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    • Cumin-Lime Fish Tacos

      Posted at 12:02 am by Heidi Benson Stagg, on August 16, 2018
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      I’m a huge fan of tacos and fish … put them together and I am so satisfied! This dish was made for a group of writers at a Retreat in the Woods and it was quickly devoured (and if you click on this link you can find out future Retreats to the Waves and on the Rails). There is very little prep and your guests can make them their own way with plenty of fresh toppings. They are a meal unto themselves, or serve with a fresh salad, rice or black beans on the side. I had leftover quinoa and the nutty flavor complemented the cumin-lime seasoning perfectly.

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      Posted in In the Galley | 0 Comments | Tagged BoatingLife, GalleyCooking, LifeOnboard, LiveAboard, LivingTheDream, MarinaLife, Tayana, TinyKitchen, VivoOSonho
    • You Live on a Boat?! Part 7: Do you have a real kitchen?

      Posted at 8:55 am by Heidi Benson Stagg, on August 13, 2018

      “You live on a boat?! How is that? Does it move all the time? How does the weather affect you? Where do you keep your stuff? Do you have electricity? How about fresh water? Do you have a real kitchen? How do you deal with waste? Are you connected to cable and WiFi? Does your dog like living on a boat? What happens when you go sailing?”

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      Do you have a real kitchen? Yes, it’s real, but it’s tiny. (It’s called a galley on a boat.) I have about four feet by 6 feet, plus cabinet space, to work with.  And in that small space I have a stove with three burners and an oven, refrigerator, double sink and counter space. The counter space also doubles as covers for my sink, fridge, storage and dish drainer, so clearing any clutter is always the first step to prepping/cooking. Heidi and Aaron have opted not to have a freezer any longer in order to save electricity, and the space will soon be used to store everyday pots and pans for easy access. It’s not uncommon for the steps from the galley to the cockpit and the navigation station to also be used in the prep process. 🙂

      My stove, a Seaward Princess II, was built specially for a boat and operates on propane. It replaced my original stove (also a Seaward Princess) in 2014 and cared for properly will last over 20 years.

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      Posted in You Live on a Boat?! | 2 Comments | Tagged BoatingLife, Cruising, GalleyCooking, LifeOnboard, LiveAboard, LivingTheDream, MarinaLife, Tayana, Tiki, TinyKitchen, VivoOSonho
    • You Live on a Boat?! Part 6: What about fresh water?

      Posted at 12:05 am by Heidi Benson Stagg, on August 6, 2018

      “You live on a boat?! How is that? Does it move all the time? How does the weather affect you? Where do you keep your stuff? Do you have electricity? How about fresh water? Do you have a real kitchen? How do you deal with waste? Are you connected to cable and WiFi? Does your dog like living on a boat? What happens when you go sailing?”

      How about fresh water? Fresh water is essential to life. Living on a boat is considered “roughing it” by some, but I am not only equipped with the crucial elements taken for granted by land-lubbers, I am able to generate my own electricity (as shared last week) and water.

      Having access to clean, drinkable water is something that most people in America (and other developed countries) take for granted. In a house, you turn on a faucet and clean water flows! It’s not that simple on a boat. When we are traveling in foreign waters, it is vital that we have the ability to obtain and stock clean water, either by purchasing on land or collecting and/or making onboard.

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      Water water everywhere and not a drop to drink – James Casey, Poet

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      Posted in You Live on a Boat?! | 2 Comments | Tagged BoatingLife, Cruising, DogOnboard, GalleyCooking, LifeOnboard, LiveAboard, LivingTheDream, MarinaLife, Tayana, Tiki, TinyKitchen, VivoOSonho
    • Potato Gnocchi with White & Red Sauces

      Posted at 12:06 am by Heidi Benson Stagg, on August 2, 2018
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      Gnocchi is one of hubby’s favorite dishes. I’ve made it often from store-bought package, always thinking it would be difficult to make in my small galley. It turns out that it is incredibly easy with only three ingredients. I’ll actually be able to make this when we are at sea without fresh provisions as potatoes are one of the staples that keep for a very long time in a bag in a dark, cool cabinet (and we have quite a few of these onboard) and flour is one of our staples. For the sauce, I’ll have to resort to canned tomato sauce and mushrooms or a jar of Alfredo sauce, unless we are near shore where fresh ingredients are available. But while we’re tied to land, I’ll indulge in using real cream and fresh herbs and veggies.

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      Posted in In the Galley | 3 Comments | Tagged BoatingLife, Cruising, GalleyCooking, LifeOnboard, LiveAboard, LivingTheDream, MarinaLife, Tayana, TinyKitchen, VivoOSonho
    • You Live on a Boat?! Part 5: Do you have electricity?

      Posted at 9:02 pm by Heidi Benson Stagg, on July 31, 2018

      “You live on a boat?! How is that? Does it move all the time? How does the weather affect you? Where do you keep your stuff? Do you have electricity? How about fresh water?Do you have a real kitchen? How do you deal with waste? Are you connected to cable and WiFi? Does your dog like living on a boat? What happens when you go sailing?”

      IMG_0379Do you have electricity and water? Heidi and Aaron get this question quite often. Yes, I am a boat. But I’m a finely appointed vessel, built to cruise the world. So although I don’t offer amenities such as a dishwasher and washing machine, I have systems that provide far more than a roughing-it camping experience. These systems are quite complex though, and we are very fortunate that our Captain is an electrician who understands the intricacies of maintaining my electrical system and will be well-versed on my new water-maker in the coming months.

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      Posted in You Live on a Boat?! | 3 Comments | Tagged BoatingLife, Cruising, DogOnboard, LifeOnboard, LiveAboard, LivingTheDream, MarinaLife, Tayana, Tiki, VivoOSonho
    • The Sea’s in Their Veins

      Posted at 10:10 am by Heidi Benson Stagg, on July 23, 2018

      img_0485.jpgAaron and Heidi were both raised by sailing fathers and being on or around water is as natural as walking on a sidewalk for landlubbers for them. Their prior spouses both enjoyed boating … at a much faster speed than sailing generally allows. And definitely not on a full time basis. So, neither got as much water time as they craved until they bought me. Now it’s water-time all the time!

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      Posted in You Live on a Boat?! | 1 Comment | Tagged BoatingLife, DogOnboard, GalleyCooking, LifeOnboard, LiveAboard, LivingTheDream, MarinaLife, Tayana, Tiki, TinyKitchen, VivoOSonho
    • Nana’s Egg Salad

      Posted at 12:01 am by Heidi Benson Stagg, on July 5, 2018
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      Nana wasn’t a gourmet cook … her ingredients were simple and generally staples from her well-stocked pantry. But there was something about Nana’s meals … the flavors were always so delicious and satisfying that whatever she made was a joy to eat. My guess is that it was the secret ingredient of Love. I try to add a dash of that into every dish I make and when I cook from her recipes or use the few pieces of kitchenware that belonged to her, it takes me back to those cherished times sitting at her kitchen table having a chat with something yummy and a cuppa tea.

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      Posted in In the Galley | 0 Comments | Tagged BoatingLife, GalleyCooking, LifeOnboard, LiveAboard, LivingTheDream, MarinaLife, Tayana, TinyKitchen, VivoOSonho
    • A Nautical Wedding

      Posted at 9:30 am by Heidi Benson Stagg, on July 2, 2018

      Four years ago on June 28, 2014, Aaron and Heidi tied the knot and became Captain and First Mate for Life. It was a wonderful weekend in Ayala Cove at Angel Island, filled with friends and family … a Thursday night dinner onboard dear friends Dave & Speranza’s boat, Buoyant … Friday couple pedicures in Tiburon, wedding prep (which included constructing a six foot arbor that had been lashed in a box to the rail for the trip over and then balanced precariously on a dinghy to get it to shore), and a potluck with our boating community who arrived early to help set-up … and Saturday, Wedding Day: mimosas and boater friends decorating before the festivities.

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      Posted in You Live on a Boat?! | 0 Comments | Tagged BoatingLife, LifeOnboard, LiveAboard, LivingTheDream, Tayana, VivoOSonho
    • Boat – Life Balance

      Posted at 9:42 am by Heidi Benson Stagg, on June 5, 2018


      34321066_10216194796644007_1630616168223997952_oBoats require work. Lots of it. Being exposed to the elements 24/7 means that Aaron and Heidi have to constantly be on the lookout for damage by rain or sun, as well as keeping up on regular chores and replacing my worn parts. I guess you could say that I’m a high maintenance sort of girl. 😉 

      This past weekend Aaron replaced one of my 39-year-old bronze portholes with a brand new stainless steel one. I have three portholes, all accessed by the cockpit; two look into the cabin, one on either side of the companionway (our front door), and the third looks from the cockpit well (side of the floor) into the aft stateroom. Portholes are windows that open. Portlights are windows that are permanently fixed. All leak if not installed and sealed properly, which is not a good thing. I also have four hatches (windows that open up from my cabin top) for ventilation.

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      Posted in You Live on a Boat?! | 0 Comments | Tagged BoatingLife, Cruising, DogOnboard, LifeOnboard, LiveAboard, LivingTheDream, MarinaLife, Tayana, Tiki, VivoOSonho
    • “Hard” Work

      Posted at 8:58 am by Heidi Benson Stagg, on May 29, 2018

      Why do Heidi and Aaron bust their butts to do work on me that they can pay someone else to do? We get that question often. The major reason is peace of mind.

      I’m not just a pleasure craft for weekend sailing. I am Home. Boatwork is very specialized and we want to make sure it is done to our high standards. It’s not like having a new roof put on and then discovering that it leaks and calling a company to come fix it. We won’t have that option in the middle of the ocean if I take on water because of a poorly installed thru-hull. Knowing that my bottom is sturdy and sealed tight is essential to our peace of mind. 

      Every three years I need to be put on the “hard” so my hull, keel and rudder can be inspected, repaired if needed, and painted. It’s also a good time to check out the propellor and all through-hulls. Being on the “hard” is taking a boat out of the water via a hoist and propping her up on stilts in a boat yard.

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      Posted in You Live on a Boat?! | 1 Comment | Tagged BoatingLife, Cruising, LifeOnboard, LiveAboard, LivingTheDream, Tayana, VivoOSonho
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    Heidi Benson Stagg

    Heidi Benson Stagg

    I live aboard a 42 ft Tayana Vancouver sailboat, hull #5 laid in 1979, with my husband and little dog. We left our berth of 15 yeas in Alameda, California in the Fall of 2022 and now live in La Paz, Mexico. I enjoy blogging about our journey, cooking in my tiny kitchen and writing short stories.

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