georgebackhus on July 30th, 2008

We have been incredibly fortunate in that none of the crew of Moonshadow have had any major health issues in nearly fifteen years of cruising. Nonetheless, we believe strongly in health insurance, just in case.
Merima is a New Zealand citizen, and George an NZ resident, so we both have access to the country’s public health [...]

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georgebackhus on December 15th, 2007

For the last few years, we have been “part-time” cruisers, leaving Moonshadow under care in a marina and returning home to New Zealand for the southern hemisphere summer.  Our experience with this has been mostly positive as we’ve learned both first and second-hand how best to “mothball” the boat before we leave her for up [...]

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georgebackhus on November 9th, 2007

At sea, I think it is safe to maintain the assumption that you are not seen by other craft, and then take appropriate measures to give yourself a wide berth from traffic wherever possible. That said, from time to time we may find ourselves a bit too close for comfort and want some assurance that [...]

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georgebackhus on July 7th, 2007

I’ll start off with a brief rundown of our ground tackle, which is pretty basic as we like to keep things simple. We keep just one anchor on the bow because I like to minimize weight at the ends of the boat for better performance. Our primary anchor is the original equipment on Moonshadow, a [...]

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georgebackhus on April 19th, 2007

The technology available to the cruiser these days is continuing to make it easier to keep in touch with family and friends, to keep abreast of information on what lies ahead, and to share information with those who plan or would like to be out here.
While we’ve not really used Skype much, we think that [...]

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georgebackhus on April 5th, 2007

Sailing across the Indian Ocean was the first time we’d come across large drift net fishing. I suppose that the best way to deal with them is to give them a wide berth, assuming you know where they are located.
The yachties ahead of us reported known positions of drift nets on the daily cruiser’s net, [...]

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We’ve just spent a most delightful week in and around Salalah, Oman, and are on the move again. Salalah has been a wonderful introduction to the Middle East - beautiful sights, friendly and helpful people, and excellent food. We explored ancient tombs, rugged mountains, 15th century ruins and saw more camels than one could imagine. [...]

Continue reading about What tactics are you planning to use for transiting “Pirate Alley?”

georgebackhus on January 19th, 2007

Someone once said “there is no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing.” I think the key to being comfortable is having the right type of gear for the climate and conditions in which you’re cruising. Here are a few of our thoughts.
What do you use in the tropics?
Nothing! When we’re cruising in the tropics, [...]

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georgebackhus on January 15th, 2007

We’re often asked by people who are unfamiliar to the cruising lifestyle what we do all day. They envision us spending most of our time sitting in idyllic anchorages, sipping on exotic cocktails while working on our suntans. We do get to do this on the odd occasion, but in reality, cruising involves many different [...]

Continue reading about How to extend a Thai Visa? (or waste an entire day!)

georgebackhus on November 29th, 2006

I love tools! I’ve often said that cruising is nothing more than extensive repair and maintenance in beautiful and exotic places. I am a bit of a do-it-yourselfer when it comes to looking after Moonshadow so I have amassed quite a collection of tools over the years - probably a few too many. I suppose [...]

Continue reading about What are some of your favorite special tools?