Zanshin sailing off Nevis Sailing from St. Kitts to Nevis, the crew on Katzenellenbogen caught this picture of me sailing with the single volcanic hill on Nevis in the background.
Zanshin sailing off Nevis

Finally the full refit of Zanshin is finished and it is time for these web pages to once again be filled with a bit of life. After a lengthy refit after the ravages of hurricane Irma, Zanshin is finally back in the Caribbean and ready for further adventures.

“Zanshin” is a Jeanneau 57 model sailboat; with 57 feet (17m) there's a lot of room aboard for supplies as well as for people. She was built at the Jeanneau factory outside of Nantes in France, then shipped to Annapolis, MD in the USA where she was commissioned and from there I sailed down to the Caribbean, where Zanshin has been ever since.
Since then I've been sailing up and down the Caribbean island chain exploring the various islands for extended periods. I'm planning on going through the Panama Canal and heading into the Pacific for the long journey across the Pacific. Since the “barefoot route” around the world uses the warm tradewinds that blow to the west it means that heading back east is difficult and uncomfortable. Thus, once past Panama there's no going back and I'm enjoying my time in the Caribbean so much that I'm loathe to leave.
Since I single-hand Zanshin I like to avoid weather and seas as much as possible, which means that I'm most likely not going to sail the challenging route in the high latitudes going past the great Capes of the world - I'll use the man-made canals to shorten the journey.

Click for 2020-02-17 Blog Entry
Blog picture
This site has grown over the years and contains a mix of dated and new material, from manuals and technical details to stories and my daily blog. The blog is in actuality something of a daily dairy and I always post several pictures daily along with a brief description of my adventures (or lack thereof) each day.

Please enjoy browsing the site and, for those who find themselves sailing in unknown waters:

“Immer eine Handbreit Wasser unter dem Kiel.”
(May there always be a handsbreadth of water beneath your keel)

Random Site pictures

Great Barracuda Great Barracuda
[17°57'21.83"N 62°54'36.61"W ]
Great Barracuda
Michaela at the rafalgar Falls Michaela walked up the slippery slope and rocks to be close to the bottom of the bigger fall. The impressive Trafalgar Falls outside and up the hill from Roseau, Dominica are an easy walk from the parking lot and and offer wonderful views. The taller of the twin falls has about a 200 foot drop.
(2014-04-11 11:07:39 NIKON D7100 with a "18.0-250.0 mm f/3.5-6.3" lens. [f/14.0, 1/25s] ISO 100)
Michaela at the rafalgar Falls
Fisherman returning home Fisherman returning home
[15°34'53.9"N 61°27'53.02"W (facing S)]
Fisherman returning home
Noa finishing Noa finishing
(2017-05-01 14:19:47 NIKON D7100 with a "18.0-250.0 mm f/3.5-6.3" lens. [f/4.5, 1/500s] ISO 100)
Noa finishing
Gray Angelfish This one was elusive, whenever I wanted a front-shot it would turn away, coming back once the camera was pointed elsewhere.
[18°7'2.95"N 63°3'23.56"W ]
Gray Angelfish
Parrotfish at the cleaners This parrot fish was hovering next to the rock and getting cleaned.
[18°7'4.49"N 63°3'25.8"W ]
Parrotfish at the cleaners
Dinghy garage with gear The dive gear stored in the dinghy garage on Zanshin before returning the rentals to Octopus Diving in Grand Case, St. Martin
[18°6'17.65"N 63°3'27.57"W ]
Dinghy garage with gear
Tall and Classic ships plus a Hobie cat Three types, and generations, of sailing seen at one time in the North Sound of Virgin Gorda.
(2014-01-14 16:39:31 NIKON D7000 with a "18.0-105.0 mm f/3.5-5.6" lens. [f/5.6, 1/125s] ISO 100)
Tall and Classic ships plus a Hobie cat
Commuter landing at St. Barths Commuter landing at St. Barths
(2012-03-05 17:07:43 NIKON D7000 with a "18.0-200.0 mm f/3.5-5.6" lens. [f/7.1, 1/200s] ISO 125 Focus 15.00m)
Commuter landing at St. Barths
Antigua Sailing Week - Race Number 225 Antigua Sailing Week - Race Number 225
(2014-05-02 12:40:59 NIKON D7100 with a "70.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6" lens. [f/8.0, 1/800s] ISO 200)
Antigua Sailing Week - Race Number 225
Moorings charter racing The wind was at 15-20 true and this Moorings charter yacht had a feisty racing crew of 3, all wearing sailing gloves and intent on getting the last bit of speed from their boat. I felt a bit guilty as I passed then, with 3 reefs in both sails and barely heeled over; but in this case it really was waterline length which ruled. At times they were heeled over so far that I thought they might get in trouble and they were fighting the wheel the whole way.
(2012-01-02 15:34:42 NIKON D7000 with a "18.0-200.0 mm f/3.5-5.6" lens. [f/7.1, 1/200s] ISO 100 Focus ∞)
Moorings charter racing
Saintes shoreside hotel Saintes shoreside hotel
(2014-04-13 18:04:05 NIKON D7100 with a "18.0-250.0 mm f/3.5-6.3" lens. [f/5.6, 1/25s] ISO 100)
Saintes shoreside hotel
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