2/6 Come Sail Away
When Sandy and I first met, she actively sailed on a racing sailboat. She had been crewing on a forty foot sailboat for many years and had participated in the famed Port Huron to Mackinac race. She asked me if I was interested in joining their crew. Well of course I am. Who wouldn’t want to spend every Saturday of a Michigan Summer sailing on around the Great Lakes? I joined their crew and we spent all summer sailing, sunning and drinking Malibu rum. That was more than ten years ago.
We love to be on the water and we especially love to sail. We seek out boats to rent on almost every vacation we embark on. Imagine my astonishment when I found a company called Vegan Sailing..Eat, Love, Sail in the Virgin Islands. It is a seven day trip on a fifty three foot sailboat complete with cocktails and vegan food. I almost fell out of my chair. The owner of the boat, Captain Dave is a newly converted 2011 vegan and has one of those stories that we keep hearing over and over. He was diagnosed with coronary artery disease which motivated him to seek out ways to prevent further disease while reversing what he had. He adopted a plant based diet and has been the vegan sailor ever since.
The meals are prepared by Gail Isaacs, former chef to the tall ships sailing the east and west coasts. Here is a sample menu pulled from their site.
BREAKFAST: fresh fruit, whole grain cereals, pancakes, oatmeal, home baked whole grain breads, fabulous smoothies
LUNCH: veggie wraps, black bean burgers, delicious soups and tropical salads
DINNER: fabulous stir frys with a variety of whole grains including brown rice, quinoa; southwestern vegetable stews/chili; currys; stuffed peppers; whole wheat pasta
Snacks: hummus, pita bread, Thai spring rolls, mango salsa, homemade corn tortillas.
Can you imagine enjoying such delicacies on the deck of a magnificent sailboat? I can. I see myself there lathered in sunscreen, cocktail in one hand and spring roll in the other, crying a tear of vegan traveler joy. If Captain Dave and Gail would like, Sandy and I would gladly sail with them for a week and write a full travel review on their behalf. I would do that for them. I’ll let you know when Captain Dave extends that offer and how that pans out.
Stay warm and have a delicious weekend.
Tags: compassionate eating, going veg, plant based diet, vegan experience, vegan travel, vegan travel tips, vegan wannabe
June 24th, 2013 at 3:18 pm
I am a sailor, as in, I own a sailboat and live on it for extended times occasionally. I have recently become vegan and was wondering if you might have heard of blogs on the subject of provisioning for vegans on boats. Fresh fruits and veg don’t last so long (only so much refrigeration room) so I’m thinking freeze dry alternatives. Thanks for any information you can give!
July 7th, 2013 at 9:21 pm
Hi Tanya,
You are living the life that Sandy and I dream of. We have often thought that we would do well living on a boat. We used to race on an NA-40 on the Great Lakes. Big fun. I have a few idea for you. First I think Freeze dried fruits and vegetables are an excellent option. There are quite a few companies that sell them online. Here is a link to just one. North Bay Trading Company. http://www.northbaytrading.com/
They will be easy to store without taking up alot of room. I also think dehydrated fruits and veggies will be a good option. You may purchase them ready to go or dehydrate your own. A dehydrator would be a worthwhile purchase for the long haul. I also think you could put frozen fruits and vegetables in your cooler if you bring one. They will defrost but will only need to stay chilled until you enjoy them. Frozen is always a better option than canned. If all else fails, Sandy and I can come sail away on your vegan boat and help you think of better options.