I grew up boating at the Jersey Shore, starting on water-skiing boats and also spending time on fishing boats with my grandfather. I also had experiences sailing in New England, San Francisco and the Caribbean, in addition to the Jersey Shore. I restored a wooden runabout and loved being on the water so much I moved up to a 35 foot power boat. I explored from Philadephia down to the Chesapeake and ended up in Baltimore for a while. I sold that boat during COVID and started looking for the next one. During the process something shifted. I realized I wanted to take off the training wheels and own a sailboat, learn the craft, and connect more deeply with nature. I took sailing classes in Philadelphia and then purchased Allure, a 2006 Leopard 43 catamaran. Shortly after moving aboard (9 days!) I met my partner and co-captain Brooke. She had been a full-time cruiser for years and opened up a whole new world for me. We made Allure our home and after a year and a half of refit in North Carolina we are now living our first Bahamian cruising season together!