In the mid-1980s, a family of five set out on a sailing adventure with little experience but lots of determination to live life to the fullest. Moon recounts this true story of her family’s unusual journey at sea, beginning with the first bloom of an idea to a plan taking shape. When they finally launch off the coast of California on their 37-foot trimaran sailboat, their lives are forever altered by the lessons they learn and the experiences they have at sea for five years. Moon’s three boys are homeschooled on the boat while the oldest son stays behind, and parenting on the high seas becomes its own adventure. Their journey together shapes the boys’ futures and binds the family together with lasting memories that are extraordinary and inspiring.

Moon’s candid account reveals the highs and lows of raising a family of boys with a stepfather while also living on a boat and sailing around the world. The family is fearless in the face of all the worst-case scenarios, focusing instead on building a life of possibility and freedom. Brimming with stories of people and places encountered along the way, Moon opens minds with this portrayal of her family living outside the bounds of a typical domestic life. She beautifully captures the unique sailing communities found in the ports and the bonds she and the boys make with locals and fellow travelers.

At times, Moon provides reflection and introspection, but she primarily relies on narrating a collection of events and experiences from the five-year journey. She opens up, in brief, honest clips, about the cracks in her marriage with her second husband and the conflict created by his increasing stress levels and dark moods as they cross the Pacific. Through it all, the family’s resilient and independent spirit is infectious.

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