My lyrical picture book, The Edgecomb Jar, was a finalist in this year's Picture Book Party and resulted in my signing with my agent, Helen Masvikeni, of Megibow Literary.

Published in Dirigible Balloon, the poetry magazine for children.

My short story Racing Rules took second prize in the Owl Canyon Press competition.

What's under the dock?

Usually when we sail, we look at big marine animals. Orcas gliding by in packs. Dolphins circling like synchronized Ferris wheels. Seals flopped on the rocks, usually upside down. We scan for rarer creatures, like humpback whales, so exciting to observe when they blow.

But what's under the dock? Besides seaweed and mussels, there are red and purple spiny starfish. Crabs. Sea slugs. Barnacles. All sorts of fish, from smelt to salmon. Two types of jellyfish: the clear,...

What is it like to sleep on a boat? Is it scary or safe? Adventurous or calm? Quiet or noisy?

Yes, no, and sometimes. Usually, it depends.

On the hook, you notice tiny details. The fizz of bubbles as wavelets strike the hull. How crumpled up those big red starfish look. The film of salt on lips that flavors everything you eat.

Sometimes you miss big things. In the photo, see that darker blue area on the water? It turned into a Poe-like maelstrom. I watched while an entire tree was carried...

I am working on a new set of stories that are based on my summers at sea. Stories based on my fishing, canoeing, crabbing, and sailing adventures. One thing I have not tried yet is writing about provisioning boats. After today, I may have a new idea.

It's a truism that boats are either under repair or in need of it. As I sail from port to port, however, there is another piece of the sailing puzzle that gets little attention: getting food. My lockers are full of canned things: tuna, chicken,...