The Log of Whisper: Freezing bloody cold!

20 December 2008

Freezing bloody cold!

December 20, 2008

For some reason or other we thought that it would be a great idea to go visit Kristen's parents in Vermont over Christmas. Why didn't someone remind us that Vermont in winter is freezing cold, snowy and darker than the devil's heart?!? Not the place to be for two thin skinned Caribbean sailors. Oh well, we'll just have to cozy up to the wood stove and down some tasty microbrews to take the edge off.

We got 8 inches of snow overnight, and the "winter storm of the season" is hitting tomorrow we hear. But hey, we've got hot running water (showers!), good food and even an outdoors hot tub to enjoy, so it is hard to complain too loudly.

Meanwhile back in the Caribbean, Hans' friend Fredrik and his buddies from Uppsala, Sweden, are keeping an eye on Whisper and enjoying the Virgin Islands. Just watch out for Kit Kat guys!

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The Log of Whisper in print

Do you love looking back at old blog postings but hate having to search through the archives? Do you tell your old Aunt Mildred all about the Log of Whisper but can't show her because she doesn't have a computer? Do you have insomnia and need a sleeping aid? Great news! The Log of Whisper is now available as a book! Buy your copy now!

The default version is a hardcover with a dust jacket. Both soft cover and hardcover image wrap versions are available. They are identical to the dust jacket version except they will not include the information on the inside flaps of the dust jacket.

The Log of s/v...

maryland to Trinid...

By Hans & Kristen wit...

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About Whisper"s crew

Hans:
Raised in Northern Sweden by fearless sailors and descended from a wooden boat builder, Hans spent more time as a kid skiing, fishing and terrorizing his younger sisters than sailing. After protecting the father land by serving as a medic/machine gunner in the highly ironic Swedish military, he was off to the United States for college where he met Kristen.

Kristen:
Raised in land-locked Southern Vermont by a Brit and a Vermonter, Kristen sailed sunfishes at summer camp but spent most of her childhood playing in the snow in the winter and building forts and dams in the woods in the summer. After college, the allure of living on a boat in the tropics was much more appealing than 3 years of law school and the inevitable debt.

Walking along the waterfront in Stockholm in the summer of 2001, the two would-be voyagers hatched their plan and worked towards it until their departure in November of 2006.

Kit Kat:
Reared in the backwoods of Northwestern Montana, Kit Kat had never seen the ocean until thrust down Whisper's companionway on October 23rd 2006. In spite of constant hunger, she has adapted remarkably well to the life of a boat cat.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. You're so young. How can you afford doing this at your age?
A. The simple answer is prioritizing. We were lucky to chose the cruising lifestyle before we graduated from college, so nearly every major decision was based on our future plans afloat. All of our purchases (and lack thereof), career decisions, location and lifestyle were aimed at saving money for a 2 year sabbatical from the "real world." Once we found ourselves in the right place (Washington, D.C.) and in the right jobs (Hans: photography, Kristen: paralegal), we started saving money by living well below our means.

Q. Don't you get sick of each other?
A. 99.9 % of the time, no. Of course we have the occasional disagreement or misunderstanding but we're quite happy most of the time.

Q. Don't you think that you're going to get bored?
A. No, not really. There's always something to do on the boat, or another place to go with new friends to meet.

Q. What about storms? Isn't it very dangerous?
A. Try driving on the beltway at rush-hour! Sailing is very safe as long as you aren't on a schedule. Weather patterns are generally predictable, and we have the luxury of waiting for good weather before setting off on the next leg of our journey.

Q. What about Kit-Kat? How does she like the cruising life?
A. Contrary to her occasional blog posts, she likes it just fine on the boat. When things get a bit bumpy she finds a safe spot to wedge herself. When we're at anchor, she has the run of the boat, and enjoys lying in the sun and stalking the seagulls. No... she hasn't fallen in the water yet.

Q. So, did you both grow up sailing?
A. Not really. We both spent a couple of summers in our childhoods sailing on little dinghies, but nothing that would have prepared us for sailing a boat like Whisper. We learned through copious amounts of reading, and by trial and error on the Chesapeake Bay in the past two years. Lessons are for sissies!

Q. What will you do after cruising?
A. We don't really know yet, although we both agree that having all this time will help us make a very deliberate decision about our future. Of course, if there are any "get rich quick" schemes out there send them our way!
Update: Hans is starting medical school at Temple University in Philadelphia; Kristen is busy looking for work in Philadelphia and writing articles for sailing magainzes. Again, we're open to any and all "get rich quick" schemes!

The Log of Whisper

20 December 2008

Freezing bloody cold!

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