Meet the Marches…
I’m Laurie…
Bryan and I are an adventurous couple with two awesome kids. What could be crazier than taking a baby on 5-day canoe trip? Not much, but buying a sailboat might be up there. We’ve done extensive backpacking and canoe trips in the wilderness as well as bikepacking, hiking, and trail running. We camp as much as we can and embrace an outdoorsy life. Self-propelled adventure is our thing so it seems only fitting that we would end up buying a sailboat like Azura.
Bryan works in the field of aerospace and automotive manufacturing technology. He travels extensively for work and likes hobbies that he can immerse himself in… like sailing. He handles all of the technical things on the Azura because that’s his forte. This includes restoring woodwork, maintenance of everything from lines to the engine, dealing with any crazing, and all sorts of other things. Bryan likes to collect gear and his motto is “you can’t afford the cheap stuff” which applies because most sailors know what “boat” stands for. Eventually he’d like to sail to the British Virgin Islands and beyond.
As a published cookbook author, freelance writer, and cooking instructor—I teach people how to preserve foods for wilderness backpacking and canoe trips. Suffice it to say I love writing so the blog will be my responsibility. I am enjoying the learning curve that comes with cooking on a sailboat as well as our adventures on the open water. While Bryan will do much of the gear testing, I lay claim to reviewing the galley related items. I like to think of myself as artistic and I like to sew which means I get to handle the interior updates. I would love to spend a summer or two sailing around Georgian Bay and the Baths (BVIs) are on my radar.
Tobias is the young man of our clan. He’s seventeen and gets a little bored with the calm sailing days. Tobias loves it when the wind and waves pick up—I think he likes the adrenaline rush. He has a keen interest in wilderness survival and being off the grid. He also loves to swim off the back of the sailboat. Tobias has already offered to climb the mast ladder if the need ever arises.
Kaia is our youngest and full of sailing spirit. When we told her we had purchased a sailboat she exclaimed, “let’s call it the Leaky Beak!” The Leaky Beak is one of the ships in Disney’s Jake and the Neverland Pirates—I certainly hope Azura never lives up to that nickname. Kaia has big sailing plans that include buried treasure, swimming with the dolphins, meeting a mermaid, and sleepovers with her best friend.
And then there is Thomson, our sailing Shih Tzu. He loves the sailboat and starts to get excited as soon as we turn onto the road that leads into the marina. (Sadly we had to say farewell to our beloved friend in May 2019. He spent his last days sailing on Lake Ontario).