A Year in Paradise : How We Lived Our Dream [Paperback]

Stephen Wright Watterson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2001

What is it like to cut loose and sail away for a year?

How do you really do it?

Join them in their Adventure!

Taking their cat along as a referee, Steve and Margaret Watterson spent a year on their 30-foot sailboat traveling from Cleveland, Ohio to the Florida Keys and back. In this book, they describe their experience--the good times and the bad--in order to share it with those who dream of some day cutting off the phone, canceling the paper, and locking the door behind them.

If you have ever wondered how to actually do this, you will enjoy this book. The Wattersons tell how much they spent, how they handled mail, and what charts and cruising guides they used. They cover insurance, how to prepare a boat for this kind of trip, and much more.

Editorial Reviews

Review

. . a wonderful adventure story . . an outstanding addition to any bookstore's Travel or Sailing section. -- Rhett Jackson, Past President, American Booksellers Association, February 14, 2001

...a delightfully unpretentious odyssey...a charming yarn...sure to inspire sofa sailors of all ages. Chock full of useful details. -- Newsday, April 8, 2001

A delightful and informative read on cruising the Intracoastal Waterway... -- Diana Scott, Travel Editor, Worcester Telegram & Gazette, Worcester MA

A wonderfully entertaining book . . . . -- John Blenn, Editor, Long Island Entertainment, February, 2001

From the Author

Steve and Margaret Watterson were in their middle sixties when they sailed their boat from Cleveland, Ohio to the Florida Keys and back. They tell their story in order to share this experience with the many people who dream of doing something like this someday. They talk about the fear of new and challenging situations, the fun of overcoming these anxieties, and the food along the way. Hailed by the critics, this wonderful story is entertaining and amusing. Join them in their adventure!

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 184 pages
• Publisher: Eagle Cliff Pr (April 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0970616708
• ISBN-13: 978-0970616708
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,270,484 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Informative, unpretentious, and entertaining., February 14, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: A Year in Paradise : How We Lived Our Dream (Paperback)

I was captivated by this story of a 60-something couple taking the voyage of HIS dreams. While their particular trip in itself was not extraordinary --- many boaters do this --- the author's wry and self-deprecating sense of humor makes this account of their adventure an outstanding read. It is also chock full of very useful information, but primarily it is just a good book to curl up with when you feel like escaping to an achievable dream.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Captures the Essence, February 14, 2004

By 

Francis Montgomery (Beaufort, SC USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Year in Paradise : How We Lived Our Dream (Paperback)

What I like about this book is that it captures the real sights and smells of traveling the Atlantic Intracoastal. I believe that this must be what it's really like to live on a 30-foot boat for a year cruising up and down the East coast of the US. The author's descriptions put you right in the picture, and his sense of humor will make you chuckle. There is also a lot of useful information in this book. Anyone who dreams of doing anything like this some day will get a lot of enjoyment from this book.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Engaging voice carries narrative, April 23, 2001

By 

Peter W. Brown (Columbus, Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Year in Paradise : How We Lived Our Dream (Paperback)

While the trials and tribulations Steve and Margaret Watterson faced in their year-long cruise from Cleveland to the Florida Keys and back were far from the perils of doomed expeditions scaling the face of Everest, the engaging voice of this narrative carries the reader along for the ride smoothly.

Watterson's anecdotes - from crazy bridge operators to the sluggish exploits of Pukka the Sea kitty - never fail to entertain. This book is refreshingly unpretentious and achieves exactly what is sets forth to do: tell the story of a retired Cleveland couple setting sail for the Florida Keys and coming home again. A how-to section offers practical advice for those of you who dare, like the Wattersons, point the bow south and call it home.

A crisp, full wind keeps the sails full in this travelogue/how-to combination. Step aboard the Witch of Endor. You won't be disappointed.