Meet Madison

Hey all,
       My name is Maddie. I started on this trip I was 12 years old.  When I found that my family and I were going on this voyage I was a little scared. But now that I have had time to understand what we are going to do I am really excited. There are some pluses and minus to this trip. I’ll tell you the pluses first. I will learn new cultures and religions. I’ll get a lot of time to spend with my family. I will be more coordinated with my eye and hand skills because I will be tying ropes and working a lot more with my hands.  Also, I’ll meet a lot of new cool and interesting people and be able to have close encounters with lots of new animals from the other countries.

And now here are the minuses. First, I’m going to miss all my friends a whole lot. They have helped me through everything.  I will also missing playing soccer. The main part that I will miss of soccer is my team and its members.  That will be really hard. Just because the fact that soccer has been my whole life. But when I come back, it will still be here waiting for me. Well, I hoped you enjoyed learning about me. Make sure to check up on my journal for updates on the trip.  Also, don’t forget you can ask me questions on the bulletin board.
Later, Maddie

Meet Collin

Hi, my name is Collin. I’m seven and almost in second grade. I’m really excited to go on this trip because I want to see lots of sea animals. 
My favorite sport is soccer and my second favorite sport is basketball. I really want to play soccer on an island at a beach.
I’ll write more about me later,
Collin

Meet Bruce

“I can’t believe your doing this!” is the 
statement I hear more often than any these days, why would some one who has lived in a high desert all his natural life want to spend a 
year at sea? It’s something I have pondered myself. My name is Bruce, I am 36 years old and have spent very little of my existence in close proximity to large bodies of water. I am looking forward to this adventure as one of self-discovery and increasing the bond with the most important part of my life, my family. 

Five years ago I would have never thought of doing something like this, I was content with spending the rest of my life working Monday thru Friday, golfing, racing mountain bikes and 
filling in the rest with the same repetitive events. My wife woke up a couple of years ago and realized that when we come to the end of our 
time, what will we have to show for our lives, did we make a lot of money?, do we have a big 
house?, did we win a lot of bike races? (that was me)!! We made the decision that these things were of little importance in the big picture 
of life, and tried to think of a way to make the most of our lives.

In all of the turmoil of our current times I begin this journey with a small amount of trepidation, but I realize nothing in this life is safe, and to 
truly live you have to take the chance. 

-Bruce

Meet Lisa

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to leave everything familiar behind and sell off all your extraneous worldly possessions to follow a dream? I have. 

Waking up early one morning, I began examining my life. What I found was I could live very comfortably doing what I do every day, again and again: waking up, getting the kids and myself ready for school, working all day, picking up and dropping the kids off at one practice or another, returning home to squeeze hours out of my busy day to spend a few quality ones with my family, then go sleep to wake up and do it all over again. I imagined myself in five, ten, even fifteen years merrily rushing though my daily life but always wondering WHAT IF. What if I would have taken that chance, leaving a comfy nest to expand my wings to see how far I could fly? Would the world look different from there? 

Being a teacher is not what I do, but who I am. I can’t remember a time in my life when I didn’t seek out opportunities to share my love and wonder of the world with someone else; sharing that amazing “aaaha” feeling, when the wonder is unveiled and something finally makes sense. Sharing my love of learning with my children is essential to me and hopefully through this online fieldtrip website, our family will be able to share some of adventures with you.

-Lisa

Meet Captain Bruce

The dream is AliVE! I have pondered and planned this adventure most of my life.  I have always been an avid traveler and finally found a vehicle which makes it possible for the average working person.  The tremendous bonus is being able to do it with a loving and caring family.

After the initial shock and disbelief of their wanting to join me on this voyage of discovery, I have been elated in the way they have the way they have they have thrown themselves into the chores and planning necessary.  It's no small chore reconstructing and refitting a 1972 vessel that had very little maintenance in the past.  It has taken several hard years, but now it's down to the final fitting, equipping, and provisioning.

Yes, there is an element of risk, as in all adventures into the unknown, but with careful planning and training these can be minimized.  The learning experiences in other cultures, history, language, and geography will be a great experience, especially for the younger crew and self-discovery for all!  I love this family more than anything and look forward to the bonding and love we all share.  Wish us well and watch this site for our progress.

DON'T LET YOUR FEARS STAND IN THE WAY OF YOUR DREAMS.

Honorary Crew

Become an "honorary crew member" by learning more what it is like to travel for a year on a sailboat.   Click here to find out how.