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With Brio

Life is too short to say later. And winters suck.

With Brio
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Hot sauce tears (in Isla Mujeres, Mexico)

Posted on May 27, 2014 by Leah
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So, I cried in the hot sauce aisle. We’d been wandering around Chedraui (the big grocery store here), jaws slack with wonder as we re-encountered everything we loved about Pacific Mexico… produce other than potatoes and onions? Cheap wonderful produce? … Continue reading →

Finally, we can eat tacos again! (in Isla Mujeres, Mexico)

Posted on May 23, 2014 by Leah
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It was 575 nautical miles from Providencia to Isla Mujeres. This may not mean much to you, but it meant a whole heck of a lot to us — our longest passage (ever!), our fastest passage (575 miles in 4 … Continue reading →

Do you? (in Providencia, Colombia)

Posted on May 16, 2014 by Leah
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Do you take showers from a 2L Fanta bottle? Do you get the water for that 2L shower from Mr. Bush who lives 4 blocks up the hill from the dinghy dock but kindly lets you fill your jerry cans … Continue reading →

“The beating will continue until morale improves” (in Providencia, Colombia)

Posted on May 12, 2014 by Leah
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The saying is supposed to be “the beatings will continue until morale improves”… but since we beat the whole damn way here, it seemed appropriate to drop the ‘s’. Especially since in the process of beating the whole way here, … Continue reading →

Corn, Anyone? (in Big Corn Island, Nicaragua)

Posted on May 7, 2014 by Leah
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We didn’t really know what to expect from a place called “Big Corn Island” — the reactions of folks in Panama to our next planned destination were pretty varied (“where?”, “why??”, “is it safe there?”, and my personal favourite, “good … Continue reading →

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Welcome to With Brio!


We've been sharing bits and pieces from our life aboard since we bought our first boat -- Brio, a 1981 Nor'West 33 -- in Mexico in 2011.

After cruising Brio through the Panama Canal and then living aboard through three winters in Maine, we added crew (Zephyr was born in April 2018), changed boats (Brio II is a 1988 Sabre 42 Centerboard), and are currently cruising the Caribbean!

Feel free to poke around, read some of our recent thoughts, or drop us a note -- we'd love to hear from you!

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🏴‍☠️🎃 Happy Halloween! Our little skel 🏴‍☠️🎃 Happy Halloween! Our little skeleton-pirate declared this “the best Halloween ever!” (and decided the boat was a bit too much to actually carry around 🤣). Cruising the trick or treat scene with cozy care bear Auntie Jessie was the icing on the cake! 🎃🏴‍☠️
Can’t help but wear half his costume early 🙃 Can’t help but wear half his costume early 🙃 This little character’s current costume request is a skeleton-pirate-dog, with a boat 🤷🏻‍♀️ #wheresmyhotgluegun
Happy Thanksgiving! 🇨🇦 The good years we do Happy Thanksgiving! 🇨🇦 The good years we do double Thanksgiving (the bad years we accidentally miss them both 🙈) so I’d say we’re off to a good start. Missing some key people (👀 @sailboat25 and @jessicakruger55) but a special family-filled day nonetheless! 💕
Three years ago we moved onto Brio II and started Three years ago we moved onto Brio II and started the next chapter in boat life ✨ In hindsight we kept the little Brio for too long — we’d outgrown her and didn’t want to accept that — but Brio II has been the best. We set out looking for a ready-to-cruise aluminum lifting keel and ended up with a *giant* project centerboard cruiser, but she’s fast, she’s pretty, and three years in I wouldn’t make any different choices. One month until we’re back aboard!
34 was the year that went completely not according 34 was the year that went completely not according to plan 🙃 (Wait… do any of them go to plan?!?) 

But so much ✨living ✨ happened in the last year, my birthday wish was just for more like this. Exploring beautiful parts of this continent with family and friends; finally feeling like the (many, many) months of boatyard life were worthwhile; enjoying the quirky, thoughtful, adventurous little guy that Zephyr is becoming; making plans and then changing them and then changing them again; and then somehow magically finding ourselves living *next door* to my sister in a completely unplanned land break… 🤯 Life is a funny roller-coaster but I am thankful to be here for it all and I won’t even START to guess what the next year might look like 🤣 #reflections
Zephyr’s first camping weekend was a lake-swimmi Zephyr’s first camping weekend was a lake-swimming, marshmallow-roasting, tent-sleeping, bacon-eating, dog-playing, smoky success! 🙌 Thanks Auntie Jess and Uncle Juan for making it possible!
Watching these guys sail away today… 🥹 Jess a Watching these guys sail away today… 🥹 Jess and I won the parental lottery with these two, so while we’re super sad to see the stern of Synchy, we’re also just incredibly proud of their continued pursuit of life over the horizon. It’s been 24 years since they last pulled out of Vancouver and “hung a left”, but you wouldn’t know it looking at this beauty! Travel safely guys, and we’re looking forward to a raft up in Mexico this winter! 💕 #parentswhosail #cruisingfamilies #boatlife #sailingfamily
One million photos that could be shared, but this One million photos that could be shared, but this one is my fav 💕 Just me and my baby sis, before she became a Mrs and I sniffled through the entire ceremony (…okay, and reception 🙃). 

Despite the bee that stung mom’s face and the makeup artist who got covid and had to bail a few days before the wedding, the whole thing was absolute magical perfection. So fun to spend time with people who love you guys as much as I do! #jessfoundthejuan 
@thestubbornbaker @juankcortes
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