Who are we?
Sailing El Sueno "The Dream" is our wonderful 1981 Marcos 39' sloop rigged yacht. The crew consists of John (Captain), Helen (first Mate) and our little West Highland Terrier Maggie (Second Mate). We are currently located in beautiful Vancouver Canada, Shelter Island Marina in Richmond to be exact. Thank you for taking the time to visit us here. We love to share our adventures as we prepare to travel the world. Check back often to see new videos, tips, projects and information regarding life on a sailboat.
Our Approach
Our Story
Our Story
Our story begins inland in Vernon British Columbia. We were like many people, working jobs that were fine but felt there was something missing in our life! We needed the opportunity for adventure off the beaten path of life.
John an avid sailor, Diver (extreme water baby), craftsman and Entrepreneur. Helen the practical land lubber, home maker & chef extraordinaire along with our little West Highland Terrier, Maggie, all yearning for a life of adventure and new challenges.
So... we sold the condo and virtually everything in it, purchased our boat "El Sueno" and moved to Richmond. The boat is an older 1981 sloop rigged Sailboat and needed a major refit to be seaworthy for open ocean crossings. For 2 years we have lived and worked on El Sueno, our dream. Now we are almost ready to go! We invite you to come with us and share in our adventures as we travel from Vancouver to Baja Mexico, South America, Polynesia and beyond.
Meet the Crew
Meet the crew of El Sueno. Together they are an adventuresome bunch ready to see the world and document their travels and adventures as they go.
John
Captain
A fun loving sailor with a lifetime of sailing experience. An avid windsurfer, kiteboarder and yachtsman.. Johns been involved in dingy racing, catamaran sailing and yachting his whole life. All this experience and knowledge will guide this merry crew of castaways to new adventures across the globe.
Helen
First Mate & Head Chef
The land lubber of the crew. Helen grew up in Saskatchewan on a farm where the largest body of water was a dug out. Later moving to the sunny Okanagan, Helen worked as the Emergency Manager for the North Okanagan. After meeting John, Helen realized her love of the ocean. With her sense of adventure and ability to make gourmet meals out of nothing the crew is in good hands.
Maggie
Second Mate
Maggie is a West Highland Terrier with a true Scottish attitude. She is fun loving but stubborn as they come. Truly the crew believes it's her boat and we're all just here to serve her. Absolutely the best companion a crew could have on a long journey. Responsible for cuddling, hugs, kisses and head of the exercise program, making sure everyone goes for walks on a regular basis.
Next Steps...
Currently preparing El Sueno for the adventure of a lifetime.