Category Archives: Home Page

Bear in Florida – Fall 2019 Update

Posted on November 6, 2019 by Margaret

This is the first of a multi-part series to catch folks up on the last several months. Margaret and I have been writing these posts jointly, switching off every paragraph. We returned to the States right around June 1, coming … Continue reading →

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Podcast Interview

Posted on August 8, 2019 by Margaret

We had the pleasure of talking with Chris Smith, creator of The Bonnie Boat Sailing Podcast, a few weeks ago. We discussed preparation for our offshore trip to the British Virgin Islands, what it is like to live aboard Bear, … Continue reading →

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Guides to St. John and the Virgin Islands

Posted on May 30, 2019 by Jeffrey

While charts and cruising guides helped us plan our destinations and get there safely, there were a number of other books and guides that allowed us to enjoy and understand the history and ecology of the Caribbean and Bahamas, specifically … Continue reading →

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Cruising Guides for the Caribbean (Now that we have been there)

Posted on May 22, 2019 by Jeffrey

In a post last week, I revisited our pre-sabbatical thinking on charts for the Caribbean and Bahamas in light of our experiences sailing there. This week, I take a look at the guidebooks. We ended up buying all the guides, … Continue reading →

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Charts for the Caribbean (Now that we have been there)

Posted on May 14, 2019 by Jeffrey

Before we left on this sabbatical year voyage to the Caribbean, I had written posts about the charts and guidebooks that we were planning on purchasing and using on the trip. Now that we are coming to the end of … Continue reading →

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Closing the Loop

Posted on March 4, 2019 by Margaret

Today we finished our second circumnavigation of Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. We made our first clockwise tour in November, just after Jeff and Felipe brought the boat down from the Chesapeake, and before we started our stint as … Continue reading →

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Back to being tourists.

Posted on March 1, 2019 by Margaret

After two months of Bay Hosting for the Virgin Islands National Park, we are now officially just plain-ole tourists again. Our time living in Leinster Bay was not only rewarding and fulfilling, but also just flat out fun. From making … Continue reading →

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In Memoriam: Bill Trayfors, s/v Born Free

Posted on February 24, 2019 by Jeffrey

While Margaret and I were using some of the free internet today at Pirate’s Bight, she turned and said, “I just got some sad news.” And, while telling me about the passing of our friend, Bill Trayfors of s/v Born … Continue reading →

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Heading West

Posted on February 22, 2019 by Jeffrey

Over the last couple weeks, Margaret and I have been talking about where we might go after our stint as bay hosts with the National Park Service is over on February 15th.  People we have met in the bay have … Continue reading →

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Provisioning: Lessons Learned

Posted on February 9, 2019 by Margaret

Provisioning: Lessons Learned We have now been away from the continental US for 3 months, enjoying the British and US Virgin Islands. While we stocked up on a what we thought was a ton of food before we set sail … Continue reading →

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