I've been slacking on updating the blog, mostly because we’ve been so busy with homeschooling, travel, etc…and I was hoping Adam would post more often since he’s the better writer, and his perspective—coming from a seasoned sailor—is so different from mine. As a newbie on the water, I probably miss a lot of details. But what I lack in seamanship knowledge, I make up for in at least keeping everyone updated on where we are and what we’re up to! So, I’ll attempt to put together pieces from my social media updates into one East Coast post, and I’m committing to updating this blog at least 2x a month. If you're ever wondering where we are in real time, check out @svkaikoa on Instagram or the SeaPeople App.

December 13th - Norfolk Pit Stop

Our original plan was to round Hatteras and head for North Carolina, but life had other plans and instead we stopped in Norfolk, VA. Thanks to Judson and his willingness to help us get started on our journey, we made it that far.

We stayed at the Norfolk Yacht and Country Club, where the marina portion was run by an ex-Coastie (always a plus). The whole crew there was amazing, and the facilities? Super bougie—exactly what we needed with the cold temps and electrical issues. Having a vehicle let us stock up at the commissary and check out some local breweries. My favorite? Elation Brewery, with its delicious wood-fired pizzas and tasty beverages.

One of the best parts of this stop was connecting with other Coast Guard families! One in particular is also on a sailing adventure—Greg, a retired CG pilot, convinced his family (Tricia, Finnegan, Fiona and Mango the dog) to explore by boat (sailing vessel Coddiwomple). Our kids hit it off immediately, bonding over the shared struggles of boat life, anime, video games, and homeschooling. The hope is we kinda cruise together when we can.

We also got to visit some friends, the Stanko family. J is still in the Coast Guard, so we don’t get to see them often, but when we do, it’s like no time has passed. Aria and their eldest are only a month apart—Katie and I were pregnant together in Royal Oak—so watching them play like old friends, is always special. Wish we saw them more often but it was great to have a little catch-up and show them the boat.

One of my favorite Stanko memories is from when we chartered a boat in Greece. They decided to join us, and at one point, Jay and I were at the helm, fully convinced we were going to die. Jay was a rock-solid watchstander, never taking his eyes off the water, while I was just hoping to survive. It’s wild looking back on that trip, I spent most of it seasick and half-jokingly praying to fall overboard. Now, I’m choosing to live aboard.

December 18th - Radar Fixes & Route Planning

While prepping to sail around Hatteras, Adam tackled our radar, which had stopped working on the way down from the Chesapeake. Thanks to his self-climbing harness, he hauled himself up the rig, brought the radar down, and discovered a twisted drive belt. A quick fix—and no extra expense! Win! With the weather being so cold and foggy, we needed a functioning radar!

After several discussions, Adam and I decided it would be easiest to round Hatteras with a capable crew member and be less traumatizing for the whole family as well. We put some feelers out there via social media and text and we found a 1st mate.

December 19th - Hatteras & Sporty Sailing

Before departure, as I mentioned we reached out to find a sailor to help round Hatteras. Noelle, a Coast Guard veteran and friend from Adam’s time at East Coast Marine Rigging, stepped up. She had already helped with our rigging refit, so she was a perfect fit. She drove down to Norfolk from Maryland and got straight to work. Adam and Noelle were routing, discussing potential weather and the various routes they would take if they had a weather window.

I stocked up on snacks, drinks, and prepped some food for their 2-3 day passage. Adam said It was a fast and sporty sail—two 200-mile days! They timed the wind shifts perfectly to round Hatteras at the best moment, making it to Charleston safely. Along the way, they caught four skipjacks, kept one to try, and quickly decided it was not a repeat-worthy meal. The last leg into Charleston was the toughest, cold, lumpy, and overall exhausting. They docked at SeaBreeze Marina in Charleston. The kids and I drove down and met them, we were greeted by two wiped-out sailors sipping well-earned beers. To celebrate, we went searching for Mexican food, and ate at Taco Boy, then headed back for a movie and bedtime…until, of course, disaster struck. Harbor flushed the port head, and it backed up. To be fair, seawater had entered the system, filling our port tank, so it wasn’t actually Harbor’s fault. Just what Adam needed after a brutal passage—a smelly, late-night holding tank cleanup.

Christmas in Charleston & Selling the Truck

We spent the next week soaking up Charleston, exploring its historic streets, the marina had a great community vibe, with several boats connected to SV Totem’s network. It was fun meeting other sailors and swapping boat-life stories and reconnecting with our good friends, the Cass family. Jake and Adam go way back—if I remember correctly, Jake was Adam’s cadre at the CG Academy. Don’t ask me exactly what that means, but I do know that Jake looked out for Adam during those early years, and they bonded over a shared love of surfing. A lifelong friendship was born.

The Cass family is laid-back, adventurous, and always up for a good time. Our kids absolutely loved having some quality “Rell time,” and we soaked up every minute of being together. Jake and Adam managed to squeeze in a surf session, and we all enjoyed an amazing lunch at a BBQ spot in a charming little beach town.

As we prepped for the next leg of our journey, we faced one last logistical hurdle: selling our truck. We needed to offload Adam’s truck. We talked about hanging onto it, and it just didn’t make sense for our family. Carvana offered $4K more than CarMax, but the nearest drop-off location was two hours away. The Cass family, true to their incredible nature, stepped in without hesitation. They lent us a car, watched the kids, and made what could have been a stressful situation completely seamless. After one last meal together—smashing some gyros—we said our goodbyes and cast off the dock lines. The hours flew by too fast, and as always, we left already looking forward to the next time. we hang out. Next time it'll be by boat—and Jake better bring a board.

December 31st - Our First Overnight Sail as a Family

This was a big milestone—our first overnight sail without extra crew! Adam picked a calm weather window, but we still had to sail through the night to arrive in daylight. I stood my first solo night watch, which was both terrifying and exhilarating. Around midnight, the fog rolled in, forcing me to wake Adam up. Listening to an audiobook helped keep me alert, and even Harbor joined me for a bit when he couldn’t sleep. The stars were out blazing for a bit before that fog rolled in. It was sometimes hard to look at them, as the motion and the endless sky made me a little queasy.

Arriving in Fernandina Beach on New Year’s Eve was surreal. The town was buzzing with festivities, including their famous “shrimp drop” (like a ball drop, but way cooler). We met up with the Coddiwomple crew (other Coast Guard boating fam), enjoyed German food, then we all went back to our boats exhausted and ready to see the firework show. We had front row seats! A perfect way to welcome the new year!

SV Falkor & SV Kaikoa

Huge shoutout to Steve and Adam for tackling the elusive electrical gremlins on the boat (wiring diagram was slightly off). Crazy to think we first met Steve (and Leslie) at the Annapolis Boat Show while I was volunteering with Young Cruisers Association and SeaPeople, and now here we are—out in the wild, living the dream and making it happen! ⚡️⛵️

January 5th: Sailing to St. Augustine

We set sail from Fernandina to St. Augustine with light winds—perfect for flying the screecher and main. Kaikoa was moving so well that we had to slow her down to ensure daylight arrival. Adam took the first watch, I covered 10-2, and then he was back at it. Twice, I swore I saw hazards in the water that could have wrecked us, only for them to disappear as we got closer. My brain playing tricks or close calls? Who knows. Also, powerboats flying past us? Absolutely terrifying. It feels like a game of chicken every time, and I hate it.

We grabbed a mooring ball at the St. Augustine Municipal Marina, where we had access to all the essentials—laundry, fuel, water. The city itself? Absolutely charming. Yes, touristy and pricey, but totally worth it. Even better, we got to reconnect with Joel and Connor, whom we met through the Annapolis Boat Show’s Creator Content group. Before we left, Joel told me that if we ever made it to St. Augustine, we should look him up—so we did! He went above and beyond to make our visit so easy, and thanks to him, St. Augustine quickly became one of our favorite stops. We couldn’t be more grateful for his kindness. It was also great to meet up with Connor a few times as well, and funnily enough, he and Joel have sailed together. Such a small world full of awesome people!

January 12th - time to get down to Ft. Pierce

We left St. Augustine on a gorgeous day—finally feeling the warmth of the sun and even shedding a layer. Adam dubbed it “sad sailing” since we’d be motorsailing south, but we had a good laugh and got underway. We timed our departure for the 10 a.m. bridge opening, following just behind the coolest boat—a monohull with massive Chinese dragons on the sides and mermaids on the bow. I tried to capture a video, but between shooting into the sun and bouncing through the washing machine where the outlet met the sea, it was nearly impossible. That first 15 minutes had us properly jostled around, but it made for an exciting start to the day.

The passage itself was uneventful. Adam stands watch about 90% of the time, and I take over at night when there’s less traffic (and fewer sail changes to worry about) and sit at the helm during the day so he can take cat naps.

Arriving in Fort Pierce, I’m not sure what I expected, but… I expected more? Ha. It was choppy with strong currents, and our attempt to go find showers resulted in a very wet and salty dinghy ride. Classic.

The next day, we got to reconnect with Brie a Coast Guard wife/friend from our Alaska days. She’s now living in Port St. Lucie with her children and working nearby, so we managed a quick reunion and tour of the boat before she dropped us off at the laundromat—where we promptly discovered that laundry is outrageously expensive. To pass the time, we grabbed a meal at Dave’s Diner, where the staff was incredibly kind, and then stocked up on groceries next door. Thankfully, the yacht club across the street had a fuel dock with a beverage store, and if we bought fuel and a few beers, they let us dock the tender long enough to haul our fresh laundry and provisions back to the boat. This time, I had the forethought to bring garbage bags to protect the clean clothes—small victories!

While in Fort Pierce, I scoured Facebook Marketplace for an RV washer and managed to find one at an incredible price. Because the amount of laundry these kids generate is unreal and bucket laundry sounds like a lot of work, though quite effective.

After dinner stroll while Adam was out collecting the new to us washing machine

We had hoped to catch up with some fellow cruisers we met in St. Augustine, but timing didn’t quite work out. Still, we exchanged info, and it’s been fun making all these new connections—I’m sure we’ll cross paths again somewhere down the line.

How’s Schooling Going?

People keep asking how schooling is going… well, it’s going. We’re using The Good and the Beautiful curriculum, which is mostly workbook-based, and the kids supplement with Prodigy, Adventure Academy, and Reading IQ for extra math and reading practice. Some days flow smoothly, while others are a balancing act between school, life, and expectations. But overall, they’re doing great. The kids also keep journals—not for grading or corrections, but as a way to practice writing and express their thoughts freely.

If you’re still reading—amazing! Next up, we’ll share all about our Bahamas crossing.

*Real time - we have officially been checked into the Bahamas since Jan 20th.

Sailing Down the Carolinas and Florida