Welcome Aboard

Welcome Aboard Ruffles Spray

n 2002, Ann and I left the UK aboard Ruffles Spray, a 44-foot steel yacht we’d spent five years building ourselves. With our dogs Mitzie and Monty aboard, we headed south towards the Mediterranean, leaving behind our jobs and the conventional life we’d known.

What followed was fifteen years of living aboard, exploring the Mediterranean and discovering that life on a sailing yacht could be wonderful, frustrating, occasionally frightening and often downright hilarious.

This part of our blog is where we share those experiences. From quiet anchorages in the Greek Ionian Islands to crowded harbours, unexpected storms, tricky moorings and the everyday realities of living aboard a yacht.

You’ll find stories from places such as Meganisi, Lefkada, Kefalonia and Corfu, along with the lessons we learnt, the mistakes we made and some of the characters we met along the way.

We loved the freedom, but it wasn’t always sunshine and gentle breezes. Boats break down, anchors drag and sometimes the weather has very different plans from yours.

Would we do it all again? Absolutely!


Living Aboard a Sailboat Blog

Lefkas Canal Bridge

The History of the Lefkas Canal Bridge The Lefkas Canal Bridge, located in the Ionian Sea, connects the island of Lefkada to mainland Greece. Its history is rich and intertwined

Read More »
Fiscardo Kefalonia

Fiscardo, Kefalonia, Greece

A Short History of Fiscardo Fiscardo, a picturesque village located on the northern tip of Kefalonia, one of the largest Ionian Islands in Greece, boasts a rich history that reflects

Read More »

Junk Rigged Yacht Sail Well

History of the Modern Junk Rig Early Development and Traditional Origins The junk rig, a type of sail design traditionally used in Chinese and Southeast Asian waters, has a history

Read More »
Mayhem in Fiscardo

Thunderstorm in Meganisi

In-Depth Study: Why Thunderstorms in the Ionian Sea Happen Often Introduction The Ionian Sea, part of the Mediterranean Sea, is situated between southern Italy, including Sicily, to the west, Greece

Read More »

Tranquil Bay Anchorage

A History of Nidri and Vlicho Bay Nidri and Vlicho Bay are located on Lefkas Island (also known as Lefkada), part of the Ionian Islands in Greece. These areas are

Read More »

Escape the Rat Race

Read the true story behind this website.

Getting Away
A Dog Narrates Our Wild Escape to the Mediterranean

★★★★★ 4.2 rating on Amazon

Read on Amazon

Register for Newsletter

Read the true story behind this website.

Getting Away
A Dog Narrates Our Wild Escape to the Mediterranean

★★★★★ 4.2 rating on Amazon

Getting Away