Bill and Linda fufilled a 30 year dream to sail around the world. First they built a boat in a paddock in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, Qld, Australia in 1994 with the help of friend Steve. [...]We called her 'Valiam' a combination of our kid's names Vashti and Liam! (not a drug - that's spelt differently....) Since then she had a total refit, new rig and engine to prepare her for the recent voyage. Bill is the captain and Linda is the galley slave and communications officer!! Their 2 year circumnavigation was between 2007-2009. THEN in 2012, my darling husband bought a cheap boat on eBay in St John, US Virgin Islands.This was 'Lati'. For 3 months, Bill worked solidly to restore this little ship. I helped as much as I could. She proved to be quite a seaworthy little vessel. See the photo gallery of restoration photos. She really was a mess when we bought her but our Lati was our home away from home in Europe for 3 summers. In 2012 we sailed Lati to the Azores then Portugal. 2013 - Portugal to Greece. In 2014 - we sailed Lati across the Agean and back from Greece to Turkey. Lati was sold in 2015 to new owners who sailed her to Norway where she now lives. Now we can spend more time sailing Valiam from Australia We have talked about another circumnavigation...... but we shall see...

CIRCUMNAVIGATION ON VALIAM: We left Mooloolaba on the 7th November 2007, sailed to Townsville, leaving Australian waters on 26th November 2007 for PNG, Palau, Philippines, Borneo, Malaysia,Singapore, Cocos Keeling islands. We crossed the Indian Ocean to Rodrigues, Mauritius,Reunion and South [...]

Africa.(arrived October 2008) In February/March 2009 we crossed the Atlantic to Brazil via St Helena island .We then visited parts of the Caribbean(Tobago, Grenada, Bonaire) . In May we were on our way to the Panama canal via Colombia. We were then back in the Pacific ocean! The home run! We visited Galapagos, Marquesas, French Polynesia and visited Suwarrow one of the Cook Islands and Western Samoa. Next we sailed to Fiji, Vanuatu, then home to Australia! We completed our circumnavigation into Brisbane, Australia on 23rd, arriving in our home port Mooloolaba 26th November 2009 exactly 2 years after we departed Townsville in 2007. In 2012, Bill bought a cheap 31ft timber boat needing tons of work on eBay. After 3 months of solid work we left the Virgin Islands for the Azores then the Med. This little yacht 'Lati' was our focus for 3 European summers. Linda wrote and published a book called 'Sailing in my Sarong...Around the World - a 30 year dream' in 2010. On November 5, 2016 she is releasing her latest book 'Salvage in my Sarong - The Mediterranean Dream on a rescued boat. A$39.95 plus postage. email Linda: valiam1@hotmail.com to order your copy. Please state which book you require (or both!) Linda will sign each copy with a personal message!