# prickett family adventures
> our life in pictures and words
Public Ghost content for AI and LLM tooling. Use `/llms-full.txt` for consolidated page and post context.
Append `.md` to any post or page URL to get the content in Markdown (for example, `/example-post.md`).

## Pages
- [2016 FSU Football Schedule](https://www.bradenanderin.com/2013-fsu-football-schedule.md)
- [2015 photos](https://www.bradenanderin.com/2015-photos.md) - ander](GHOST_URL/march-2015/)ander![december](/content/images/2015/07/december-1
- [2016 photos](https://www.bradenanderin.com/2016-photos.md) - ](/january-2016/)
- [About the boat...](https://www.bradenanderin.com/about_the_boat.md) - This is going to be an epic posting, so if you want to read it, click on the "read more" link down at the bottom of the post. This is a detailed account of the boat from my perspective. The owner had the boat pulled up to the dock when we arrived was getting it ready for going sailing. Erin and I w…
- [april 2015](https://www.bradenanderin.com/april-2015.md) - [![](http://www.bradenanderin.com/content/images/2015/07/DSC0270-1024x680.jpg)](http://www.bradenanderin.com/april-2015/_dsc0270/)[![](http://www.bradenanderin.com/content/images/2015/07/DSC0272-1024x680.jpg)](http://www.bradenanderin.com/april-2015/_dsc0272/)[![](http://www.bradenanderin.com/conte…
- [august 2015](https://www.bradenanderin.com/august-2015.md) - [![](http://www.bradenanderin.com/content/images/2015/08/IMG_4134-768x1024.jpg)](http://www.bradenanderin.com/august-2015/img_4134/)[![](http://www.bradenanderin.com/content/images/2015/08/IMG_4138-768x1024.jpg)](http://www.bradenanderin.com/august-2015/img_4138/)[![](http://www.bradenanderin.com/c…
- [december 2015](https://www.bradenanderin.com/december-2015.md) - [![](http://www.bradenanderin.com/content/images/2016/03/IMG_0303-1024x576.jpg)](http://www.bradenanderin.com/december-2015/img_0303-2/)[![](http://www.bradenanderin.com/content/images/2016/03/IMG_0304-1024x576.jpg)](http://www.bradenanderin.com/december-2015/img_0304-2/)[![](http://www.bradenander…
- [january 2016](https://www.bradenanderin.com/january-2016.md) - [![](http://www.bradenanderin.com/content/images/2016/03/DSC_0287-1024x680.jpg)](http://www.bradenanderin.com/january-2016/dsc_0287/)[![](http://www.bradenanderin.com/content/images/2016/03/DSC_0300-1024x680.jpg)](http://www.bradenanderin.com/january-2016/dsc_0300/)[![](http://www.bradenanderin.com…
- [July 2015](https://www.bradenanderin.com/july-2015.md) - [![](http://www.bradenanderin.com/content/images/2015/07/IMG_2185-1024x768.jpg)](http://www.bradenanderin.com/july-2015/img_2185/)[![](http://www.bradenanderin.com/content/images/2015/07/IMG_2192-768x1024.jpg)](http://www.bradenanderin.com/july-2015/img_2192/)[![](http://www.bradenanderin.com/conte…
- [June 2015](https://www.bradenanderin.com/june-2015-2.md) - [![](http://www.bradenanderin.com/content/images/2015/07/IMG_0266.jpg)](http://www.bradenanderin.com/june-2015-2/img_0266-2/)[![](http://www.bradenanderin.com/content/images/2015/07/IMG_2812-768x1024.jpg)](http://www.bradenanderin.com/june-2015-2/img_2812/)[![](http://www.bradenanderin.com/content/…
- [march 2015](https://www.bradenanderin.com/march-2015.md) - [![](http://www.bradenanderin.com/content/images/2015/07/DSC0199-1024x680.jpg)](http://www.bradenanderin.com/march-2015/_dsc0199/)[![](http://www.bradenanderin.com/content/images/2015/07/DSC0203-1024x680.jpg)](http://www.bradenanderin.com/march-2015/_dsc0203/)[![](http://www.bradenanderin.com/conte…
- [may 2015](https://www.bradenanderin.com/may-2015.md) - [![](http://www.bradenanderin.com/content/images/2015/07/IMG_0263.jpg)](http://www.bradenanderin.com/may-2015/img_0263/)[![](http://www.bradenanderin.com/content/images/2015/07/IMG_2181-1024x768.jpg)](http://www.bradenanderin.com/may-2015/img_2181/)[![](http://www.bradenanderin.com/content/images/2…
- [newborn 2015](https://www.bradenanderin.com/newborn-2015.md) - [![](http://www.bradenanderin.com/content/images/2016/03/Olivia_002-1024x683.jpg)](http://www.bradenanderin.com/newborn-2015/olivia_002/)[![](http://www.bradenanderin.com/content/images/2016/03/Olivia_003-1024x683.jpg)](http://www.bradenanderin.com/newborn-2015/olivia_003/)[![](http://www.bradenand…
- [november 2015](https://www.bradenanderin.com/november-2015.md) - [![](http://www.bradenanderin.com/content/images/2015/11/IMG_5690-768x1024.jpg)](http://www.bradenanderin.com/november-2015/img_5690/)[![](http://www.bradenanderin.com/content/images/2015/11/IMG_56961-768x1024.jpg)](http://www.bradenanderin.com/november-2015/img_5696/)[![](http://www.bradenanderin.…
- [october 2015](https://www.bradenanderin.com/october-2015.md) - [![](http://www.bradenanderin.com/content/images/2015/10/DSC08801-680x1024.jpg)](http://www.bradenanderin.com/october-2015/_dsc0880-2/) Pahl’s Market Fall Festival [![](http://www.bradenanderin.com/content/images/2015/10/DSC0883-1024x680.jpg)](http://www.bradenanderin.com/october-2015/_dsc0883/) Pa…
- [photos](https://www.bradenanderin.com/photos-2.md) - nderi](GHOST_URL/2015-photos/)nderi![2016](/content/images/2016/03/2016-768x1024.
- [september 2015](https://www.bradenanderin.com/september-2015.md) - [![](http://www.bradenanderin.com/content/images/2015/09/IMG_46341-768x1024.jpg)](http://www.bradenanderin.com/september-2015/img_4634/)[![](http://www.bradenanderin.com/content/images/2015/09/IMG_4644-768x1024.jpg)](http://www.bradenanderin.com/september-2015/img_4644/)[![](http://www.bradenanderi…
- [videos](https://www.bradenanderin.com/videos-2.md) - 1. [boat_day_video](http://www.bradenanderin.com/content/images/2013/07/boat_day_video.wmv) 2. MVI_3296
- [videos](https://www.bradenanderin.com/videos-3.md) - 1. [February 2015 - pizza vs. peanut butter](http://www.bradenanderin.com/content/images/2015/09/tibut1.m4v) 2. [February 2015 - oh no](http://www.bradenanderin.com/content/images/2015/09/oh-no.m4v) 3. [February 2015 - snow plow](http://www.bradenanderin.com/content/images/2015/09/snow-plow.m4v) 4.…
- [Videos](https://www.bradenanderin.com/videos.md) - Emma talking to the butterfly on the changing table – Emma talking to the baby in the mirror – Emma laughing on the activity mat –

## Posts
- [sturgis, sd](https://www.bradenanderin.com/sturgis-sd.md) - After a week in South Dakota it was time to start heading toward home. We didn't use the bus at all last summer, and after all the work we did to get it cleaned and ready to go we've all been talking about some more (maybe shorter) trips this summer. The highlight of our campground were the deer ri…
- [custer, sd](https://www.bradenanderin.com/custer-sd.md) - Custer State Park is an oldie, but a goodie. We can't come to South Dakota without spending at least a day here. Unfortunately it was an 1.5 hour drive from our campground, which made for a very long day. It has been a long time since Emma and I have gone horseback riding. It was one of the things…
- [sprearfish, sd](https://www.bradenanderin.com/sprearfish-sd.md) - We've been to South Dakota several times. We usually stay in Rapid City where there is tons to do, but this time our campground is in Sturgis, SD. There really isn't much here except some downtown biker shops and Emma's Ice Cream. Since we've been to Rapid City a bunch I wanted to see someplace new…
- [pr > fl > mn](https://www.bradenanderin.com/minnesota-2.md) - I feel like in all our travels we've been pretty lucky with flights. But sometimes luck runs out. Our 1 PM direct flight from Puerto Rico to Florida kept getting delayed - 2 PM, 3 PM, 4 PM. Finally we were on our way at 5 PM after getting a new plane because of a maintenance issue they couldn't fix…
- [boats out for summer](https://www.bradenanderin.com/boats-out-for-summer.md) - We always feel like we're on vacation when we visit the BVI. We ate. We drank. We danced. We had a blast with some of our closest boat friends. But summer is coming and there are a lot of boat preparations that have to be done before we can leave the boat and head back to Minnesota. After almost a…
- [british virgin islands](https://www.bradenanderin.com/british-virgin-islands.md) - After almost a month in the USVI we were ready for a little change of scenery. Our sailing season is coming to an end, and we've had a lot of plans up in the air these last couple months - but we knew for sure we wanted to at least visit the BVI before our summer boat break. First stop - Norman Isl…
- [usvi](https://www.bradenanderin.com/usvi.md) - It's no secret that the US Virgin Islands is one of our favorite places. There is so much to do, so much to see and so many friends here to share it all with. Over the last month we've bounced back and forth between St. Thomas and St. John. We've done tons of snorkeling. We've dealt with doctors vi…
- [carnival, st. thomas, usvi](https://www.bradenanderin.com/carnival-2.md) - We were in St. Thomas for Carnival two years ago. It is a wild time - colorful costumes, loud music and a lot of fun. We started on Thursday night with an evening of rides. Friday we spent the day at the kids parade, and followed it up Saturday with the adult parade. 0:00 /0:34 1× The double decker…
- [us virgin islands](https://www.bradenanderin.com/us-virgin-islands.md) - We planned to head from Boqueron, Puerto Rico straight to St. Thomas, USVI in one day. Of course a lot of times travel plans on the water don't stick. We ended up splitting our trip into three days with two quick overnight stops in Puerto Rico. Finally - St. Thomas, USVI! We only spent two days in…
- [boqueron, puerto rico](https://www.bradenanderin.com/boqueron-puerto-rico.md) - We've been to a bunch of places in Puerto Rico, but this was our first stop on the western coast. We rented a car for a couple days to get some much needed shopping done. While we were in Turks & Caicos the wind blew two shoes off the back of the boat. One was mine. One was Emma's. Of course it was…
- [adios dominican republic](https://www.bradenanderin.com/adios-dominican-republic.md) - We celebrated Easter in the Dominican Republic with egg painting, an egg hunt, some great food and a visit from the Easter bunny. The marina in Samana definitely lives up to all the hype we've heard over the years. We had a great couple weeks enjoying happy hours, making new friends, hanging out wi…
- [samana, dominican republic](https://www.bradenanderin.com/samana-dominican-republic.md) - Once we got back from the Airbnb in the mountains we all decided we could use a bit more time off the boat. We found an Airbnb overlooking the marina and decided to spend a couple days there. We played games, swam in the pool and rescued a baby gecko. We ended up cutting our mini vacation a day sho…
- [jarabacoa, dominican republic](https://www.bradenanderin.com/jarabacoa-dominican-republic.md) - We met a kid boat in the marina in Turks and Caicos that was also in the same marina in Dominican Republic. We only talked with them briefly a couple times, but they invited us to an Airbnb they rented up in the mountains for a couple days. We weren't sure if we were going to go, but then Emma gave…
- [puerto plata, dominican republic](https://www.bradenanderin.com/puerto-plata-dominican-republic.md) - We're hanging out in the Dominican Republic for the week. The marina where we are is right next to the adventure park. We went there last time we were here, and I wasn't sure we would go again this time. With the large crowds and the buffet lunch we've been pretty convinced this is where Olivia's v…
- [Overweight baggage - A transmission story](https://www.bradenanderin.com/overweight-baggage.md) - Our starboard transmission had been slipping for a while. It wouldn't engage forward gear until the engine was fully warmed up — never a great sign. The ZF 15MA uses internal clutch packs and seals that wear over time, and ours had clearly reached the end of the line. Time for a new one. The questi…
- [YoBatt - Bidirectional Battery Charging](https://www.bradenanderin.com/yobatt-controller.md) - Our boat Yoto has two battery banks — a 48V LiFePO4 bank that gets charged by solar, and a 12V AGM bank connected to the alternator. The problem is getting energy between them. When the sun's out, the 48V bank fills up but the 12V needs topping off. When the engine's running, the alternator is pump…
- [dominican republic](https://www.bradenanderin.com/dominican-republic-2.md) - This season has been the most difficult one so far. We've had lots of things break on the boat since November - at least 17 things (yes, I've been keeping count). The weather has been making it very difficult to travel, especially south (the direction we want to go). There haven't been a whole lot…
- [Welcome to Emma’s Studio](https://www.bradenanderin.com/emmas-art/emma-art-test1.md) - Where imagination meets the canvas. We are so excited to share this corner of our family site with you. What started as simple doodles has grown into a vibrant collection of colors, textures, and big ideas. Whether she’s working with watercolors, acrylics, or a simple sketchbook and pencil, Emma’s…
- [still in turks and caicos](https://www.bradenanderin.com/still-in-turks-and-caicos.md) - Well... half of us are. Braden and Emma took this long stretch of sitting and waiting to take a trip to Florida for a couple days. We had some much needed packages and mail to pick up, and now seemed like a good time since the boat isn't going anywhere. While they were away Olivia and I were busy -…
- [turks and caicos](https://www.bradenanderin.com/turks-and-caicos.md) - When we were the in the Bahamas we were moving around a lot. We usually like to spend days or weeks in one spot, but between the weather and trying to get south it felt like we were moving just about every day. At one point Braden said he just wanted to hang out in once place long enough to get tir…
- [goodbye bahamas](https://www.bradenanderin.com/goodbye-bahamas.md) - We (mainly Braden) spent a lot of hours looking at weather. We went back and forth for days and days and days on whether we should go, or stay. The trip to either the Turks and Caicos or the Dominican Republic would take us multiple days out on the open ocean. We prefer to be out there when the win…
- [george town, bahamas](https://www.bradenanderin.com/george-town-bahamas-2.md) - Ah... George Town - lots of boats, tons of kids, rules like an HOA. I have a love/hate relationship with George Town, but the girls love it here. It has been cold in the Bahamas! It got so cold that the temperature inside our boat got down to 68 degrees. We don't have enough warm clothes and blanke…
- [emerald bay, bahamas](https://www.bradenanderin.com/emerald-bay-bahamas.md) - With more windy weather in the forecast we decided to wait it out in a marina for a couple days. When the weather is bad you can't really get off the boat when you're anchored, but when the weather is bad and you're in a marina you just step off the boat onto the dock with no problem. The marina it…
- [lee stocking island, bahamas](https://www.bradenanderin.com/lee-stocking-island-bahamas-2.md) - Lee Stocking Island is private, but in the Bahamas all beaches are public up to the high tide line. The last time we were here the caretakers of the island were not happy we were on the beach - even though we were following the rules and staying below the high tide line. This time we avoided that b…
- [black point, bahamas](https://www.bradenanderin.com/black-point-bahamas-2.md) - Black Point has a few must do's. One of them is lunch at Lorraine's Cafe. Another one is getting coconut bread made fresh daily by Lorraine's mom. We stopped in Black Point in March (post here) hoping to get some bread, but the weather chased us out of there before we could get any. This trip throu…
- [staniel cay, bahamas](https://www.bradenanderin.com/staniel-cay-bahamas-2.md) - You can't stop in Staniel Cay without lunch at the Staniel Cay Yacht Club and a visit with the sharks.
- [thomas cay, bahamas](https://www.bradenanderin.com/thomas-cay-bahamas.md) - The Bahamas is beautiful, but the weather is annoying. About once a week a cold front comes though that makes us have to find shelter from the wind and waves. The downside is sometimes we have to leave places before we're ready. The upside is that we've found some cool places that we probably would…
- [warderick wells, bahamas](https://www.bradenanderin.com/warderick-wells-bahamas-2.md) - Warderick Wells is one of the most beautiful places in the Bahamas. When we were here back in April (post here) we only got to stay for one night. We had hoped we'd be able to come back again on our way up to Florida, but we didn't have time to stop then. It took us a while, but we finally made it…
- [shroud cay, bahamas](https://www.bradenanderin.com/shroud-cay-bahamas-2.md) - The Bahamas has so many unique little islands to visit. This is one of them. 0:00 /0:08 1× 0:00 /0:09 1×
- [nassau, bahamas](https://www.bradenanderin.com/nassau-bahamas-2.md) - You know you've made it to a big island when there are lots of cruise ships. After being in the Berry Islands for almost 2 weeks there were two things we really need to do - (1) buy some fresh food, and (2) get rid of trash. We stopped in a marina for two nights to have easy access to do both of th…
- [the berry islands, bahamas](https://www.bradenanderin.com/the-berry-islands-bahamas.md) - The Berry Islands are fairly remote despite being close to Freeport. There were no restaurants. No places to drop trash. No big cities. No houses. Just white sand beaches, a blue hole and lots of sea life. Really the only attraction here is Hoffman's Blue Hole. We've only been to one other blue hol…
- [freeport, bahamas](https://www.bradenanderin.com/freeport-bahamas.md) - We only spent one night in West End. The next day we headed over to Freeport for a couple days. Apparently Freeport is the hub for oil imports and exports. We passed a lot of huge oil tankers on our way. The first time we had a Bahamian breakfast was sort of by accident in Nassau in 2011. We had be…
- [hello bahamas!](https://www.bradenanderin.com/hello-bahamas.md) - West Palm is a bit nostalgic for us since Braden and I lived in the area for so long and Emma was born there. We enjoyed being in a city that was so familiar to us while we waited for good weather to get over to the Bahamas. We saw a movie. Went to the farmer's market. Ate at some of our favorite r…
- [happy birthday olivia](https://www.bradenanderin.com/happy-birthday-olivia-3.md) - For the last two years we've been on the boat for Olivia's birthday. I'm not going to lie. I felt a lot of pressure for this one. She was so excited it was her golden birthday and I did not want to disappoint her. In 2023 we were in Martinique. I went to the local boulangerie and got a cake with ch…
- [until next time st. augustine](https://www.bradenanderin.com/until-next-time-st-augustine.md) - It was a busy couple weeks in St. Augustine. We had lots of boat projects, shopping, cleaning, organizing, family time (especially the girls who spent the last two weeks with their grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins) and a little bit of sight seeing. As with any place we stop we could always s…
- [tallahassee, fl](https://www.bradenanderin.com/tallahasse-fl.md) - We've been wanting to take the girls to an FSU football game for years. It doesn't really make sense living in Minnesota, but it does make sense when your family lives in Jacksonville, your boat is in St. Augustine and you have friends in Tallahassee. Our first stop in Tallahassee was my old dorm t…
- [st. augustine, fl](https://www.bradenanderin.com/st-augustine-fl-2.md) - Once we got to Florida we wasted no time getting to work on our endless list of boat projects. Since we're in the US where parts are easy to get, we wanted to get a lot of projects done that have been on the list for a long time. But as with all boat projects - they never go like you expect. We hav…
- [new orleans, la](https://www.bradenanderin.com/new-orleans-la.md) - Once we decided on a route down to Florida it was time to pack the car and get on the road. Our goal was to get to New Orleans in two days, spend a day exploring the city and then get to Florida on the fourth day. Our first stop - World's Largest Truckstop in Iowa. We stopped for the night in St. L…
- [fall recap](https://www.bradenanderin.com/fall-recap.md) - Our fall was just as busy (or busier) than our summer. This fall we - made lots more sourdough, saw the jack o lanterns at the zoo, rode rides at Mall of America, took Nana and Grandpa to Duluth, went to the RV museum in Indiana, took the girls to their first drive in movie (the girls watched the m…
- [summer recap](https://www.bradenanderin.com/summer-recap-2.md) - After we got the boat ready to leave in Florida we spent some time with family before heading back to Minnesota for the summer. As soon as we got back the girls did their yearly assessments so summer could officially begin! We've been going non-stop since we got back to Minnesota in June, which is…
- [st. augustine, fl](https://www.bradenanderin.com/st-augustine-fl.md) - I have a lot of catching up to do... After lots of discussion we decided we would leave our boat in West Palm Beach for hurricane season. We were already there. We know the area after living there for a long time. We were all ready to get a break from the boat and head back to Minnesota. It was an…
- [west palm beach, fl](https://www.bradenanderin.com/west-palm-beach-fl.md) - With hurricane season quickly approaching it was time for us to get out of the Bahamas and back to the US for the summer months. We always put out a fishing line on the long trips, but have only caught (and released) a couple barracuda. We finally caught something worth eating on this trip. It was…
- [paradise island, bahamas](https://www.bradenanderin.com/nassa.md) - When we came to Nassau at the beginning of April Emma was bummed we didn't spend any time at Atlantis. To be honest, I was a little bummed too. Water parks are on my list of places I love to go. Last week we stopped back in Nassau to wait for good weather to cross over to Florida, and it just so ha…
- [warderick wells, bahamas](https://www.bradenanderin.com/warderick-wells-bahamas.md) - I have to rewind - somehow I totally forgot to post about one of our most favorite places in the Bahamas. We stopped at Warderick Wells for only a day on our way to Nassau. Their favorite part were the kayaks that were available to use whenever they wanted. The popular hike on Warderick Wells is th…
- [shroud cay, bahamas](https://www.bradenanderin.com/shroud-cay-bahamas.md) - Over the last couple weeks we've been back and forth through a couple of the small islands in the Exumas. In the Eastern Caribbean to go between islands could take days, but in the Bahamas most of the islands are within a couple hours of each other. We spent many hours at the beach in Highbourne Ca…
- [nassau, bahamas](https://www.bradenanderin.com/nassau-bahamas.md) - Ah Nassau. Probably our least favorite place in the Bahamas. A lot times when we mention the Bahamas to people it is where they think we are going because it is a very popular, and easy stop for cruise ships. We had planned to visit Nassau a little later, but we needed to take an unexpected trip to…
- [cambridge cay, bahamas](https://www.bradenanderin.com/cambridge-cay-bahamas.md) - Our next stop on our journey north was Cambridge Cay. This island is part of the Exumas Cays Land and Sea Park, which is a protected area covering over 112 acres of land and sea in the Exumas. About a week ago some friends told us about Rocky Dundas. We had never heard of these caves before, and si…
- [back to staniel cay, bahamas](https://www.bradenanderin.com/back-to-staniel-cay-bahamas.md) - The one thing the girls and I did not do the last time we were in Staniel Cay was snorkel at Thunderball Grotto. We knew we were coming back here and knew the conditions would be better this time around, so we saved it for this trip. This underwater cave was filmed in the James Bond movie Thunderba…
- [pipe cay and compass cay, bahamas](https://www.bradenanderin.com/pipe-cay-and-compass-cay-bahamas.md) - After spending a week in Staniel Cay we decided to take a little trip to the next island to explore for a few days. The morning we were leaving the water was so calm you could barely tell where the water ended and the sky started. Our spot for the next couple days would be Pipe Cay. Pipe Cay is a p…
- [staniel cay, bahamas](https://www.bradenanderin.com/staniel-cay-bahamas.md) - Way back in 2012 (before kids) Braden and I made it down to Staniel Cay on our previous sailboat. Staniel Cay is a cool place with a lot to see - sharks, swimming pigs, and Thunderball Grotto (made famous by the James Bond Thunderball movie in 1965). Not much has changed in 13 years, except the cro…
- [black point, bahamas](https://www.bradenanderin.com/black-point-bahamas.md) - Black Point has a few things that we were looking forward to - (1) coconut bread and (2) an amazing laundromat. We had hoped to stay at least a few days so we could get some delicious bread and get some laundry done... but unfortunately the weather had other plans. During our short visit we unexpec…
- [little farmer's cay, bahamas](https://www.bradenanderin.com/little-farmers-cay-bahamas.md) - I research each island we might stop at and make a list of places to eat, interesting things to see and unique shops to visit. Little Farmer's Cay doesn't have a whole lot to do or see, but I did find JR's woodcarving shop while I was researching the island. The girls and I love to collect unique s…
- [rudder cut cay, bahamas](https://www.bradenanderin.com/rudder-cut-cay-bahamas.md) - Our next stop was Rudder Cut Cay. There were a couple things we wanted to see here, and we managed to get them all done in one day. First - the cave. It isn't a huge cave, but it was cool to pull our dinghy up on the sand and walk around inside. Second - the musician mermaid. This full size statue…
- [lee stocking island, bahamas](https://www.bradenanderin.com/lee-stocking-island-bahamas.md) - Our next stop after George Town was Lee Stocking Island. We went from being around hundreds of boats on a busy island with grocery stores and restaurants to being around less than 20 boats on a quiet island with only beaches and sandbars. Luckily we were traveling with some boat friends, so there a…
- [leaving george town, bahamas](https://www.bradenanderin.com/leaving-george-town-bahamas.md) - After almost 2 months in George Town it was time to move on (finally)! But there were some things we had to do first.... One of the last kid events in the regatta was the kids model boat race. Olivia built her boat on the very first day using a coconut husk, a couple wooden skewers and leaves. Emma…
- [around george town, bahamas](https://www.bradenanderin.com/around-george-town-bahamas.md) - Yep. We're still here. If it was up to Braden and I we would have moved on weeks ago, but the girls are loving it in George Town... so we'll stay a little longer. The big event in George Town this time of year is the Annual Cruising Regatta. They have lots of events going on, and the girls want in…
- [yes day](https://www.bradenanderin.com/yes-day.md) - After dealing with some strange allergic reactions for a couple weeks we decided it was time for a trip back to Minnesota for some doctor appointments. Just Olivia and I made the trip while Emma and Braden stayed on the boat. The Bahamas is so pretty. We had a week filled with appointments, tests,…
- [george town, bahamas](https://www.bradenanderin.com/george-town-bahamas.md) - Every year hundreds of boats come from all over to spend their days in George Town on the island of Great Exuma. Currently there are 300+ boats here, which means there are kids everywhere. It also means there was no way we wouldn't run into other families we knew. We reconnected with friends we met…
- [long island, bahamas](https://www.bradenanderin.com/long-island-bahamas.md) - We've had a lot of 24+ hour trips this time around. The trip from Great Inagua to Long Island was no exception. One of the stories we've always told the girls is in the Bahamas you can see starfish on the bottom right from the boat. Apparently Emma thought we were making that up until she saw it wi…
- [great inagua, bahamas](https://www.bradenanderin.com/great-inagua.md) - Our first island stop in the Bahamas was the southernmost island - Great Inagua. Fun fact for Austin - Great Inagua is the second largest island in the Bahamas at 596 square miles. We wasted no time hopping into the water. The water is crystal clear and the sand is so soft and white. Emma was super…
- [dominican republic](https://www.bradenanderin.com/dominican-republic.md) - We hadn't exactly planned to stop in the Dominican Republic, but it was nice to break up the long trip to the Bahamas. Plus we got to catch up with some friends that we hadn't seen in months. We knew we wouldn't be staying long, so we only were able to squeeze in a couple things during our visit -…
- [adios puerto rico](https://www.bradenanderin.com/adios-puerto-rico.md) - Our stay in Puerto Rico ended up being a little longer than we had planned, but we got a ton of projects done. The most important one: we took out our old generator and put in a new one. Not an easy task with just the two of us, but we got it done with a lot of creativity. Also pretty important and…
- [birthday celebration](https://www.bradenanderin.com/birthday-celebration.md) - Olivia only had a couple special requests for her birthday. Unfortunately she was sick on her actual birthday, so we had to postpone all but one until this week. We ended up stretching her birthday celebration out to four days and finally today we completed her list. ✅ #1: (and the most important)…
- [hola puerto rico](https://www.bradenanderin.com/hola-puerto-rico.md) - It was only a matter of time until one of us got whatever Emma had. Unfortunately it was Olivia... and just in time for her birthday. She didn't let it ruin her day though. Last year we were in Martinique for her birthday. The French may know how to make delicious baguettes and croissants, but they…
- [st. john](https://www.bradenanderin.com/untitled-45.md) - After our vacation in the British Virgin Islands we headed back to the US Virgin Islands. St. John is still at the top of my list of favorite islands (so far). We spent a couple days snorkeling and shopping. There are so many fish here... 0:00 /0:03 1× These blurs are not a splotch on the camera le…
- [vacationing in the bvi](https://www.bradenanderin.com/vacationing-in-the-bvi.md) - We have a couple things we're waiting on (mainly all the girls Christmas presents), so we have a little more time to kill before we can start moving north. After spending a couple days in St. John we decided why not go to the British Virgin Islands for a couple days? We came up with a list of place…
- [thanksgiving week](https://www.bradenanderin.com/thanksgiving-week.md) - Thanksgiving did not go at all how I thought it would. It started on Saturday night with Emma getting a high fever. That fever would just not go away. She has always been pretty tough, but the constant fever took a lot out of her. She napped a lot. Every night I would put cold towels on her through…
- [hello again st. thomas](https://www.bradenanderin.com/hello-again-st-thomas.md) - Taking the boat out of the water is always so much work, but putting the boat back in the water is just as much work. Days and days un-vacuum sealing all our clothes/sheets/towels/pillows with fingers crossed nothing is moldy or smelly, cleaning, trying to remember where we put things, putting the…
- [family time](https://www.bradenanderin.com/family-time.md) - The girls and I took a detour on our way to Puerto Rico and stopped in Florida to visit my family while Braden headed to the boat a couple days before us to try to knock some projects out. The last time we were in Jacksonville was in March 2023. It was right before we moved onto the boat for the ve…
- [the long days](https://www.bradenanderin.com/the-long-days.md) - Putting the boat back in the water is always a mountain to climb. I always underestimate my capacity - so I add time to my estimates and start with the intention to knock everything out in a shorter time frame that I estimated. Since I overestimated, it should be pretty easy. And you may have guess…
- [wrapping up](https://www.bradenanderin.com/wrapping-up.md) - The leaves are changing. The weather is getting colder. That means our time in Minnesota is coming to an end and it is time to get back to the boat. I mean... just look at this weeks forecast. 80 on Tuesday to snow on Thursday. Before we can get back to warmer weather there were some things we need…
- [washington, dc](https://www.bradenanderin.com/washington-dc.md) - A day and a half is nowhere near enough time to see DC, but we tried our best. On Saturday we took a break from the boat show and took the girls to the children's museum. On Monday we hit the ground running early to try to squeeze in as many sights as we could. The girls had never been to DC, so we…
- [annapolis](https://www.bradenanderin.com/annapolis.md) - Every year there is a huge boat show in Annapolis, MD. Braden has been talking about going for months, but Emma was the only other person that wanted to go. In the end we decided last minute to pair it with a trip to DC and a visit to see family in Pittsburgh, so we all made the trip. Since it was…
- [honey](https://www.bradenanderin.com/honey.md) - When we left for the boat the first time Braden left three bee hives. After that winter only one of them survived. Last summer he didn't do very much with them and we didn't get any honey. This summer that one hive is still kicking. We had been out of honey for a long time, so when we got back in J…
- [we heart duluth](https://www.bradenanderin.com/we-heart-duluth.md) - Duluth is probably my all time favorite city in Minnesota. We've visited at least once a year since the girls were really little, and most of those trips were over Memorial Day weekend in the bus. Since we've been on the boat we haven't been up here since 2022. We didn't use the bus all summer and…
- [do over](https://www.bradenanderin.com/do-over.md) - The MN State Fair is one of my favorite summer activities. Last year we missed it because we were road tripping in the bus. This year our visit was cut short because of the rain. I really wanted to go back, but I was pretty sure no one else would want to. Turns out everyone wanted to go another tim…
- [cousin-palooza](https://www.bradenanderin.com/cousin-palooza.md) - Ten days of cousin time was not enough, so when the girls flew home their cousins came too! They all arrived with a list of all the things they wanted to do in Minnesota, and we wasted no time crossing off the list. We made our first stop the Mall of America. It's funny because this didn't even cro…
- [flying solo](https://www.bradenanderin.com/flying-solo-3.md) - We planned to take one big road trip in the RV this summer. We loved Utah last summer and didn't get to spend enough time there. We wanted to go back this summer and were going to meet Braden's sister and her family there. When it came time to work out the details of the trip none of the adults rea…
- [catch up](https://www.bradenanderin.com/catch-up.md) - It has been a while since we've posted what we've been up to, so we'll have to rewind all the way back to June.... Last year we left our boat in Grenada for hurricane season. There is soooo much work that goes into leaving a boat in the caribbean for the hottest, most humid, months of the year. Day…
- [Anchor Light Automation](https://www.bradenanderin.com/anchor-light-automation.md) - There are very easy, simple solutions for automating an anchor light. Mostly, those solutions involve either a new anchor light housing or a new anchor light bulb with a photo cell. Both require going up the mast and can be decently pricey. I decided to pursue a path less traveled. Back on land, ou…
- [Hot Water Heater on Battery Power?](https://www.bradenanderin.com/hot-water-heater-on-battery-power.md) - Although the boat is in the tropics and we don't have a/c - we still enjoy a hot/warmish shower at night for some reason. There are several ways to get hot water on Yoto: 1. Plug into shore power 2. Run the generator 3. Run the engine for 20min or so (coolant loop runs through hot water heater) 4.…
- [san juan](https://www.bradenanderin.com/san-juan.md) - For the last I don't know how many years we've taken our bus to Duluth, MN with our friends for Memorial Day weekend. This year we changed it up and took a ferry from our boat in Culebra to mainland Puerto Rico with some friends and spent the weekend in San Juan. The girls kept saying we were on va…
- [culebra](https://www.bradenanderin.com/culebra.md) - Our next stop in the Spanish Virgin Islands took us to the island of Culebra. One of the sites to see on my list - Hector El Protector. He was originally built in 2014 using old pallets from the junkyard, but had to be rebuilt in 2019 after Hurricane Maria destroyed him in 2017. He sits at the entr…
- [culebrita](https://www.bradenanderin.com/culebrita.md) - After three months in the US Virgin Islands it was time to move on. Goodbye USVI... Hello Puerto Rico... On the way in two dolphins came to greet us. They came and went very quickly, but it was still exciting to see them. Our first stop was Culebrita which is part of the Spanish Virgin Islands. We…
- [goodbye for now st. john](https://www.bradenanderin.com/goodbye-for-now-st-john.md) - Probably the most common question we get asked is what is your favorite place. It is a tough question to answer because they are all so different - some have great snorkeling, some have great beaches, some have great access to groceries/trash/restaurants, some have great food, etc. If I had to pick…
- [carnival](https://www.bradenanderin.com/carnival.md) - St. Thomas USVI Carnival - food, drinks, rides, parades, music, fireworks, treasures and great friends. It's been a fun (and exhausting) week, and I have an impressive sunglass tan to prove it. 😎❤️🇻🇮
- [back in the bvi](https://www.bradenanderin.com/back-in-the-bvi.md) - We took a short trip back to the BVI for a couple days. We hit all our favorite spots with some friends and Braden's dad who came to stay with us for a week. We also added a new place to the list. We heard good things about Scrub Island, but skipped it on our last visit. This time we stopped for tw…
- [one year](https://www.bradenanderin.com/one-year.md) - It is pretty crazy that it has already been one year since we pulled the girls out of school and moved onto our boat in the Caribbean. In the last 12 months we've been to 9 countries and 15 states. We've lived in a house, a boat and an RV. We've travelled 6,000+ miles in the RV and 500+ nautical mi…
- [back in the usvi](https://www.bradenanderin.com/back-in-the-usvi.md) - It has been a very busy two weeks for us - long flights, the eclipse, a quick overnight stop at a waterpark, lots of time with friends, date nights, dinners and reading glasses for Emma. Whew! Today we flew back to a very rainy USVI to start planning for the next couple months on the boat!
- [solar eclipse](https://www.bradenanderin.com/solar-eclipse.md) - On Easter we traded in our swim suits for sweatshirts and pants and flew back to Minnesota. Crazy... I know. A bit of backstory - in 2017 we took our bus to Casper, WY. It was the first big trip on our bus and we were going to a rally with 100 other people who owned buses like ours to see the solar…
- [happy easter](https://www.bradenanderin.com/happy-easter-8.md)
- [st. john (again)](https://www.bradenanderin.com/st-john-again.md) - We're not done with the USVI just yet- this time it was back to St. John. We had quite the group of friend boats along for this trip around the island. I love when the girls can jump off the back of the boat and swim over to their friends boats. We saw a variety of land animals on this trip. This m…
- [back to st. thomas](https://www.bradenanderin.com/back-to-st-thomas.md) - We have mixed feelings about St. Thomas. The anchorage isn't always the most comfortable, it gets noisy being close to the city and you can't swim in the water... but then there are the almost nightly get togethers at the outdoor bar where the adults have drinks and the kids climb the tree, to the…
- [st. croix](https://www.bradenanderin.com/st-croix.md) - We went back and forth at least 100 times - should we stay or should we go? St. Croix is the largest of the three main islands in the USVI. Not many people we talked to had been there, but the snorkeling was supposed to be pretty cool. In the end we decided to go... and if it wasn't for the upcomin…
- [st. thomas (again)](https://www.bradenanderin.com/st-thomas-again.md) - Our island hopping through the USVI continues. It was back to St. Thomas for laundry, beach time, hiking, a birthday celebration, date night and lots and lots of friend time (for both kids and adults).
- [st. john](https://www.bradenanderin.com/st-john.md) - While we enjoyed being in St. Thomas with easy access to trash, groceries, mail and restaurants it wasn't a place where we could just jump off the boat and swim. We were all looking forward to getting back to somewhere a little more remote where we could spend our days in the water. First order of…
- [st. thomas](https://www.bradenanderin.com/st-thomas.md) - We've spent the last week hanging out in St. Thomas. We took advantage of being near the city and got a lot done, including eating at a couple restaurants that have been on our list for a while. Being near the city meant we were able to get some much needed packages delivered, and since we're in a…
- [around usvi](https://www.bradenanderin.com/around-usvi.md) - We had our very first (and very special) overnight guest on the boat. Braden's sister (Aunt Jenn) flew from Oregon to the US Virgin Islands (USVI) to spend time with us. I have to say Aunt Jenn is a badass (I will owe Olivia $1 for that). She left Oregon on Tuesday night, flew all night, got to St.…
- [jost van dyke](https://www.bradenanderin.com/jost-van-dyke.md) - Our final stop in the BVIs took us to the island of Jost Van Dyke. Fun fact for Austin - Kenny Chesney's music video for "No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems" was filmed on and around Jost Van Dyke. Our last sunset in the British Virgin Islands. Tomorrow - US Virgin Islands!
- [norman island](https://www.bradenanderin.com/norman-island.md) - We're island hopping our way through the BVIs on the way to the USVIs. Our first stop after Virgin Gorda was Norman Island. There isn't anything on Norman Island except for a restaurant and a floating bar. We had dinner, drinks and the girls enjoyed some giant Jenga on the beach.
- [the indians](https://www.bradenanderin.com/the-indians.md) - We started our morning with a 30 minute snorkel at one of the most popular snorkeling spots in the BVIs - the Indians. No anchoring is allowed here, so you have to pick up a mooring ball that is only available for day use. There are only 10, so if they are all taken you have to wait until someone l…
- [virgin gorda](https://www.bradenanderin.com/virgin-gorda.md) - We had some things on our Virgin Gorda must do list: The Baths, a pirate show and a visit to two cool hang out spots. We figured that would take us a couple days and then we would be on our way. On our first day we met some new friends with girls Emma and Olivia's ages... so we extended our stay a…
- [the baths](https://www.bradenanderin.com/the-baths.md) - When we knew we were coming to the BVIs, The Baths was at the very top of my list of places to take the girls. Braden and I had been here way back in 2006. Before there were fancy waterproof cameras and smart phones. I couldn't remember too many details other than thinking this place was cool. Turn…
- [sea horses](https://www.bradenanderin.com/beach-ride.md) - Emma and I love going on trail rides. When I saw there is one in Sint Maarten where you take the horses in the ocean we just had to go. The other people scheduled for our ride didn't show up, so Emma and I got our own private guide. We rode up to an overlook where we could see some of the other isl…
- [sint maarten/saint martin](https://www.bradenanderin.com/sint-maarten-saint-martin.md) - Our current island is an interesting one - Sint Maarten or Saint Martin depending where you are. Fun fact for Austin - the southern part of the island is part of the Netherlands (Sint Maarten). The northern part of the island is part of France (Saint Martin). Even though they are governed by differ…
- [guadeloupe](https://www.bradenanderin.com/guadeloupe.md) - This weeks adventures - a hot spring, a beautiful beach, DIY hair cuts, provisioning and delicious food. Fun fact for Austin - There are 40,275 McDonald's located in 120 countries. Less than a year ago I don't think we'd ever heard of Guadeloupe. When we were in Grenada so many people talked about…
- [zoo de guadeloupe](https://www.bradenanderin.com/zoo-de-guadeloupe.md) - For the first time in a very, very long time we don't have any friends around... or really anyone around. We already miss the company, the impromptu dinners together and the happy hours - but there is something nice about just being us for a little while. We got a rental car for a couple days so we…
- [ilet caret](https://www.bradenanderin.com/ilet-caret.md) - After spending a couple days in Les Saints ( Îles des Saintes) we headed a little further north to Bouillante. It was only a 2 hour trip and the weather was calm. Calm enough for 2 loads of laundry, a loaf of banana bread and relaxing on deck. We spent two days here where we swam to the beach with…
- [les saintes](https://www.bradenanderin.com/les-saintes.md) - Tuesday morning we were up before the sun (3:36 AM to be exact). We pulled up our anchor and were on our way out of Martinique before 4:00 AM. We had hoped the girls would sleep later, but they were too excited about our middle of the night travel start. We've seen a lot of sunsets, but this was ou…
- [saint pierre](https://www.bradenanderin.com/saint-pierre.md) - Yesterday we pulled up our anchor and headed to the northern end of Martinique. Fun fact for Austin - In 1804 the British left cannons and 100+ men on Diamond Rock so they could use it as a "warship" to attack the French. There weren't any wind or waves, so it was a calm, motoring kind of day. Ther…
- [merry christmas](https://www.bradenanderin.com/merry-christmas-8.md) - Last week Olivia and I took a very last minute trip back to Minnesota. There were some things that were easier to take care of from Minnesota and since Martinique is fairly easy to fly in and out of it was good timing for a trip. We gave both girls the option - Olivia wanted to go to Minnesota, Emm…
- [martinique](https://www.bradenanderin.com/martinique.md) - Ah Martinique. When we were stuck without engines this was the island we dreamed of getting to... and we're here! Our first morning in Martinique and we got a special delivery from our neighbor friends. We've been spending our days exploring, shopping, catching up with boat friends and swimming. Fu…
- [eight is great](https://www.bradenanderin.com/eight-is-great.md) - Olivia had a little bit of a different birthday celebration this year - stayed up until midnight, chocolate chip pancakes, balloons, gifts, McDonald's, time with boat friends and cake from a French boulangerie. She rated this birthday a 9.5 out of 10.
- [st. lucia](https://www.bradenanderin.com/st-lucia.md) - St. Lucia wasn't on our list of islands to stop at because parts of the island have a bad reputation for crime. But the sail from Bequia to Martinique is over 15 hours, so St. Lucia is a good stopping point to break up the long distance. Some people stop overnight and keep going the next day, but t…
- [busy in bequia](https://www.bradenanderin.com/busy-in-bequia.md) - Our week started with taking the engines apart to get them ready for the new parts we were waiting on to come from the US. That is not a quick process, but luckily FedEx came through for us and we had the parts in 4 days (even with the Thanksgiving holiday!). This is the face of pure happiness with…
- [throwback thursday (november 30, 2022)](https://www.bradenanderin.com/throwback-thursday-november-30-2022.md)
- [bequia heritage museum](https://www.bradenanderin.com/bequia-heritage-museum.md) - History is my absolute least favorite subject, but the heritage museum turned out to be my new favorite field trip. Bequia might be a small island (7 square miles, population 5,000), but there is so much interesting history here. The trip to the museum was a fairly steep 2 mile walk to the other si…
- [happy thanksgiving](https://www.bradenanderin.com/happy-thanksgiving-7.md) - We may not be in the US for Thanksgiving, but we are surrounded by lots of Americans where we are in the Caribbean. One of the local restaurants hosted a traditional Thanksgiving meal. We got it all (except for the family photo) - happy hour, turkey, ham, stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, dessert,…
- [throwback thursday (november 23, 2022)](https://www.bradenanderin.com/throwback-thursday-november-23-2022.md)
- [firefly estate](https://www.bradenanderin.com/firefly-plantation.md) - Yesterday we got invited by our neighbors to go to an old sugar cane plantation. We got a tour of the old sugar mill property that started back in 1789. We tried a bunch of different fruits, sugar cane, coconut, almonds and learned how they used to press the sugar cane. Fun fact for Austin - banana…
- [change of plans](https://www.bradenanderin.com/change-of-plans.md) - When we bought our boat it had been sitting in a boatyard for 8 years. It needed a lot of work, including rebuilding both engines. As we were pulling into Bequia yesterday one of our engines overheated and is pretty much unusable. Our other engine has had issues for a while and now we're not confid…
- [bequia](https://www.bradenanderin.com/bequia.md) - New island for us today - Bequia - an island in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. We visited St. Vincent and the Grenadines in May, but not any of the islands this far north. Our goal for this week is to island hop our way up to Martinique, so we only plan to stay one night in Bequia, one night in St…

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