Interview with Teresa & Ben on WUSB
Last spring Ben and I were in the WUSB (SUNY Stony Brook) radio station to discuss our upcoming summer sailing and filmmaking plans. Then, in October Habanero invited us back for a follow up interview on her show “Whatever Floats Your Boat” radio show. We talked about our film project, One Simple Question, and the trials, hardships, successes, and triumphs of our northward journey to see an iceberg this past the summer. It was a great follow up, and a pleasure to be on Habanero’s show again. Click below to listen to the October 21, 2011 radio broadcast. [Audio clip: view full post to listen] Click here to hear the broadcast from last May. …
The Payoff – Quest for An Iceberg
From Windcheck Magazine, October 2011 “The easy way to see an iceberg up close is to climb aboard a sightseeing boat, but Teresa Carey and Ben Eriksen earned their ‘berg – and savored a taste of the purest water in the world – by sailing a 28-foot boat all the way from Long Island to Newfoundland…with a cameraman and a cat! This intrepid couple is also making an independent film about adventure sailing, simple living, and happiness.” Click the cover to read the full article from Windcheck Magazine: The Payoff Don’t forget to click the “back” button on your browser and leave a comment after you read the article! Or visit the website for One…
TEDx Inspires Me!
A few months ago I received a voicemail from Kelly in Traverse City, Michigan. In her message, she briefly explained a conference where I was invited to give a short 12 minute presentation. At first thought I was only mildly interested. It was a long way to travel. Besides, what can I say in only 12 minutes anyway? But when I returned her call and listed to Kelly explain what a TEDx conference was, I became more and more excited. TED talks are limited to such a brief time so that they can pack the day with inspiration from a variety of voices. Kelly shared with me TED’s history, its goal of spreading wonderful ideas,…
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About Teresa
Sailing, Simplicity, and the Pursuit of Happiness, began in 2008 when Teresa gave up a whole lot of stability for the unstable plan to chase her dreams by living aboard a boat and taking on odd jobs to support her lifestyle, and selling handcrafted items through her online Etsy shop. In the following two years she lived aboard a small 27 foot sailboat named Daphne with only her cat Dory for company. Its not a house, but it was home, its not a car, but she traveled a blue road. For two years she sailed, explored, and discovered what simple living meant to her and shared it all on this blog. Writing helped her. Blog readers inspired her. Now, she is planning for her next big voyage, a documentary film called One Simple Question. In the meantime, Sailing, Simplicity, and the Pursuit of Happiness must give back to the readers. Teresa's goal is to share meaningful thoughts on her exploration of simple living, to help sailors with life aboard, and to inspire others to chase their own creative dream through honest and uplifting writing by her and that of guest bloggers as well. Recent Posts
Podcast with Jaja Martin!
I met Jaja and Dave Martin this summer and was very excited to learn of their world travels aboard a small sailboat. The Martins are unique cruisers in that they not only sailed away from the “destination” places in the Caribbean, and toward the cold arctic, but they also did so with three young children. They began their travels aboard a boat even smaller than my own pocket-cruiser and didn’t stop traveling until almost two decades later. My guess, is that they still haven’t stopped traveling, but are only taking a break. In this podcast, I talk with Jaja about traveling with children, what drove them to keep going, and if she has any advice…
Is Simplicity Political?
Living aboard a boat has never been solely about sailing for me. In my hopes it has always persisted as an avenue for diving fully into a new and uncertain way of life and by doing so, perhaps encounter my own ideology. I turned to the sea to look for an answer to some of the unease I felt when I first began exploring my country as an adult. “A person who is going to make a fruitful inquiry into the question of the best political arrangement must first set out clearly what the most choiceworthy life is. For if that is unclear, the best political arrangement must also be unclear.”-Aristotle My exploration of Simple…
Black Friday OR Buy Nothing Day?
Fifteen years ago I celebrated Thanksgiving at Grandma and Grandpa’s house with Aunt BK, Mom, Dad, Alicia, Marissa, Nick, Tony, Angie, Uncle Denny, Karen, Mike, Aunt Fay, John Michael, Shane, Richard, Linda, Katie, David, Laure, Jeff, and often many others. The Schirripa family is a loud talking, game playing, song singing, laughing, and loving group. Family gathering were always full of good cheer and good times. I would sleep in the attic of Grandma and Grandpa’s house, and after a long lie in bed I would wander downstairs, sit down in the living room, and enjoy the baton twirlers, Radio City Rockettes, and marching bands of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. One by one, people…
Staying Warm in Winter
Here is a video response to a question posted in the comments by a blog reader. It was fun to make. Send some more questions, and I try to post a video response!
Money! Money! Money! Mon-ay!
One of the top reasons that people get divorced is money. One of the top reasons people commit crimes is for money. And one of the top reasons people who read my blog or see my videos say disparaging or hypercritical remarks to or about me is…you got it… money! Here are some of my favorites: “How many Americans could actually afford a 27-foot sailboat much less consider such a lifestyle of simple living? It is simple all right, simply incredible and egotistical in its lack of work ethic.” -Dr. Ileana Johnson Paugh, Canada Free Press “Such a pretty boat. You must not live so simply to afford that boat. You live in such luxury.” -Nancy,…
My recipe for simple living in the city.
Written at sea, 7/31/11 by LARISSA POWERS, camera woman for One Simple Question I am on SV Elizabeth, cozy inside the cabin while Teresa reads in her bunk behind me. The sun strobes on the teak woodwork, having been dispersed by the sea’s surface and sent through a small porthole. It finally feels like summer on the trip that I have been fortunate enough to be asked to join and we sail today from the colorful town of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia around Cape Sable and across the Bay of Fundy to Jonesport, Maine. In some ways, I am sure my friends and family imagine me enjoying a pleasure cruise, sailing from place to place, sampling…
Nor’Sea 27 “Daphne” is for sale!
UPDATE: October 22, 2011 Daphne is sold. Please check the following links for other used Nor’seas and a sister ship Bristol Channel Cutter that are for sale. 1990 Bristol Channel Cutter SOLD 1978 Nor’Sea, location Arizona 1992 Nor’Sea “Ladyship,” location Georgia SOLD 1977 Nor’sea “Perelandra,” location California 1977 Nor’sea “Chinook,” location Nova Scotia See below for specs and info about my Nor’Sea! When something stands in the way of your dreams, you remove the obstacle or find a way around it. In 2008 the obstacle was lack of a boat and a land-locked job. So, I left the job and purchased Daphne, whom I’m now convinced is by far the best liveaboard and coastal or offshore voyaging boat I…
Mowat Moments
It is decided that my new favorite author is Farley Mowat. After having read and reread the expressions that Coelho inspires me with, I have found an author with a different sort of inspiration. I can’t say that Mowat’s adventures inspire me because of his flawless skills or his admirable courage and he certainly doesn’t compare to Coelho’s ability to weave myth with truth. No, instead, Mowat is the only author that has produced bellowing laughter from the depths of my stomach even when others are trying to sleep. I just can’t help it. I began reading Farley Mowat’s The Boat who Wouldn’t Float just a few days ago and I’m already looking forward to…
Sailing Magazine Podcast
Listen to a podcast hosted by Sailing Magazine’s Mark Welch in which Teresa and Ben describe the purpose of the One Simple Question voyage, offer advice on exploring voluntary simplicity and describe the joys of life on the water. Click here to listen to podcast.
“On Watch” with Ben and Teresa
This month’s “On Watch” article in Windcheck magazine features Ben and I and the documentary film project that we are working on. Following is only a teaser. Click here for the full article. From Windcheck Magazine: A shared passion for long distance sailing and sustainable living brought Teresa Carey and Ben Eriksentogether. This month, these avid liveaboards are sailing from Huntington, NY to Atlantic Canada on a unique quest to see an iceberg and make a documentary film about adventure, climate change, simplicity and happiness. “I started sailing when I was really young on Lake Michigan with my father,” says Teresa, who has worked as a professional delivery crew and charter boat captain. “We would…
Whatever Floats Your Boat
UPDATE 10/15/11: Ben and I are going to be guests on Habanero’s show “Whatever Floats Your Boat” again soon. This Friday, October 21, at 7am, we’ll talk with Habanero about our summer trip, the film, life afloat, and some other surprises! And I’m going to bring my “Whatever Floats My Boat” playlist to share! Any suggestions? Friday morning Ben and I were guests on Habanero’s radio show called Whatever Floats Your Boat onWUSB 90.1. Habanero welcomed us into a small control room, its walls decorated with hundreds of stickers. Ben reflected on its appearance—it still looked the same, some twenty-five years after his first radio interview at this station. Habanero, being a fellow sailor and…
Flying the Kite Cam!
Plans for One Simple Question are fully underway. The creative minds of Reach Within Productions and Doctrine Creative have teamed up with Ben and I to create a dynamic film. Just today, I was out on the lawn flying the kite/camera for the first time. I love kites, but this one was especially amazing! The camera hung from the kite string on a small harness. I’ll be out practicing more before I set sail in only one month! Watch this video to catch a glimpse of the maiden flight!