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As a couple, Peter and I sought a simple, more adventurous lifestyle in the great outdoors to rear our family. To take a stand on values, we voted with our feet by moving aboard a sailboat to cruise the world. It began in 1982; our sons arrived soon after. Today, we are still cruising. Never once have we looked back.

Our homebase during the winter season became Georgetown, Exuma, located in the Bahamas. There our sons, Adam and Warren, built lasting friendships with cruising kids and island residents. The island archipeligo is a popular cruising destination for American and Canadian families, whom linger in the numerous protected anchorages for the winter. They return annually, after re-provisioning, working, or visiting family members back home during the summer months. Adam and Warren often gazed towards the horizon at the beginning of the winter season, anxiously awaiting old friends to sail in. International cruisers further added their zest, by enlightening new cruisers with eye-popping anecdotes around volleyball games, held on the beach most afternoons. It was always a remarkable experience for our sons to become acquainted with interesting foreigners during our weekly beach bonfires and pot-lucks.

Morning hours on the boat found our sons buckling down into an easy rhythm of homeschooling; afternoons were spent jostling between an array of fun water sports: wake skating, wake-boarding, surfing, windsurfing, kiteboarding and skimboarding. (Tip: bring any kind of board down. As you ramble south, beachcomb for flotsam and jetsam, collecting anything big that floats. An old deflated tire tube would do nicely. No room? Dangle it astern!)

During hurricane season, we either cruised the US East Coast, or followed the thorny path south to the eastern Caribbean, then on to South America. Frequent visits home maintained close family ties with cousins, aunts and uncles, and grandparents.

Our family dream had always been to cruise the South Pacific. One day we decided it was time. It would be magnificent finale to our sons’ Huckleberry-Finn boyhood, spent on boats and in the water. Suddenly, we were off and running before the wind, following big waves and girls – in that order! (Adam and Warren were teens then: need I say more?) Once we reached Australia, they launched into college and careers, while Pete and I continued on around the world. We relished their occasional returns to Scud, where we visited exotic ports during holidays.

Join our adventures here on "Scud". In turn, I trust our trail of pictures and anecdotes will inspire you to discover life in a new way through extended cruising. Discover the world, by scripting your own family adventures. Our cruise forever transformed our lives. We now look at the world and its peoples differently, having become better people because of it.

George Godfrey, the North American Dealer for the St. Francis Cats, asked if we'd like to host the Miss Universe Delegates onbarod our two cats for the 2009 Pageant, held in Nassau. They would be visiting Georgetown, Exuma during their stay in the Bahamas.

"Of course!" Our son Adam, who is now chartering in the Bahamas, hosted a dozen onboard his ST Francis cat, "Rubicon". Pete and I hosted a dozen on "Scud". The afternoon was spent swimming and enjoying the beautiful, tranquil waters of the Bahamas with the Bahamian Tourism Board as our guests.

Later, I caught a flight to Nassau to see the Miss Universe Pageant, which was held at the Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island. Seated up front, two rows from the stage with family members of the delegates, I waved to the two dozen girls whom had sailed on our two family cats, remembering their lovely, sweet personalities. Each one was elegant, well-versed in politics and foreign affairs and loved life to the fullest.

What a terrific message to spread to the rest of the world! I chose Miss Dominican Republic. She came in as First Runner-Up.