Eitan and I headed back to our favorite croc-filled marina to pick up our two new crew members! Phillip (35) and Jessica (33) are a couple from Germany who had been sailing on a friend’s boat in La Paz. Since their previous boat changed plans and were no longer crossing the Pacific, they were still determined to find a boat destined for French Polynesia. Although both have careers in facility management and marketing, they manage to live a relatively nomadic lifestyle and had been living in New Zealand during COVID. They also had some experience living on sailboats and were already in Mexico, making them the perfect fit to join SV Sierra Wind with one exception… they are vegan and gluten-free!
Although I am perfectly fine eating a primarily plant-based diet, Eitan was under the firm belief that it is impossible to travel the world as a vegan. Having spent months of eating Chef Connor’s buttery creations and a diet primarily consisting of refried beans, cheese, and chorizo, I was excited to get a little more fresh fruit and vegetables onboard. In addition to no animal products, Jessica is also gluten intolerant which means she can’t eat about 90% of our provisions! Luckily, they were open to trying any fresh fish caught underway.
Their first day onboard was spent provisioning and I was surprised to find out that being vegan and gluten-free is not too difficult in Mexico with corn, beans, and rice being foundational elements of the local diet. We have also learned that Corona is a gluten-free beer that we readily stocked up on. The Puerto Vallarta Walmart also has a surprising number of vegan-friendly alternatives and filling up the shopping cart with things everyone could eat was no issue. I am curious to see what the availability of these products will be as we continue to more remote destinations. We sailed back to Yelapa, allowing the new crew members a test run before committing to the 4-6- month journey with Eitan and me, crossing the Pacific Ocean and on to French Polynesia. Luckily, the small size of their new bedroom didn’t scare them away, which was a miracle considering Philipp was surprisingly taller than Eitan. After the first night, they were in and we started to make our way southward down the coast towards Zihuantanejo.
Thanks, Amanda, for your poetic and descriptive pieces. Jennifer and I are enjoying reading your blogs, which are beautifully written and, of course, give us more sense of what Eitan’s life looks like.