Beau Soleil was built in Trappe, Maryland and launched in 1976. Her early history is lost in antiquity.

In 1992, my wife, Karen, my son, Falcon and I departed on what was to become a Circumnavigation of the Earth. We went from San Diego to the Chesapeake as a test sail---that's what we told ourselves!

After that we turned around and went back thru the Panama Canal to the Pacific. We had no thought of sailing around the world. At the time we were just going to the South Pacific.

One thing led to another and before we knew it we were in New Zealand. If we made it all the way that far, might as well do the Great Barrier Reef. That led into the Indian Ocean and before we knew it we were over halfway around the world. Only by accident!

Line Drawings of the 41

We snuck in to Indonesia to see the wild orangutans, went thru Southeast Asia, Sri Lanka, and finally Chagos. What a paradise!!! But to give it justice check out the link below.

Sailing books by Mike Riley

After 4 crossings of the Indian (Chagos was just too great to see only once) we headed down to South Africa and then up to Maryland. It took 8 years to make the circle Caribbean to Caribbean; but it was really all by accident!

Our kid went back to school in Maryland after being home schooled on board for 8 years. All in all, he turned out OK, with a few speed bumps along the way.  Check out this site for more of the mutiny of the student:

Education of a Falcon

Now we are back in the Caribbean, in Honduras, heading south, thinking about accidentally doing it again.

To learn about the Columbia 24 we sailed around the world click here