⚓ Surviving a Flotilla with people, Geocaching & Gnomad Thai Curry 🌊🍷

Marigot Bay, St Lucia, on a 2016 Flotilla

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🧙‍♂️⛵️ THE GNOMAD RULEBOOK⚔️😂

😂⛵ How to Survive a Week on a Boat With Your Favorite Person… and Six People You Just Met🌊🤣

There few things more romantic than sailing away with your partner. ❤️ Blue water. Warm breezes. Cold drinks. Tropical sunsets. 🌴🌅🍹Then reality checks in:

You are about to spend seven to ten days on a floating apartment with your significant other… and six other people you met approximately twelve minutes ago. Welcome to Gnomad Sailing Adventures. 😎⛵️🧙‍♂️

Each of our boats carries eight people: seven crew and one skipper. With two boats in the flotilla, that's sixteen humans, approximately 14,000 opinions, several hundred cold beverages and one collective mission:

Have an absolutely ridiculous amount of fun and return home with everyone still speaking to each other. 😂

Fortunately, after years of flying helicopters, sailing boats and generally finding creative ways to get myself into interesting situations, I've developed a few simple rules.

They're not complicated. They're not negotiable. And frankly, some of them may have been invented over rum.

⚓ RULE #1: THE SKIPPER IS ALWAYS RIGHT

This is the first commandment of Gnomad sailing.

The skipper is always right.

Why? Because it's his license. 😎🫡 Now, before anyone starts picturing Skipper G~Man, Cliff or Jerry, standing on the bow with a cutlass shouting orders while the crew trembles below decks… let's clarify.

Hopefully, none of this will ever be necessary. 😂

The best crews talk things through.

Before we leave an anchorage, approach a dock, pick a route or make a decision that affects the boat, everyone should have a chance to speak up, ask questions and understand the plan. 🧭💬

Good communication makes good sailing. The skipper isn't there to run a dictatorship. He's there to make the final call when a final call needs to be made. So if you think you've spotted something the skipper hasn't, say something.

Maybe you noticed a shallow spot. Maybe the weather is changing. Maybe there's a better anchorage. Maybe you simply have a brilliant idea involving a beach bar. 🍹🏝️ Speak up.

The skipper may even agree with you. And if everyone has discussed it, considered the options and the skipper still says:

“Nope. We're not doing that.”

Well… You say:

“Aye aye, Captain.” ⚓️🫡

Because ultimately, the skipper is responsible for the boat and everyone aboard. And if things ever get sufficiently heated that the skipper has to strike down upon the crew with the mighty sword of nautical authority… ⚔️🏴‍☠️ …hopefully it never gets that far. Because remember:

RULE #2

In the event the skipper is wrong… refer to Rule #1.

After all… IT'S HIS LICENSE. 😂

And preferably, everyone will have figured it out over coffee long before the sword ever leaves its scabbard. ☕️⚔️⛵️

❤️ RULE #3: YOU AND YOUR PARTNER ARE ON THE SAME TEAM

Cruising together can reveal fascinating things about a relationship.

For example, one person thinks the anchor is perfectly set. The other person thinks the anchor is dragging.

One person says, “We're fine.” The other says, “WE'RE GOING TO HIT THAT BOAT.” 😳😂

Relax. You're on the same team. Fix the problem, not the person.

And if you can't agree… See Rule #1.

🚁 RULE #4: DON'T BRING HELICOPTER LOGIC TO THE BOAT

You know he G~Man's full time job is as a helicopter pilot on wildland fires right?🚁🔥🚁

Helicopter pilots like things organized. We like checklists. We like knowing where everything is. We like having a plan. Sailors, on the other hand, have discovered a revolutionary operating philosophy:

“We'll see what happens.” 🌊😂

Somewhere between those two philosophies lies the Gnomad way.

Have a plan. Know the weather. Know where you're going.

Then be prepared to throw the plan overboard when somebody discovers an amazing little cove, beach bar or restaurant.

That's called advanced maritime flexibility.

I think. 🤔🍹

🍳 RULE #5: NOBODY KEEPS SCORE

Who cooked? Who did the dishes? Who bought the ice? Who cleaned the cockpit? Who ate the last cookie?

These are not questions worthy of a vacation.

Everyone contributes. One person navigates. 🧭 Someone becomes the chef. 👨‍🍳 Someone takes command of the dinghy. 🚤 Someone handles music. 🎶 Someone becomes the unofficial photographer. 📸

And someone inevitably becomes the Chief Procurement Officer for Rum and Ice. 🍹🧊

We each are expected to contribute to the level of our ability, but remember, every boat needs leadership.

🧘 RULE #6: COUPLES NEED OCCASIONAL ESCAPE VELOCITY

You love your partner. That's wonderful. But after approximately 147 consecutive hours together, even the most devoted couple may experience what aviation professionals call:

“I need to get the hell off this aircraft.” 😂

Fortunately, on a catamaran, you can.

Go swimming. 🏊 Take a walk. Explore ashore. Sit on the other boat. Have coffee alone. Sometimes the most romantic thing you can say is:

“Honey, why don't you go walk on a beach for a few hours?” 😇

🥂 RULE #7: STRANGERS DON'T STAY STRANGERS

This is the best part.

You arrive knowing your partner.

Six other people arrive knowing theirs.

Everyone is wondering exactly what they have gotten themselves into. 😂

Then something happens.

You share a sail. You share a sunset. You share dinner. You share a bottle of rum. You laugh at somebody's spectacular attempt to board the dinghy.

And somewhere around Day 4, everyone stops being strangers. They're crew.

By the end of the week, someone is inevitably saying:

“So… what are we doing next year?”

That's when the Gnomad magic has officially worked. ✨⛵️

😂 RULE #8: EVERYTHING IS FUNNIER THE NEXT DAY

The dinghy will end up somewhere it shouldn't. Someone will lose sunglasses. Someone will forget sunscreen. Someone will put something “somewhere safe.” It will never be found again. The anchor may require a second attempt. And eventually someone will yell:

“I THOUGHT YOU WERE WATCHING THE ANCHOR!”

Don't panic. Nobody died. Nobody crashed. It's now a story.

And stories are the real souvenirs. 🌅😂

🧙‍♂️ THE GOLDEN GNOMAD RULE

We're not running a naval exercise.

We're not competing in the America's Cup.

And despite what the skipper may occasionally claim, there is no trophy for the most perfectly organized cooler. 🧊🏆😂

We're here to sail beautiful waters, explore amazing places, eat ridiculously good food, meet interesting people, chase sunsets, drink something cold and laugh until our faces hurt. 🌊🍤🍷🌴

So bring your partner. Bring your sense of adventure. Bring sunscreen. Bring your favorite beverage. And bring your ability to laugh at yourself.

Because a Gnomad flotilla isn't just two boats with eight people aboard each.

It's sixteen people who started the week as strangers and finished it as crew. ❤️⛵️

And if we do it right, we'll finish the week sun-kissed, slightly sleep-deprived, dangerously well-fed, thoroughly entertained and already plotting the next adventure.

Now grab a drink, find a sunset and enjoy the ride.

Sunsets chased. 🌅
Travel far. 🌎
Laugh loud. 😂
Live fully. ❤️

The boys... Skipper Cliff, Ron, Skipper G~Man, Rob, (whose birthday was yesterday), in the Bahamas

Welcome aboard, Gnomads. 🧙‍♂️⛵️

Now… WHO HAS THE ICE?! 🧊🤣

🧭⚓️ Geocaching🧭⚓️

The World’s Biggest Treasure Hunt

Ever sailed into a beautiful anchorage and wondered what adventures might be hiding ashore? Well, there’s an app for that! 😎

Geocaching.com is the home of geocaching, a worldwide treasure hunt where people hide containers, called geocaches, and leave GPS coordinates so other adventurers can go find them.

The G~Man has been geocaching for more than 20 years, and it’s one of those wonderfully addictive activities that can turn an ordinary walk into a full-blown expedition. 🥾🗺️🔍

And sailing makes it even better.

When we drop the hook in a new anchorage, we can fire up the geocaching app and see what’s hidden nearby. Maybe there’s a tiny cache tucked beneath a palm tree, a cleverly disguised container overlooking the harbor, or an old-school treasure box waiting up a trail. 🏝️🌴💰

Some caches are easy. Others involve puzzles, hiking, climbing, or following a series of clues. You never quite know what you’re getting into, which is half the fun.

It’s also a fantastic way to explore places beyond the waterfront. Instead of simply dinghying ashore for a cocktail 🍹, we might find ourselves wandering through a village, hiking an island trail, discovering a historic site, or meeting fellow geocachers along the way.

So on a Gnomad Sailing adventure, keep your eyes peeled. There may be more treasure ashore than just the rum supply! 🏴‍☠️😂

Drop the hook. Grab your phone. Go find the treasure. ⚓️📱🗺️

🥥 Thai Coconut-Lime Shrimp Curry 🌶️

🍤One pot. Big Thai flavor. Boat-friendly galley engineering. ⛵🍛

Some recipes are born in fancy kitchens.

Others are born because the G~Man, his daughter, and his son-in-law decided that a Thai cooking lesson in Phuket sounded like a damn fine way to spend an afternoon. 🇹🇭👨‍🍳👩‍🍳🍹

We learned how to make proper Thai curry from scratch, including the curry paste, which involved a rather impressive collection of ingredients, pounding, grinding and generally making a spectacular mess.

And it was mighty fine.

But once I got back aboard a Gnomad vessel, reality kicked in.

I like cooking. I do not particularly enjoy turning the galley into a Thai archaeological dig while trying to grind curry paste from scratch on a boat.

So I did what any sensible sailor would do.

I cheated......Well... adapted. 😎

I swapped the homemade curry paste for a good-quality prepared red curry paste and streamlined the recipe so it could be knocked out in one pot with minimal fuss. Because when you're cooking aboard, especially after a day of sailing, swimming, snorkeling or generally getting up to Gnomad activities, you want maximum flavor with minimum galley gymnastics. ⛵🌴🤿🍹

The result?

Creamy coconut milk. 🌴🥥
Fragrant red curry. 🌶️
Sweet shrimp. 🍤
Fresh lime. 🍋‍🟩
Thai basil. 🌿
A little heat. 🔥

And enough flavor to make everybody temporarily stop talking. Which, when you've got a boat full of sailors, is no small achievement. 😂

🍤 The Catch, Gnomad-Style: Serves 8

2 + lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined 🦐
4 tbsp red curry paste 🌶️🔥
2 cans full-fat coconut milk 🥥🥥
2 tbsp fish sauce 🐟
2 tbsp brown sugar 🍯
4 cloves garlic, minced 🧄
2 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced 🌶️
Juice of 4 limes, plus extra wedges for serving 🍋‍🟩
2 big handfuls Thai basil 🌿
2 tbsp neutral oil, approximately

🍚 On the Side

4 cups uncooked jasmine rice 🍚
This makes roughly 8 cups cooked, which should keep a crew of 8 reasonably civilized.
3–4 extra limes, cut into wedges 🍋‍🟩
2–3 fresh chilies, thinly sliced, or chili flakes 🌶️🔥
Something cold and vaguely alcoholic for the cook 🍹😎

⛵ Into the Galley

First things first: 🧭 G~Man's Galley Rule #47

Prep before the first sundowner.

Peel the shrimp.

Chop the vegetables.

Open the coconut milk.

Get everything ready.

Because once that first rum hits the glass, your galley efficiency curve begins a steep and irreversible decline.

This is not theoretical science. This is years of highly questionable nautical research. 😂🍹🔬⛵

And if you somehow end up washing a second pan because you got distracted halfway through dinner...

Well... That's between you, the dish soap and the gods of poor planning. 🙏😂🧽

🍚 1. Get the rice going

Start your jasmine rice first.

It's the one part of this operation that requires anything resembling patience.

Get it simmering, then move on to the fun stuff.

And yes, this is an excellent time to open a beverage.

But perhaps don't pour the second one yet. 🍹😏

🧄 2. Wake up the aromatics

Heat a splash of oil in your biggest pot over medium heat.

Preferably use the pot that has the best chance of staying on the stove when the boat decides to remind you who's actually in charge. 🌊⛵😂

Add the garlic and ginger.

Stir for about 30 seconds, just until the whole galley starts smelling fantastic.

This is not the moment to go check the anchor.

Priorities, people. ⚓🧄

🌶️ 3. Wake up the curry paste

Add the red curry paste and fry it in the oil for about a minute, stirring constantly.

This little step is worth doing. It wakes up the curry paste and gets all those wonderful Thai flavors moving. Skip it and your curry tastes like a shrug.

Do it properly and suddenly everyone thinks you've been secretly studying Thai cuisine for years. You haven't. But we'll let them think that. 😎👨‍🍳

🥥 4. Make it saucy

Pour in the coconut milk.

Add the fish sauce and brown sugar.

Give everything a good stir and bring it to a gentle simmer. 🥥🔥

Add the sliced bell pepper and let it cook for about 3–4 minutes, just until it starts to soften.

At this point, you can pour yourself a sundowner.

You've earned it. 🍹🌅

You are now legally required to stand there looking vaguely nautical while supervising the curry.

🦐 5. Shrimp time!

Slide the shrimp into the curry.

Cook for about 3–4 minutes, just until they're pink, curled and cooked through.

🚨 DO NOT OVERCOOK THE SHRIMP! 🚨

Nobody wants rubbery little pink dock bumpers floating around in their curry.

We've all been there. We don't need to go back. 🦐😤😂

🍋‍🟩🌿 6. Finish like a boss

Kill the heat.

Squeeze in the fresh lime juice and fold in the Thai basil.

Do this right at the end.

You want the lime bright and fresh and the basil green and fragrant, rather than looking like something that spent three days underneath a dock. 🌿😂

🍛 Feed the Crew!

Spoon that beautiful coconut curry over jasmine rice. 🍚🥥🍤

Hit it with another squeeze of lime. 🍋‍🟩

Add fresh chili for the heat-seekers. 🌶️🔥

Then sit back. Watch the crew. There will probably be a brief period of silence. That's how you know you've nailed it. Eventually someone will say, (Imagine Skipper Cliff saying this...):

"Bloody hell, that's good."

Take the compliment. You earned it. 😎🍹

A Little Piece of Thailand, Gnomad Style

The original recipe came from our Thai cooking adventure with my daughter and son-in-law.

The boat version is my adaptation. The goal wasn't to make it less Thai. The goal was to make it more Gnomad.

Less pounding curry paste. More sailing. Less washing up. More sundowners. Less standing over a kitchen counter. More standing barefoot in the cockpit watching the sunset while dinner bubbles away below. 🌅⛵🥥🍤🍹

That's my kind of Thai cooking. 🇹🇭❤️ And if you read this far, you can find all my recipes on the website and download PDF "cook sheets".

Fair winds, calm seas & happy eating! ⛵🌊🌴🍤🥥🌶️🍋‍🟩🍹❤️