Hey crew,
First off—Happy Belated Mother’s Day to all the incredible moms, grandmas, and mother figures out there (pets count too!).
This past weekend, we did something rare—we took a break from the refit. We dropped our mooring lines and cruised over to Russell Island for a spontaneous adventure. The sun was out, the walking trails were aweesome, and we even rafted up with our sister and brother for the afternoon.
While exploring the shoreline, we also stumbled across something pretty cool—a clam garden, built centuries ago by First Nations people. These ancient rock walls flatten the beach at low tide, creating perfect clam-growing conditions. Some are thousands of years old, and the one we found is still standing strong. It was a pretty special moment. And yes—we filmed it.
Now it’s back to boat work—but we needed that reset.
And before we forget—thank you to everyone who’s embraced our move from Patreon to our own space at www.onboardtangaroa.com. Whether you’re new or made the jump with us, we’re so glad to have you here.
If you’re in one of the "swag tiers", your gear is coming soon—we can’t wait to hear what you think. And if you had a full weekend, no worries—take a few minutes this week to check out the new site. We built it with this community in mind, and we’d love to know what you think.
More videos, updates, and behind-the-scenes coming your way soon!
—Janis & Blaine
PS. This is a Hawaiian statue we saw on the Island. HINT: the island was settled by Hawaiians (Kanaka People)
Hey everyone,
We’re officially in the countdown—July 7 is our cast-off date for the Great Siberian Sushi Run, and the to-do list is... long.
Very long.
But we’re getting there and I think we'll be ready - Blaine thinks otherwise but it doesn't matter because we are casting lines on that day no matter what - unless there is an earthquake and maybe a tsunami but even then....
This week, we’ve been in full-on “if it hasn’t been used in three years, it’s OUTTA HERE” mode. It’s amazing how much gear sneaks aboard “just in case.” At this point, if it doesn’t help us get across the ocean or caffeinate properly—it’s gone.
Blaine’s still fighting with the alternators. Honestly, we might need to start a new series called “How Many Times Can One Man Rebuild a Charging System?” He’s also welding up a proper aft deck door because the plywood one I made 2 years ago just won’t cut it once we leave Canada. Meanwhile, I’ve been insulating the forepeak so Izzie can move in (trying to make it cozy), and next up is sanding the teak on the lower aft deck.
But hey, we’re not all work—next weekend we’re sneaking away for another exploring adventure. We’re heading to Rum Island (yes, it’s real), and yes—we’re searching for actual hidden rum. Then off to Montague Harbour for a circle raft-up where we’ll pretend to be social (shhh don't tell the people we're meeting), and finally to Tumbo Island to explore an old homestead. Cameras will be rolling and hopefully, no one ends up in the water.
On the family front - Izzie’s off on her first solo flight to visit friends (we’re proud and low-key terrified), and Josh well he bought us a family photo shoot for Christmas and we did the shoot last night! We can't wait to see the pictures though it makes me wonder why he was so adamant to get a photo of his family all together before we leave ....
Thanks again for being part of this ride—we’re so close now. And if you’ve got any secret raft-up or rum hunting tips, drop them in the comments.
—Janis & Blaine
