Tangier, Morocco

At the very beginning of our voyage, we sailed to Tangier Island in the Chesapeake Bay. This island was named by John Smith because the landscape reminded him of Tangier in Morocco. I personally think he was running out of names for things because the next island over in the Chesapeake Bay he named Smith Island. Did that island’s landscape remind him of himself?

Years later, we finally made our way to Morocco and got to sail into the port of Tangier without the use of a diesel engine (only using our electric engine to dock inside the marina).

Dental Health While Traveling

As a dentist, I know how important it is to take care of your teeth, and also how easy it is!

The best thing you can do for your teeth to prevent any issues while at sea on a long voyage is to brush your teeth! When you are sailing, time drags out and you have long periods with nothing to do. This is excellent because this is when you can brush your teeth like a dentist.

Everyone knows that you should brush twice a day for two minutes each time. That’s nice but it doesn’t really work. You need to brush twice a day and you need to do it well! The average American brushes for about 7-15 seconds! Now that you are at sea, you have plenty of time to do it right.
The first thing you need to do is stop brushing your teeth and start cleaning each tooth individually.
The toothbrush is not a chore machine that you pass over your teeth, it is a tool to help you clean your teeth.
Focus on cleaning each and every tooth. Start on the bottom back right and clean the last molar, now after it’s spotless, scoot forward one tooth and clean the molar in front of that, next the premolar, and on and on. When you finally finish the bottom arch, it’s time to clean the top arch.
How do you know when your teeth are clean? This one is very easy, you just need to use a very sensitive and agile appendage to feel your teeth: Your tongue!

Rub your tongue over each tooth. If you feel anything rough or sticky or anything other than slippery smooth, brush it a little more and recheck.
You have 32 teeth if you never had your wisdom teeth removed, and if you did, then you only have 28 teeth to clean. This whole process takes me about 4-5 minutes to carry out and my teeth are spotless at the end of it all.
In all honesty, this is fine on calm days when the time drags on forever; but on days when the wind will not relinquish you from the whips of furry brushing is the last thing on your mind.
When we have found ourselves hove to in a gale for days or just in terrible seas, brushing my teeth is the last thing on my mind. If brushing occurs that day, it will be fast and sloppy because the last thing I want to do is fall over with a tooth brush in my mouth! I honestly forget to brush unless Maddie reminds me of it. Once the weather calms down and we switch out our storm sails for our working sails, I get to relaxing in the cockpit and my tongue will notice how fuzzy my teeth feel!
And so begins the ritual of brushing my teeth in calm weather.
Fun tip: if you pull up a bucket load of clean ocean salt water, use that to brush your teeth. The salt in the water will do wonders for your gums and your mouth will feel great! I honestly prefer brushing my teeth with ocean water over using regular fresh water or even rain water!

A toothbrush is a wonderful tool to clean your teeth but it won’t repair neglect or decay! Always visit with your dentist and have them take X-rays before you set out in a long voyage. If your insurance won’t cover X-rays because of frequency limitations, pay it out of pocket! Catching a problem and fixing it while on shore is so much better than having an issue flare up while at sea and far from a dentist.

The North Star

Polaris, so named for its position directly over the North Pole is a special star.
Yes, you can measure your exact latitude by simply measuring the angle between the horizon and the Star, and you can use it to identify North without the aid of a compass, but it has one interesting attribute in the night sky.

It is stationary.

All the stars in the night sky revolve around the North Star. Constellations will change sides in the sky or rotate to be entirely upsidown, but the North Star remains a fixed beacon of truth in the darkness of night.

Cooking Tools You Can Bring to Your Next Sea Adventure

Level up your trip to the beach by pondering about different activities to do there apart from water sports and swimming. For instance, you can camp out by the beach and as long as it is allowed, you can even light up a bonfire in the evening and roast marshmallows while everyone is gathered around, sharing stories, singing, and dancing. In the morning, have a cook fest because you will never run out of fresh seafood and ingredients that can make up a delectable dish when you are out on the beach. In line with the latter, below are some cooking tools you can bring to your next sea adventure.

Knives and Cooking Utensils

Perhaps the most important cooking tool that you should never forget is, of course, a multipurpose knife. You actually have the option of bringing with you a full set that is securely organized in a sealed container so that you are sure to have a fillet knife readily available for you to prepare fresh fish. Nevertheless, you can also opt for a multi-purpose utensil wherein the spoon and a fork already comes with a knife. There is also a complete set of utensils, good for camping, which you can likewise bring to the beach. These complete sets often come with all the things you need to prepare your ingredients and cook the dish. Often, a complete set even comes in an organizer or pouch that keeps all your kitchen essentials in place.

Pots and Pans

Aside from cooking utensils, you also need to bring some pots and pans with you. There are those made from aluminum, which makes them durable and strong, while there are also those made from stainless steel, which makes it more heavy-duty. You can also opt to bring titanium-made pots and pans which are often easy to clean and lightweight.

Collapsible Cups and Bowls

Collapsible cups and storage bowls make it easy for you to fit them into your kitchen bag when they are empty because you can simply fold them down. Often, these are made from silicone materials which makes them durable and easy to clean. These can hold both hot and cold food and drinks and they even come in different colors and sizes. Because of their bold colors, it will be easier for you to remember the dish contained in them even without having to open the seal from time to time, reducing the risk of your food being spoiled.

Barbeque Grill

If the space in your car allows for it, you can bring a barbeque grill station with you, but that is without the cart. A BBQ grill store will most likely have this model in parallel with a grill station with carts. If it is for your outdoor kitchen, it is preferable that you go with the modular island type of barbeque grill station. Nevertheless, if it is for your sea adventure, you can always opt for the portable charcoal grill. The portable ones fold up like a briefcase, making it easy for you to carry them anywhere you go. In any case, you can always consider renting from the nearby beach resorts within the vicinity.

Portable Stove

There are several types of portable stoves that you can consider such as liquid fuel stoves, compressed-gas stoves, or solid fuel stoves. Liquid fuel stoves use gas, kerosene, or alcohol, while compressed-gas stoves use butane. On the other hand, solid fuel stoves utilize wood or flammable pellets. These stoves slightly differ in terms of the environment they work with, as well as the time it takes for them to heat up to cook your food. For instance, compressed-gas stoves usually don’t work well in colder temperatures, but these can be perfect for your beach trip. Liquid fuel stoves may require more maintenance and more fuel bottles to keep them working, while solid fuel stoves may be too small in terms of cooking for a large group of people.

Cooking is definitely more fun when you are out on an ocean adventure because of the fresh ingredients that you can use to come up with fabulous dishes. As such, keep in mind to rent a barbecue grill from a nearby resort or bring a portable one because grilled seafood should always be part of the menu. Portable stoves will also come in handy, as well as collapsible cups and cutlery carefully organized in a pouch. These are only some of the cooking tools that will make your life easier in terms of preparing the food perfectly during a sea adventure.

Sailing to Morocco

Ever dreamed of crossing an ocean? How about sailing to Africa!
after making our way across the Atlantic, we find ourselves at the doorstep of a new continent to visit on our cruising adventure.