Mighty Mary & John, Pacific Seacraft duo

There's nothing like dragging anchor in ultra remote Chagos, Christmas in European/NorthAmerican eclectic ways under palm trees in San Blas or the passage from Madagascar to South Africa to build life-long friendships. While I've stayed in touch with many former cruising friends, it's always nice to hear from more and to connect more often. Mary McCollum and now, husband, John Hicks are two such friends (photo taken July 05). I first met Mary when she was singlehanding Mighty Merry Too, her Pacific Seacraft 24'. I had just crossed the Tasman from Australia to New Zealand and was in the early stages of a research study documenting stories of women sailors. She had been caught by a nasty blow off the coast of NZ prior to our arrival and was recuperating from a broken back. John was on another Pacific Seacraft, also singlehanding. Years later, I saw them again, this time together, sailing on the larger of their two boats, renamed Duet. From meeting in New Zealand in 1993, we met again in South Africa and now, they live ashore in Port Townsend, less than 5 blocks from me. Other cruisers I've heard from recently are Paula & Vigo on Marijke, Silvija & Egon on Magnum Bonum, Peter & Carda on Shemali Blue, Mary & Rick on Tranquility, Tricia & Art on Cynosure and Thalia & Bob on Renaissance. They are in Alaska, Sweden, England, Rhode Island, Florida and Maryland respectively. Small world? Yes, thankfully.

Custom Steel Boat: Kim Bushnell & Puna

The boat on the far left in this photo is Puna, a 27 foot steel boat built and owned by Kim Bushnell of Nanaimo, British Columbia. I first met Kim in Cape Town, South Africa. We had Tethys at the Victoria & Albert Marina and were preparing for a learning crew member from Victoria, Jane, to come aboard for the crossing to St. Helena and Brazil. Kim is from a well known sailing family in British Columbia (her father is Winston Bushnell), so besides a wonderful northwest North American celebration, we were fascinated to hear her stories when as a girl they were pitchpoled off the Cape we'd just come around the week before! Sobering. In 2001, Kim had hopes of building her own boat with her father and this morning, I'm proud to see that she not only built it, but she's out sailing! Here's a photo Lin & Larry Pardey sent yesterday with their latest cruising news. One of their boats, Taleisin is to the far right in this photo where they were cruising the northwest in summer 2005. Kim designed and built Puna in conjunction with her father on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. She was excited by the fact that she could build the boat herself, at a reasonable cost, and that with some welding skills, she could repair the boat anywhere in the world. If you're interested in building a steel boat, this is a woman to meet! Email kaci@concentricom.com and send me your contact information. I'll do my best to connect you.