Alan is an avid sailor and a very practical no-frills type of person. When I asked him to share with us on this podcast he said ”Well I haven’t really done anything that special!”. By the end of this podcast, parts 1 and 2, you will begin to realise how understated that comment was.

I first met Alan in the early 90s. From the first time we met, I noticed something different about Alan. He had a quiet demeanour but a fierce determination and a passion for sailing.

A few years earlier Alan had met his wife Cindy and within 10 weeks they were married and set off to sail across the Pacific to the USA and Canada. As they hadn't really known each other long before they were married, Alan and Cindy got to know each other extremely well over the next 6 months on this epic voyage across the Pacific.

Alan and Cindy lived on their boat, a Top Hat 25 ft small cruising yacht, for several years while attending Bible College and working in Canada and the USA. After college Alan sailed regularly up and down the West Coast of the USA professionally delivering boats for yacht builders and brokers to their new owners. They sailed back to Australia via Mexico and the Pacific Islands with Cindy and their infant daughter Anny.

Settling back into the Lake Macquarie area and working in a family business for a time, Alan felt the seas calling him again. I thoroughly enjoyed chatting with Alan, and I hope you enjoy Part 1 of our conversation.