Bruce and Jan Smith

I had a tremendous comment from Mike Bernstein of the restaurant chain Bahama Breeze come through yesterday...he was writing on behalf of his friends Bruce and Jan Smith, who are currently anchored aboard their hand-built 34-ft. gaff-rigged ketch, Woodwind off Santa Barbera De Samana in the Dominican Republic. The Smiths are celebs du jour in the cruising world...for very good reasons. I won't bore you with the details because you can read all about it in far more vivid prose on their blog! Thanks Mike for writing...I visited the Bahama Breeze in Tampa Bay recently and had a very tasty dinner ;-)

Following posted by Mike Bernstein:
As a cruiser/sailing enthusiast who blogs about boats and sailing, you might be interested in another sailing blog by Bruce and Jan Smith, who are sailing to the Caribbean aboard their hand-built 34-ft. gaff-rigged ketch, Woodwind. They started the journey from their home in Gig Harbor, Washington, last summer and are now on the northern coast of the Dominican Republic. Along the way, they’re keeping their friends, family and fellow cruisers updated on their adventures with their Web site and blog.

Speaking of adventures, you might have seen the news story about the two American cruisers who rescued some Haitian migrants last week, after their boat had caught fire and blown up at sea. Bruce and Jan Smith are the two Americans! They tell the story of the tragic event and emotional rescue on their blog, including some photos.

It’s really an amazing and heroic story, and ponders a question every cruiser has probably thought about at one time or another … with the threat of piracy and other dangers when sailing miles offshore, would you risk your own safety to save someone else? The Smiths’ story provides food for thought. Hope you find it interesting!

Posted by Mike Bernstein of Bahama Breeze for Bruce and Jan Smith, who are currently anchored off Santa Barbera De Samana, Dominican Republic.