tilly Mint's travels

     We have made our annual stop here in Horta, Faial, the Azores. The Azores are a volcanic group of islands held by Portugal and are located about 600 nm west of Portugal. The Azores have become a very popular stop for yachts crossing to Europe, since their location is perfect for refueling and victualing.       Sailors drift in here daily from all over the world and from all walks of life. It is one of those places that serves as a natural crossroads, and has a boom-town feel to it when the seasons change and the boats migrate. A unique tradition here is that each boat that passes through will paint a square on the quay to be remembered by. Well....eventually the quays filled up, so now there are paintings all through town- on sidewalks and walls etc. Touching up and signing the Tilly Mint quay painting      In 2014, when we first brought Tilly Mint through the Azores, we painted our square on our way to England. In 2015, we a...

When we cross to Europe on Tilly Mint, we bring on extra crew members to help us stand watch. We typically bring on two to three extra sailors, and having such a full house can be quite lively. We enjoy having the extra crew around as it's a great opportunity to come together as a team. This year, we have three extra crew members besides Arwyn and myself.  From left to right, excluding myself and Arwyn, we have: Rhone Kirby- Tilly Mint's intern. Rhone is our youngest crew member at only 18 years of age. He is a local Antiguan who got his start in sailing when, at age 11, he commandeered a sailing dinghy from the Antigua Yacht Club when no one was looking. His joyride was short lived, but soon, he properly joined the yacht club and has lived to sail ever since.  Rhone has sailed for Antigua in the 2014 Junior Olympics and is currently working towards his slot to compete in the 2020 Olympics. Dan Fox- is Tilly Mint's longest returning crew member. He has now completed...

It's the time of year again for Tilly Mint to make her bi-annual migration across the Atlantic Ocean.  This is always an exciting time for me and Arwyn, as it marks the end of another rewarding season in the Caribbean, and promises new adventures to be had in far away places.  Every year, Tilly Mint heads to a new cruising ground for the Summer. In 2014, we were in England, Spain, Italy, and Malta. Last Summer, we cruised the Adriatic Sea, stopping in Greece, Montenegro, and Croatia. This summer, I am elated to say that we are headed for Norway! Throughout the Caribbean season, this has been a simple fact- a simple answer to a simple question. "Where are you going this Summer?" - "Norway." However, at this busy time of our year, it becomes a reality. It's not only a distant land in which we will travel in the distant future, rather it becomes the focus of the now. It now becomes our task to sail Tilly Mint roughly 4,500 nm across the Atlantic, down the ...