We Four

So this would be us.  Alisa and I grew up 20 minutes from each other, in the suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio, but we didn't meet until we were both at the University of Alaska.  Our courtship involved lots of winter camping in Alaska.  When I realized how much Alisa enjoyed that, I knew that she would be game for living on a sailboat full-time.

Elias was born on Kodiak Island, and Eric was born in Tasmania.  I keep telling Alisa that if our third child is born on Easter Island, we'll have a set of island kids from all three corners of the Pacific.

I don't think she's buying it.

So here she is - the Morale Officer on Galactic.  I like to say that you could sail the world without my wife on board... but I wouldn't recommend it!

You wouldn't guess it now, but Alisa used to take time off from college in Ohio to follow the Grateful Dead on tour.  She played ice hockey when she was in grad school in Alaska, and can still skate circles around me.  Oh, and - she is a totally bitchin' fisheries oceanographer.  Check out her publication record.

I'm a writer (South From Alaska) and a marine biologist, and I'm keeping my research life simmering away about half-time during our sailing years - mostly with research on Alaskan ecosystems.  Check out my publication record - and notice how many of my papers have a certain A. Abookire as co-author!


I used to be a very enthusiastic, though moderately talented, mountain climber in Alaska. I always dreamed of sailing long distances in a boat of my own. But I never dreamed I'd be doing it with toddlers.