The Ocean is My Passion!
There is no other place I would rather be then on or beside the sea. I live on a barrier island where I can see the ocean sitting on my bed.
And yet I dream about being out there on a cruise ship exploring some far off destination. I love ship life. I could live my life aboard ship. I wonder why I even stopped cruising all those years ago to come ashore and have a “normal” life which was what was expected of me. Now that my children have grown and my sister and I have rediscovered cruising again, I have the best of the sea both when I am traveling and when I am at homeport.
I am an Author, a Travel Blogger, and a Cruise Consultant. My life and my work revolve around the ocean and helping others enjoy life fully and abundantly. Especially being true to themselves and stepping out into the world to discover all they can be while discovering all the world has to offer.
I am the Author of two books
Dancing on the Beach
Through the Woods to the Sea: A Journey of Becoming Me
Some Back Story
My sister, Susan and I began taking cruises when we were teenagers. Our dad spent time working at the port and loved the ocean and ships. When his business was doing well Carnival Cruise lines began cruises out of the port of Boston. He was so excited for us to take a cruise.
Mom & Dad are right front-Susan is left front and I am left back (my awkward teenage years) next to my sister is her friend Patti and next to me are my friends Rose and Bonnie.
Our first cruise on the original Carnival ship, the Mardi Gras was an adventure at sea. We encountered a hurricane roaming erratically in the Atlantic. Several cruises later we embarked on a maiden voyage of a new ship. Eventually our cruise days dwindled and real life, marriage and children took precedent. But I was ever so great for the opportunity to be at sea and go on so many wonderful cruises. The memories sustained me and I always knew one day I would return to the sea and traveling.
Several years ago when our mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, my sister and I decided to revive our family tradition and began taking yearly cruises together. It has become a wonderful way to get together and spend time with each other. My sister still lives in Massachusetts not far from where we grew up but I now live in North Carolina. The ocean has become a central aspect of my life. The ocean is a connection between us and our childhood. It is a bond that continues to thrive.
We ventured out slowly, first taking a short five day voyage out of Miami. The next year we missed taking a cruise because mom was in the end stages of Alzheimer’s. After she passed away early the next year we planned our next cruise. To usher in a new chapter in our life, we planned a longer cruise, a nine day cruise out of New York City ending in San Juan, Puerto Rico. This cruise was our first big epic adventure together and our revived tradition became solidified.
Past Sisters Travel Adventures
Carnival Destiny December 10, 2012
Carnival Splendor October 24, 2014
Carnival Triumph October 24, 2015
Carnival Vista October 11, 2016 BTB Mediterranean & TransAtlantic Cruises
Carnival Magic February 18, 2017 with trip to Sonoma, California
Carnival Paradise September 5, 2018
Carnival Magic Feb 1, 2020
We have written about these adventures on my SistersTravelAdventures Blog