Meet the crew
Welcome to Blue Turtle Cruising! Our alternate lifestyle of living aboard began in 2012 when we purchased a 40′ DeFever Passagemaker trawler and named her Blue Turtle. Life was never the same after that. It turns out that life on the go and living minimally is quite spectacular! My husband, our son and our dog Sophie lived aboard our trawler in Fort Myers Beach, FL for 9 years cruising her to local anchorages, the Florida Keys and the Dry Tortugas. We sold our trawler in 2021 and purchased a 44′ CSY sailboat and cruised full-time along the Eastern U.S. Coast and Bahamas.
After 3 years of sailboat cruising, and 13 years living on the water full-time, it was time for a change. We sold our sailboat and purchased a 35′ Tiffin Class A motorhome to continue our cruising journey, only this time it will be on land!
The crew
Our family has always had a passion for being out on the water. As avid scuba divers, we’ve always enjoyed exploring the water above and below the surface whether diving, snorkeling, kayaking, fishing, surfing or wake boarding. We enjoy exercise and being active outdoors whether we are on the water or in the mountains. Learn more about the crew below.
Kim
The Admiral, Head Chef, Blogger
Born in Florida and raised in Louisville, KY, Kim always had a passion for art and design. With a Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design from the University of Louisville, Kim worked for ad agencies and in-house corporate marketing departments before starting her own company in 2008. She operated Blue Turtle Graphics for 13 years while living aboard the trawler, selling it in 2021, retiring before her 50th birthday. Her hobbies include: documenting their travels on this blog, running, hiking, sewing and knitting. She spends her free time sewing handmade bags and accessories for her online shop craftycruiserbags.com.
Randy
Captain, Fixer-of-all-the-things, Dog Whisperer
Randy grew up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and graduated from Kutztown University with a Bachelor’s degree in Marine Science. He worked as a service manager for a company that manufactures industrial size RO systems before retiring. Randy is a USCG licensed captain and could be an aspiring diesel mechanic after 9 years of working on our trawler’s single engine. He loves being on the water as much as the mountains. He recently started work camping in destinations that take us out west.
Sophie
Former Boat Dog, Nap Specialist, A.K.A. Sopheena-ro-weena
Sophie is our exceptionally spoiled 16-year-old long-haired dachshund. Sophie spent her first 2 years on land and has actually adapted quite well over the years as a dog on the move. Her low center of gravity made her a perfect boat dog. She’s loving life as a senior pup on the RV. In her free time, Sophie enjoys eating, napping, going on walks for “sniffys”, and excessive belly rubs.
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