Author: Phyllis Nickel - Attainable Adventure Cruising

Attainable Adventure Cruising

The Offshore Voyaging Reference Site

Phyllis Nickel

Phyllis has sailed over 40,000 offshore miles with John on their McCurdy & Rhodes 56, Morgan’s Cloud, most of it in the high latitudes, and has crossed the Atlantic three times. As a woman who came to sailing as an adult, she brings a fresh perspective to cruising, which has helped her communicate what they do in an approachable way, first in yachting magazines and, for the last 18 years, as co-editor/publisher of AAC.

Arctic Solitaire: A Boat, A Bay, and the Quest for the Perfect Bear

May 10, 2019
29 CommentsReading Time: 5 minutesFree

First a book and then an article get Phyllis thinking: What does respectful voyaging mean? How do we know if we have crossed lines as travellers that we shouldn’t have crossed?
Read more: Arctic Solitaire: A Boat, A Bay, and the Quest for the Perfect Bear
Little Bay Islands, Newfoundland—No Longer Facing The Sea

April 28, 2019
11 CommentsReading Time: 5 minutesFree

Beautiful and remote, Little Bay Islands, Newfoundland, is a gem of an outport harbour. Phyllis writes about the village’s struggle to stay viable and how it resolved.
Read more: Little Bay Islands, Newfoundland—No Longer Facing The Sea
Lewisporte, Newfoundland—A Lot Has Changed in 25 Years

August 18, 2018
6 CommentsReading Time: 3 minutesFree

After recommending the Lewisporte Marina to a number of cruisers looking to leave their boat in Newfoundland over a winter, John and Phyllis finally get a chance to visit Lewisporte themselves…for the second time in John’s case.
Read more: Lewisporte, Newfoundland—A Lot Has Changed in 25 Years
Fogo Harbour, Newfoundland—The Kindness of Strangers

August 8, 2018
17 CommentsReading Time: 3 minutesFree

Phyllis shares the latest act of kindness bestowed on her and John by a Newfoundlander.
Read more: Fogo Harbour, Newfoundland—The Kindness of Strangers
Things Are Different Now

July 20, 2018
15 CommentsReading Time: 4 minutesFree

“Things are different now” is a mantra on “Morgan’s Cloud”. And never more so than now, as John and Phyllis try and act their age.
Read more: Things Are Different Now
Lessons From An Ocean-Racing Cook

November 3, 2017
1 CommentReading Time: 2 minutesFree

John nostalgically buys a book written by a cook on ocean racers and Phyllis extrapolates!
Read more: Lessons From An Ocean-Racing Cook
You’ve Got To Kiss a Few Frogs…

September 25, 2017
8 CommentsReading Time: 2 minutesFree

Cruising definitely has its ups and downs. Phyllis talks about one of the downs and the ups too.
Read more: You’ve Got To Kiss a Few Frogs…
A Taste of Labrador

September 17, 2017
1 CommentReading Time: 3 minutesFree

Southern Labrador turns out to be a wonderful arctic-lite cruising ground.
Read more: A Taste of Labrador
A Taste Of Heavy Weather Offshore

July 8, 2017
2 CommentsReading Time: 5 minutesFree

Do you want to get a feel for what a long-distance offshore voyage, including heavy weather, is like? Phyllis has a reading suggestion for you. But don’t look at it as just homework! It’s also a good read.
Read more: A Taste Of Heavy Weather Offshore
Finding, And Saving, The Basking Shark

June 19, 2017
5 CommentsReading Time: 3 minutesFree

Phyllis reviews Colin Speedie’s new book, “A Sea Monster’s Tale: In Search of the Basking Shark”. If you enjoy Colin’s writing on this site (and who doesn’t?) you won’t want to miss his book.
Read more: Finding, And Saving, The Basking Shark
Cape Negro Island, Nova Scotia—A Fortuitous Encounter

March 4, 2017
4 CommentsReading Time: 5 minutesFree

An amazing coincidence provides a small glimpse into what life was like in the day on Cape Negro Island, Nova Scotia.
Read more: Cape Negro Island, Nova Scotia—A Fortuitous Encounter
The LaHave Islands, Nova Scotia—There’s Exploring To Do There

November 16, 2016
14 CommentsReading Time: 4 minutesFree

Unmarked channels, poorly charted bays, non-road-served islands…there’s exploring to do in the LaHave Islands.
Read more: The LaHave Islands, Nova Scotia—There’s Exploring To Do There
Happy Anniversary To Us

July 7, 2016
9 CommentsReading Time: 4 minutesFree

Phyllis expands a bit on our (very slow) transition to part-time voyaging and discusses the upcoming very important month of December.
Read more: Happy Anniversary To Us
Is There Life After Full-Time Cruising?

March 29, 2016
27 CommentsReading Time: 4 minutesFree

After 20 years of full-time live-aboard cruising, John and Phyllis are making the transition to part-time voyaging. Phyllis shares how intense a transition this is.
Read more: Is There Life After Full-Time Cruising?
Sealskinz Gloves, Take Two

February 2, 2016
14 CommentsReading Time: 2 minutesFree

For cold weather sailing we figure we have foul weather gear, the clothes to go under it, as well as boots and hats, pretty much sorted out, but gloves have remained a challenge…until now.
Read more: Sealskinz Gloves, Take Two
A Confession From (Not So) Intrepid Northern Explorers

December 10, 2015
28 CommentsReading Time: 2 minutesFree

A little tip that can make a big positive change to your quality of life when voyaging in cold climates.
Read more: A Confession From (Not So) Intrepid Northern Explorers
Port-Aux-Basques, Newfoundland—A New Cultural Experience

November 11, 2015
5 CommentsReading Time: 2 minutesFree

Though we’ve visited Grand Bank before and we’ve spent numerous nights tied up in Port-aux-Basques, that doesn’t mean we’ve experienced all these places have to offer!
Read more: Port-Aux-Basques, Newfoundland—A New Cultural Experience
Connaire Bay, Grand Bank, and Arnold’s Cove, Newfoundland—Unexpected Treasures

November 1, 2015
7 CommentsReading Time: 4 minutesFree

Sure, listen to local knowledge, and cruising guides can help choose a destination, but sometimes it’s better to go your own way and make up your own mind.
Read more: Connaire Bay, Grand Bank, and Arnold’s Cove, Newfoundland—Unexpected Treasures
South East Bight, Newfoundland—An Unexpected Outport

October 18, 2015
10 CommentsReading Time: 5 minutesFree

An outport in Placentia Bay? Who knew!
Read more: South East Bight, Newfoundland—An Unexpected Outport
Communities—Some Thrive, Some Don’t…Why?

September 30, 2015
11 CommentsReading Time: 3 minutesFree

If you are a cruiser, the health of coastal communities will be of interest. Phyllis has some thoughts.
Read more: Communities—Some Thrive, Some Don’t…Why?
Oderin Island, Newfoundland—A Poignant Return

September 7, 2015
6 CommentsReading Time: 4 minutesFree

Phyllis and John return to a magic harbour where their cruising life together began.
Read more: Oderin Island, Newfoundland—A Poignant Return
Stay Warm, Stay Dry, Stay Safe: Tips For Hiking In The North

August 27, 2015
11 CommentsReading Time: 3 minutesFree

Phyllis shares tips about the gear we use that makes hiking such an enjoyable activity for us, from woodland trails in Nova Scotia to wilderness scrambles in Greenland to non-technical (small) mountain climbs in Norway.
Read more: Stay Warm, Stay Dry, Stay Safe: Tips For Hiking In The North
Cub Basin, Nova Scotia—So Close And Yet So Far

August 3, 2015
2 CommentsReading Time: 3 minutesFree

There’s nothing quite like being in a beautiful sheltered wild anchorage within spitting distance of a major city.
Read more: Cub Basin, Nova Scotia—So Close And Yet So Far
Propane Tank Gotcha, Take Two

June 29, 2015
47 CommentsReading Time: 2 minutesFree

Do you carry aluminum propane tanks like we do on “Morgan’s Cloud”? If so, you need to listen up as Phyllis shares some things about re-certifying and replacing them that we learned the hard way…$500 worth of hard way.
Read more: Propane Tank Gotcha, Take Two
What Is Adventure?

April 18, 2015
6 CommentsReading Time: 1 minuteFree

I recently came across a video that asks adventurers how they define “adventure”, which made me think about how I define it. This is important—we call our business Attainable Adventure Cruising!
Read more: What Is Adventure?