Overview

Full Product Details

9798987009703

Table of Contents

Reviews

Who hasn't dreamed of giving up their job, selling their house, and buying a yacht to sail in warm tropical waters? Kent and Pam Kedl did just that. They sold their belongings, left their home in South Dakota, and flew to England with their two sons to buy a sailboat. With little sailing experience, they managed to cross the Atlantic in their 38-foot ketch, Jacana 2, to begin a 25-year off-and-on cruise around the Caribbean and North American inland waterways.Kent's narrative is interspersed with Pam's letters to friends and family as they sail around the Caribbean - Antigua, the Virgin Islands, Jamaica -- living the dream, or at least trying to. We also follow their inland travels through Colombia, Mexico, and Guatemala on a shoestring budget, often utilizing basic modes of transport (chicken buses!). I admire their courage in visiting countries like Haiti, one of the poorest countries in the world, and rural Colombia, one of the most dangerous at that time. I wish I'd had their courage when I was young, but now I'm content to read the tales of other adventurers.They are honest about deep-water sailing. There are periods of absolute bliss - island hopping down the windward islands, anchoring in tranquil bays with palm-lined beaches, meeting generous fellow yachties, and visiting peaceful Latin-American villages. But life on a boat has its downside, including hostile port authorities, threatened hurricanes, thieves, and unscrupulous repair people. The most depressing part of cruising (especially for Pam) was the endless maintenance. Frequent haulouts to overhaul the engine or scrape, paint, and fix nearly everything drained their savings, and caused lengthy delays. The writing is concise, colorful, well-paced, and nicely illustrated with photos and maps. This armchair sailor found it a pleasure to read. Mark Wuschke, Author of Return to Rome (as Mark Munro) We Ran Away to Sea is a unique take on a couple's sailing adventure. My husband and I did something similar so identified with a lot of what they experienced, but what was different in this book was that Pam's portion of it is published posthumously. Kent provides his ""side of the story,"" while at the same time uses letters Pam wrote of their travels to provide her viewpoint. It is interesting to read Kent's initial explanations of his decisions and feelings, and then have him re-evaluate or justify them after he's had a chance to learn his mate's take and descriptions to friends and family. I imagine that was a gift to Kent. It's important to tune into others around us when we're so gung-ho when bringing our own dreams into fruition. Our partners might be supportive, but that doesn't mean they are totally onboard with what we're doing. Listening & compromising is important. I had never sailed through a canal before, nor did I have any idea there were so many on the US/Canadian border. It was interesting to learn about their workings and challenges. We Ran Away to Sea included a good balance of the work it takes to live aboard, and the fun that makes it worth it. Too many liveaboard wannabes are convinced the need for boat repairs will be different for them. It won't. Be prepared... And remember once onboard to have fun! Whether you're dreaming of sailing, readying yourself to leave the dock, or just want to tag along on someone else's adventure, you can't go wrong with We Ran Away to Sea. Renee D. Petrillo, Author of A Sail of Two Idiots

We Ran Away to Sea. George Kent Kedl and Pamela Kedl, Jacana Press, 2023. Who hasn't dreamed of giving up their job, selling their house, and buying a yacht to sail in warm tropical waters? Kent and Pam Kedl did just that. They sold their belongings, left their home in South Dakota, and flew to England with their two sons to buy a sailboat. With little sailing experience, they managed to cross the Atlantic in their 38-foot ketch, Jacana 2, to begin a 25-year off-and-on cruise around the Caribbean and North American inland waterways.Kent's narrative is interspersed with Pam's letters to friends and family as they sail around the Caribbean - Antigua, the Virgin Islands, Jamaica -- living the dream, or at least trying to. We also follow their inland travels through Colombia, Mexico, and Guatemala on a shoestring budget, often utilizing basic modes of transport (chicken buses!). I admire their courage in visiting countries like Haiti, one of the poorest countries in the world, and rural Colombia, one of the most dangerous at that time. I wish I'd had their courage when I was young, but now I'm content to read the tales of other adventurers.They are honest about deep-water sailing. There are periods of absolute bliss - island hopping down the windward islands, anchoring in tranquil bays with palm-lined beaches, meeting generous fellow yachties, and visiting peaceful Latin-American villages. But life on a boat has its downside, including hostile port authorities, threatened hurricanes, thieves, and unscrupulous repair people. The most depressing part of cruising (especially for Pam) was the endless maintenance. Frequent haul outs to overhaul the engine or scrape, paint, and fix nearly everything drained their savings and caused sometimes lengthy delays.The writing is concise, colorful, well-paced, and nicely illustrated with photos and maps. This armchair sailor found it a pleasure to read. Mark Wuschke, Author of Return to Rome (as Mark Munro) Brisbane, Australia, 2023 The writing is concise, colorful, well-paced, and nicely illustrated with photos and maps. This armchair sailor found They write astutely about their experiences, the places they visit, and the people they meet. If you want to get up close and personal on small boats in the water, this is a read for you! -- Anne Roberts, retired librarian, author, and professor, The University at Albany ((SUNY) This is a darned good read! It's a hard book to put down! -- Terry F. Branson, who forty years ago taught the Kedls to sail on the prairie lakes of South Dakota The different perspectives of Pam & Kent were interesting, not to mention Kent's enlightenment as he learned Pam's thoughts after the fact. I thoroughly enjoyed it & thought it was well-written. Well done! Renée Petrillo, Author of A Sail of Two Idiots 

Author Information

Kent Kedl grew up enjoying the outdoors, competing in football and track, and trying to outdo his older brother Doug in their hometown of Sheridan, Wyoming. He quit school during his senior year at the University of Wyoming to serve in the Peace Corps in Colombia. Upon his return, he completed degrees in mathematics and philosophy, and enrolled in a doctoral program at the University of Oregon. He taught philosophy at South Dakota State University in Brookings for more than twenty years, eventually leaving South Dakota (twice) to live full-time on a sailboat. Pamela Kedl spent her life trying to resist other people's schedules and avoiding being a professional at anything. Her work ranged from the esoteric-a flutist, a potter, a photographer, and a transoceanic sailor-to the pragmatic: a welfare worker, an English teacher, a librarian's assistant, and a waitress. Pamela Kedl died of an auto-immune disease in June 2009 in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available