CAPTAIN'S LOG

Boat Life

Life aboard a sailing yacht is made up of far more than the hours under sail. It is coffee in a quiet anchorage, wet towels on the rail, a dinghy run ashore, a technical job that suddenly matters, and the small routines that make a yacht feel like home. In Boat Life we write about the everyday reality of living and travelling aboard Aurelia Blue: comfort, habits, equipment, people, practical surprises and the moments that rarely appear in a brochure. Some stories are useful before a voyage, others are simply a glimpse behind the scenes. Together they show what yacht life in the Caribbean actually feels like — personal, practical, sometimes improvised and usually much more interesting than a perfect postcard.

Editorial illustration of a traditional male sailor and a confident woman at the helm, symbolising equality, competence and command aboard a sailing yacht

Who Gets the Helm? Equality, Competence and Command Aboard

Old maritime roles meet modern crews: a thoughtful look at women in sailing, competence, equality...
Shipping boat parts to Trinidad in a parcel collected for Aurelia Blue

Shipping Boat Parts to Trinidad: One Package, Customs and a Full Day

A parcel from Europe, a day of customs, specialist yacht parts and chocolate that arrives...
Dentist in Trinidad at Long Circular Mall Dental Centre in St James

Dentist in Trinidad: The Caribbean Beyond the Postcard

Nobody puts the dentist on a Caribbean bucket list. Yet living aboard means ordinary life...
New Lalizas ISO 9650-1 Group A liferaft secured on deck aboard Aurelia Blue

A New Liferaft for Aurelia Blue: Safety Beyond the Checklist

Why liferafts still matter close to shore, what belongs in a survival pack and how...
Aurelia Blue, a Hanse 540e sailing yacht, at anchor in Wallilabou Bay in the Caribbean

Inside Aurelia Blue: The Technology Behind Our Hanse 540e

A detailed look at the construction, rig, energy systems, navigation, safety equipment and onboard technology...
Aurelia Blue during a Trinidad Scorpion Pepper antifouling experiment in a Caribbean boatyard

Trinidad Scorpion Pepper Antifouling — Our Spicy Caribbean Hull Test

Trinidad Scorpion Pepper antifouling was not on our original maintenance plan. But boatyards have a...
View over Great Bird Island Antigua with reef water and protected sailing anchorage

Bird Island, Antigua: The Kind of Stop a Checklist Misses

Bird Island Antigua sailing is about a small anchorage, clear water and the pleasure of...
Illustration of what happens when guests leave the yacht, with elves cleaning, restocking and maintaining Aurelia Blue

What Happens When Guests Leave the Yacht

Between yacht charters, Aurelia Blue is inspected, cleaned, repaired, restocked and prepared using lessons from...
Sarah at the helm while Chris and guests follow the command structure aboard Aurelia Blue

Who Is in Command Aboard a Sailing Yacht? Who’s the Boss Aboard?

Command aboard a sailing yacht should never be ambiguous. Clear roles protect the yacht, the...