The first inkling that something was different came by way of a text message.
“Couldn’t you have got a kid to do this?”
“What?”
Paul was referring to my recent, unhappy task of cutting a line from our propeller in murky water.
When Paul left, he had just turned 18. Who is this person now, I thought, referring to my kids?
Then, just a few days ago, on a phone call:
“I’ll get you whipped into shape when I return….” and I had visions of Paul demanding military calisthenics from our family. For people who don’t know, Paul was very keen on boxing in New Zealand. His commitment to fitness saw him attending boxing classes at the gym, sometimes twice a day.
Paul clarified.
“I mean I’d like to create a schedule for mealtimes.”
As some people might know, Paul left our boat in Malaysia on March 4, 2026. He flew to the Bahamas to crew on a catamaran called SV O’Vive. The boat is owned by our friends, Dave and Nathalie Houston. It is a Catana OC50, a fast boat with carbon fiber sails. Nathalie would rejoin the boat in French Polynesia.
We have known Dave and Nathalie since 2014 when we were buying our boat. Dave had not seen Paul since 2019. This explains Dave’s shock when he reunited with Paul in the Bahamas.
Paul Has Grown
They sailed from the Bahamas to Panama and then crossed to the Marquesas, French Polynesia.
To hear Paul talk, you’d swear the sails were an extension of himself. He spoke about sailing fast, and about sailing wing-on-wing, and racing other sailboats. Dave’s systems are powerful enough to see sailboats hundreds of miles away. Some of the boats they were racing might not have even been aware they were on SV O’Vive’s radar, let alone competing in a race.
The Trip Was Not Without Challenges
Early on, Dave’s dinghy almost went overboard while they were underway. Dave crawled out onto the davits, at the back of the boat, to reach it. Paul held his feet. With his strength and sailing experience, Paul knows when his help might be needed.
At one point, the freezer lost power and Paul was on duty to dispose of spoiled food.
“Do you hate me yet?” asked Dave. And Paul laughed and said “no”.
The Rewards Have Been Great
Paul has caught tuna, wahoo, and mahi-mahi.
On dinner duty, Paul has made curries, pizza, and plenty of fish.
Cooking fish is a skill that has eluded our family so we are excited to learn from Paul when he returns.
Currently in French Polynesia, they are creatively sourcing vegetables from locals as fresh produce is scarce.
Paul has visited islands we didn’t see. He has bantered with the other crew members about getting group tattoos. He has felt local cats brush against his legs. And, in quiet moments, he completed a chemistry course.
He has attended church services and delighted in the sensation of being surrounded by a choir. For the second time, Paul has literally visited a church from one of our geography textbooks.
A few days ago, Nathalie flew to French Polynesia. Paul flies from Tahiti to Phuket on July 2nd. Until then, they are island hopping, hiking and snorkeling. Nathalie documented one of Paul’s curry recipes, which I will provide in a separate post.
We are excited to see him return. He left our boat as a boat kid and returns as a sailor with salt and seasoning.
Becoming a Sailor 