Morgan Stanton | Skipper, ship’s mechanic, planner & problem-solver, head of sail training and safety departments, and all-around great dad. Powered by Jelly Bellies and gummy bears.
Audrey Taylor | First mate, galley captain, headmistress of boatschool, ship’s scientist, master of electronics, and organizer extraordinaire. She can find most lost items in minutes.
Soleil Stanton | Able-bodied mermaid, budding marine biologist, joke teller, Lego builder, and keeper of many small beach treasures. She will make friends with any adult she meets. And, she’s the inspiration for this trip!
Our Story
Morgan and Audrey met on the North Slope of Alaska in 2006, while Morgan was flying bush planes and Audrey was studying shorebirds as a PhD student. We first discussed sailing around the world while eating pizza at the Top of the World restaurant in Utqiagvik, and the idea has never been far from our minds since. Two moves and several job changes later, we found ourselves back in Alaska: in Anchorage this time, with a comfortable suburban house, great friends and recreation, and a beautiful baby girl. Life was busy and sweet and wonderful. But Anchorage is far from a sailing mecca, so we kept telling ourselves that sailing as a family was our TEN YEAR PLAN. After a few years, we realized that Soleil would go to college and we’d retire sooner than we would go sailing under that plan, so we needed to up the timeline. The ten year plan turned into a five year plan, then a three year plan. We bought Unbelievable in Anacortes, Washington in August 2019, sailed her in the San Juan Islands during summers 2020 and 2021, and moved to Bellingham, WA in July 2021 to begin a major refit that would get her ready for bluewater cruising. A year + later, we untied the dock lines and headed west out of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, then south along the Pacific coast. We’re moving slowly and enjoying spending time together as a family after many long months of boat work and trip prep. Destination(s) yet unknown, but the vague plan is Mexico –> South Pacific –> New Zealand. However, as any cruising sailor will tell you, it’s the journey, not the destination, when you are living by the rhythm of the wind and sea. We’re excited to share this journey with you, so drop us a line anytime via a comment on this blog!
Sea Fever
By John Masefield
I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky, And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by; And the wheel’s kick and the wind’s song and the white sail’s shaking, And a grey mist on the sea’s face, and a grey dawn breaking. I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied; And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying, And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying. I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life, To the gull’s way and the whale’s way where the wind’s like a whetted knife; And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover, And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick’s over.
This poem has been an inspiration since Audrey first read it in her dad’s AP English class 🙂