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Totally Floats Blog

This older site was a chronicle of our adventures leading up to the purchase of a sailboat, the selling off and giving away of our material possessions, and the beginning/ongoing adventures of a live-aboard lifestyle.  We are Ron Hardie and Judy Henderson.  Our home is/was Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. Judy is a retired educator from Ontario and Ron is a retired businessman from Alberta.

Why Totally Floats?

You're wondering about our web domain name? The following ad appeared in a local paper, published on Salt Spring Island, B.C., Canada.  This is its story!

While visiting Pender Island, B.C. in July 2001, Ron Hardie spotted the above newspaper ad.  He became so enthralled and amused by its humour and originality that he carried it home to Lethbridge, Alberta, quoted it to many friends, and just generally experienced such a life-altering amusement with it that, weeks later, he phoned the dinghy seller to express his gratitude for the many laughs.  And the fun started all over again! Four days after the newspaper date, on Sunday July 29, 2001, Ron met Judy Henderson on a B.C. ferry.  They spoke for only about ten minutes and then the ferry docked at Tsawwassen - they parted to go their separate ways - Ron to Lethbridge and Judy to Kitchener, Ontario.

The e-mails began, then the phone calls and Ron HAD to share the OMYGOD dinghy ad with Judy.  The rest is history.

Since the summer of 2001 "totally floats" has been a watch word, a by-word, a code word - a source of smiles, chuckles, hearty laughter and inspiration.

The story and journal that follow - the adventures of Judy and Ron, their dream vessel, s/v PIONEER, and their voyage - have the underlying "totally floats" theme - a home that floats totally and carries them where fair winds blow.