From Sea to Shining Sea: The Plan

(Updated January 2024)

We lived aboard Lehe Paine full time from 2009-2011 in Puget Sound and 2011-2015 in Chesapeake Bay. After a brief stint on land we returned to our home sweet boat in 2017. In the fall of 2019 the Skipper left work, the 1st Mate retired from the Navy, and we began cruising full-time as a family. We sailed the East Coast of the United States (Maine to Florida) and Bahamas from 2019-2022.

Our real plan back in "dreaming" phase was to cruise, but also travel internationally. We did that a bit while we were still working and planned to travel further/longer as a family once we started homeschooling, but...COVID! With the kids wanting to go to "traditional" school and the adults itching to keep traveling but ready for a break from weather-driven decisions, we spent some time away from the boat and traveled around South America for the 2022-2023 school year.

And for now we have set the anchor in northeast North Carolina, conveniently between the Dismal Swamp Canal and the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway so we can stay connected to the cruising community. We have moved to land, but the boat is nearby while the kids experience public school, sports, driving, and all the "normal" they have craved.

Who are we?

We are Frank, Jody, Katreina, and Trent, and we lived aboard our Beneteau 393 "Lehe Paine" (pronounced LAY-hay PIE-nay) since the spring of 2009. We began full-time cruising and traveling in the fall of 2019 and sailed the U.S. east coast and the Bahamas until the fall of 2022. We then took a "boat break," traveling around South America via land and air and before dropping anchor on land for a bit in Northeast North Carolina. We are still happy to chat about all things boat, live-aboard life, cruising, boat schooling, and travel!

4 comments:

AnonymousOctober 1, 2019 at 1:13 PM
Hi Powers Family! I'm so excited to follow you and your adventures in the coming months. I'm about 18 months behind you and will start from AK, but who knows - maybe we will catch up with each other some where in between. Big thanks to Jody for her service to our country! Will miss Frank at the NPS, but am pretty certain he is going to be A-Okay with the transition :-)
JodyApril 17, 2021 at 9:06 AM
Glad you found us! Happy to answer any questions. Enjoy the journey!
MattFebruary 11, 2022 at 7:25 PM
Hello Jo and Frank! I had no idea you guys were famous! :-) It is all very quiet at your home marina. I am on the hard and doing some projects (such as engine love). I am definitely looking forward to warmer weather and getting back in the water. Take care and enjoy the cruising. ~ Matt (your pier neighbor)