Author: Lorraine Escher

I’m a Canadian writer from Ottawa who spent 10 years in high tech before heading out sailing. When we began I had no sailing experience but was keen for the adventure. With my husband and our four children, we've travelled halfway around the world, as we complete a full circumnavigation aboard our St. Francis 50 catamaran, SV Aphrodite. Here, I share what it’s like to homeschool at sea, maintain a boat, and explore new cultures as a family afloat. This blog is also on Pinterest.

Paul leaving SV Aphrodite and his family for the first time at the Langkawi International Airport

03/16/202604/01/2026 Lorraine Escher

Paul Leaves SV Aphrodite to Crew from the Bahamas to French Polynesia

Rick Escher presenting his submission video on the MedSailingAdvisor application that he wrote as part of the MedGemma Impact Challenge 2026.

02/23/202602/25/2026 Lorraine Escher

Rick Writes an Offline Medical Support System App for Offshore Sailors

A side-by-side image of the Taipei 101 climbed by Alex Honnold in January 2026 and a land diving event on Pentecost Island, Vanuatu.

01/26/202602/20/2026 Lorraine Escher

The Spectacle Seekers: From Taipei 101 to Pentecost Island

Karen painting the underside of our saloon table at Lunas Shipyard in Langkawi, Malaysia.

01/11/202601/26/2026 Lorraine Escher

Learning to Paint with Karen Aboard our Sailboat

Hands showing how the curvature of our hull impacts the amount of usable counterspace.

11/27/202502/12/2026 Lorraine Escher

How Did I Miss the Skill of Measuring with Accuracy?

A man in a yellow shirt at Brother Lim Cushion in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

11/24/202501/27/2026 Lorraine Escher

A Fresh Start for Our Boat’s Upholstery in Malaysia

Photo of Escher kids on SV Aphrodite on the Ultraleather saloon cushions after slightly less than two years of use.

11/23/202511/24/2025 Lorraine Escher

Succumbing to the Sales Pitch of Ultraleather on a Boat

Eastbay Foreman, Rashid, and another woodworker from Eastbay apply new cherry veneer to a cupboard in our saloon.

10/27/202501/30/2026 Lorraine Escher

Teak and Transformation: Refinishing SV Aphrodite’s Woodwork in Malaysia

Betty with her hand-drawn Montserrat flag. Later, she laminated the flag and we flew it on our boat,, SV APhrodite, with pride.

10/23/202501/27/2026 Lorraine Escher

Betty’s First Essay: The Soufriere Hills Volcano

Karen Escher, boat kid and young artist, works on illustrations for the Princess and the P's Boardgame.

10/09/202501/24/2026 Lorraine Escher

Karen Escher Draws: The Card Game She Illustrated on Our Boat at Age 10