Tania Aebi, author of "Maiden Voyage," said:"...The details of Paul and Kelly's journey will bring the reader aboard the roller coaster ups and downs of the cruising life, the seemingly endless frustrations mitigated by unforgettable friendships, joy and awe that make it all so worthwhile, an experience of a lifetime. Here is an inspirational couple who recognized an opening in their lives and seized a moment leading to the kinds of memories that only a life at sea can bring . . . with the ultimate reward being the realization of the elusive dream that motivated them to leave in the first place - two beautiful children of their own. Thank you for sharing this happy story." Read her full review.
Watch the 2-minute trailer...JANNA CAWRSE ESAREY"Kelly and Paul had a big, hairy, audacious goal: to have kids. Only they couldn't. So they did the next craziest thing: cruising. (So what if they didn't know how to sail--details, details.) Thrilling and honest, this book recounts their journey from the eastern US across the Pacific. It describes their adventures--good, bad, ugly--and reminds us how abandoning our planned route sometimes takes us exactly where we need to go."
"It's a Great Read" - from Creating A Family"(Kelly's writing shines)... through on every page. She had me from hello. She paints such a vivid picture with her words that I felt a little seasick myself. I lived their adventure–celebrating their successful passages across the ocean and suffering their disappointment with a failed IVF attempt in New Zealand. In short it’s a great read."
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"Sailing To Jessica"by Kelly WattsAt 35 years old, Kelly and Paul Watts sold their home and quit their jobs to sail around the world, without any sailing experience. Two days after purchasing their forty-two-foot sloop, they got caught in a forty-knot gale off the coast of Cape Fear, NC. Their sails ripped; the engine overheated; the GPS broke; they suffered hypothermia and severe seasickness. And yet they persevered on their journey, discovering the playful seals of the Galapagos, the seductive dance of the Polynesian girls, and the primitive beat of Tuvaluan music, all while learning how to sail and repair their boat. They narrowly escaped a shark attack in Suwarrow, fled from suspected pirates off the coast of Ecuador, and hit a submerged container – the fear of all sailors - near Midway Island.
What started as a search to find meaning to “life without children,” only strengthened their desire to have a family. After failed fertility attempts in New Zealand, they set sail north. A one-week visit in Kiribati turned into an eight -month stay as they unexpectedly adopted a two-month old baby, battled Dengue Fever and an epidemic of e-coli., and almost lost their lives in a 60-knot westerly gale. Told from Kelly’s conversational point of view, “Sailing to Jessica” is a modern-day sailing adventure that will inspire anyone who is searching for meaning in their life to get up and find it. View More Reviews
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