Salty Podcast: Sailing Stories

Captain Tinsley
  • 4.9 (13)
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  • UPDATED DAILY

The Salty Podcast shares real sailing stories and adventures — expert tips, ocean crossings, storm tales, heartwarming stories, and the quirks of life at sea. Each week, Cap’n Tinsley brings you voices from the water: sailors who’ve crossed oceans, lived aboard, and chased horizons. Join The Salty Podcast each week for adventures in storm survival, cruising life, and the joy of sailing. No fluff — just salty conversations, heartfelt moments, and lessons from sailors worldwide.  Salty Abandon is Captain Tinsley from Gulf Shores & Orange Beach AL:  Oct 2020 to Present -  1998 Island Packet 320; 2015-2020 - 1988 Island Packet 27 (lost in Hurricane Sally Sep 2020)Want to support the podcast? http://patreon.com/SaltyAbandon Salty Podcast Shop:  https://SaltyPodcast.myshopify.com https://youtube.com/@svsaltyabandonhttps://www.facebook.com/saltyabandon sailing podcast, sailing stories, sailing adventures, sailboat life, cruising lifestyle, liveaboard sailors, ocean adventures, solo sailing, circumnavigation, bluewater cruising, sailing the Caribbean, sailing the Bahamas, offshore sailing, storm stories, sailing interviews, real-life sailing stories from around the world, tips and experiences from liveaboard sailors, adventures of solo and crewed sailors, lessons from storms, passages, and long crossings, cruising life beyond the horizon 

  1. Growing Up at Sea: 12-Year-Old Sailor Atticus from @BoyMeetsOcean | Salty Podcast #95

    6H AGO

    Growing Up at Sea: 12-Year-Old Sailor Atticus from @BoyMeetsOcean | Salty Podcast #95

    Send us Fan Mail Sorry for the music overlap of the audio at 34:40 til 34:57.  I inadvertently failed to mute the b-roll video and noticed it after I uploaded it.  It last 17 seconds but is a very good song so enjoy! A 12-year-old on night watch, clipped in, steering a 46-foot catamaran through real offshore conditions while his friends back home are doing homework on the couch. That’s Atticus, the voice behind Boy Meets Ocean, and he joins us from the Bahamas to explain what full-time liveaboard sailing is actually like when you’re the kid on board, not the parent. We talk about the transition from land life to boat life, how he keeps friendships going while meeting “boat kids” across the islands, and what daily seamanship looks like on a cruising catamaran. Atticus breaks down the practical stuff families always ask about: anchoring plans, dealing with wind and chop, using navigation and weather apps like Navionics and Windy, and learning to handle sails with his dad. He also shares the safety rules that keep everyone secure offshore, plus the maintenance chores that come with the dream. Then his dad zooms out to the bigger mission: a health scare that changed their priorities, a worldschooling approach that blends online learning with real travel, and a family plan that goes far beyond the Caribbean toward a future circumnavigation. We also get into content creation at sea, why Atticus edits on a phone, how he thinks about staying genuine on social media, and the tech boundaries they set so the ocean stays the main teacher. If you’re curious about sailing with kids, homeschooling at sea, Bahamas cruising, and what it takes to raise capable young sailors, listen through and share this with a fellow dreamer. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us: could you handle life at anchor full time? Support the show SALTY ABANDON:  Cap'n Tinsley, Orange Beach, AL: Oct 2020 to Present - 1998 Island Packet 320; Nov 2015-Oct 2020; 1988 Island Packet 27 Feb-Oct 2015 - 1982 Catalina 25 Get rid of those boat smells with Airlock! 10% off with code SALTY here: https://airlockusa.com?sca_ref=10693038.qKP0HHcr3urB&utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=affiliatelink&utm_campaign=prom SALTY PODCAST SAILOR SHIRTS:  https://saltypodcast.myshopify.com/ YOUTUBE PLAYLIST: https://saltyabandon/SaltyPodcastPlaylist Wanna create a Livestream?: Https://streamyard.com/pal/d/5430067749060608 GEAR FEATURED IN MY UPCOMING VIDEOS: 🛟 Boat Fenders → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08S1PXKKR ⚓ Dock Lines → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BS4BNYR9 🧽 Exterior Cleaning Kit → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BL533KR7

    51 min
  2. Sailing to Luperon Dominican Republic Safely | Salty Podcast #94

    3D AGO

    Sailing to Luperon Dominican Republic Safely | Salty Podcast #94

    Send us Fan Mail This is an update to Salty Podcast #91.  The sea can be glassy at sunrise and still hand you a monster at 10:30 p.m. We’re calling in from two different corners of paradise and chaos as Bill and Catherine share a boots-on-deck update from their Bahamas to Dominican Republic crossing and their new home base in Luperon Harbor, one of the best-known hurricane holes in the Caribbean. We walk through what changed after leaving Georgetown: an engine overheating detour, a rough stay off Great Inagua, and the small rigging choices that decide whether you sleep or suffer. Then we get specific about passage tactics cruisers actually use, including radar squall avoidance, buddy boat communication, and the surprisingly controversial topic of proper diesel engine RPM. If you’ve ever “babied” a diesel to save fuel, this part may change how you run your engine offshore. Once we reach the Dominican Republic, the story shifts to real arrival logistics: fish traps and low-profile floats near the entrance, grabbing a mooring when the pendant is too short, and why the Luperon cruiser network is built around WhatsApp instead of radio nets. We also dig into costs and quality of life details like water delivery, laundry service, food and drink prices, clearing immigration and customs with a dog, plus the provisioning reality that pushes Catherine into growing herbs onboard. If you’re planning Dominican Republic cruising, Luperon Harbor, the Mona Passage, or the jump to Puerto Rico and Grenada, hit play. Subscribe, share this with your cruising crew, and leave a review with the one tip you wish every new cruiser knew. Support the show SALTY ABANDON:  Cap'n Tinsley, Orange Beach, AL: Oct 2020 to Present - 1998 Island Packet 320; Nov 2015-Oct 2020; 1988 Island Packet 27 Feb-Oct 2015 - 1982 Catalina 25 Get rid of those boat smells with Airlock! 10% off with code SALTY here: https://airlockusa.com?sca_ref=10693038.qKP0HHcr3urB&utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=affiliatelink&utm_campaign=prom SALTY PODCAST SAILOR SHIRTS:  https://saltypodcast.myshopify.com/ YOUTUBE PLAYLIST: https://saltyabandon/SaltyPodcastPlaylist Wanna create a Livestream?: Https://streamyard.com/pal/d/5430067749060608 GEAR FEATURED IN MY UPCOMING VIDEOS: 🛟 Boat Fenders → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08S1PXKKR ⚓ Dock Lines → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BS4BNYR9 🧽 Exterior Cleaning Kit → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BL533KR7

    1h 2m
  3. Sailing The Crooked Anchor | No Sailing Experience to Life in the Bahamas | Salty Podcast #93

    APR 25

    Sailing The Crooked Anchor | No Sailing Experience to Life in the Bahamas | Salty Podcast #93

    Send us Fan Mail They bought the dream with zero sailing experience, then paid for it with patience, sweat, and a willingness to live with less. I sit down with Captain Ken and Miss Kelly from The Crooked Anchor, liveaboards on a 1990 Gemini catamaran, to unpack how two Florida landlubbers sold the house, refit a fixer-upper boat, and turned “we could never do that” into seven years of cruising the Keys and the Bahamas. We get specific about what actually makes the liveaboard sailing lifestyle work: cutting debt, avoiding the storage-unit money pit, setting a shove-off date, and learning to do your own boat maintenance so marine labor bills don’t sink the budget. Ken shares why DIY skills translate so well onboard, while Kelly explains the less-glamorous reality that still feels worth it: laundry, biking for groceries, hauling water, and staying in shape simply by living the routine. Then we head to the Bahamas details listeners always ask for: staging in the Keys, using the Gulf Stream, anchoring on the banks, checking in at Great Harbour, and why they keep coming back to Georgetown. You’ll also hear about their repurposed beach art and famous swings at Sand Dollar Beach, the electric energy of the Family Island Regatta, and the moments that sharpened their safety mindset, from a major anchorage storm to a python in the cockpit and why a handheld VHF now goes everywhere. If you’ve been dreaming about cruising, a sabbatical, or any big reset, this conversation keeps it honest and still wildly motivating. Subscribe for more real-world sailing stories, share this with a friend who keeps saying “someday,” and leave a review with the one trip you’d take if you started now. Support the show SALTY ABANDON:  Cap'n Tinsley, Orange Beach, AL: Oct 2020 to Present - 1998 Island Packet 320; Nov 2015-Oct 2020; 1988 Island Packet 27 Feb-Oct 2015 - 1982 Catalina 25 Get rid of those boat smells with Airlock! 10% off with code SALTY here: https://airlockusa.com?sca_ref=10693038.qKP0HHcr3urB&utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=affiliatelink&utm_campaign=prom SALTY PODCAST SAILOR SHIRTS:  https://saltypodcast.myshopify.com/ YOUTUBE PLAYLIST: https://saltyabandon/SaltyPodcastPlaylist Wanna create a Livestream?: Https://streamyard.com/pal/d/5430067749060608 GEAR FEATURED IN MY UPCOMING VIDEOS: 🛟 Boat Fenders → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08S1PXKKR ⚓ Dock Lines → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BS4BNYR9 🧽 Exterior Cleaning Kit → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BL533KR7

    58 min
  4. Catching up with Sailing Jeep in Georgetown, Bahamas! | Salty Podcast #92

    APR 21

    Catching up with Sailing Jeep in Georgetown, Bahamas! | Salty Podcast #92

    Send us Fan Mail Georgetown, Exuma has a reputation among sailors and cruisers, but the real story is how it feels when you drop anchor and start meeting people. From Stocking Island, we sit down with Kurt Allmeyer of the 46-foot catamaran “Sailing Jeep” for a candid update on day-to-day life in Georgetown, why the anchorage can feel unusually safe, and how a tight cruising community changes everything. If you’re planning an Exumas sailing trip, this is the kind of on-the-water perspective you can’t get from a brochure.  We talk about the practical stuff cruisers actually care about: where the good gathering spots are, what food is worth the stop, and how trust works in a small town where everyone learns your name fast. Kurt explains the local culture in one line that says it all: rude sailors don’t get welcomed, and that shared standard keeps the vibe light, social, and fun. We also dig into events and traditions, including the buzz around the Family Island Regatta and why Georgetown becomes a magnet during the season.  Then we get real about cruising logistics in the Bahamas: anchoring through big wind forecasts, provisioning when inventory is hit-or-miss, and why shipping a dinghy can take weeks thanks to verification, weather, and missed mail boats. Kurt also shares a tense seamanship story about losing power and electronics at night and still getting the boat through safely, plus his plan for heading north with tide-timed cuts and offshore fishing for mahi.  If you like honest cruising talk, subscribe, share this with a sailing friend, and leave a review so more people can find the show. What’s the one thing you wish someone had told you before your first season in the Exumas? Support the show SALTY ABANDON:  Cap'n Tinsley, Orange Beach, AL: Oct 2020 to Present - 1998 Island Packet 320; Nov 2015-Oct 2020; 1988 Island Packet 27 Feb-Oct 2015 - 1982 Catalina 25 Get rid of those boat smells with Airlock! 10% off with code SALTY here: https://airlockusa.com?sca_ref=10693038.qKP0HHcr3urB&utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=affiliatelink&utm_campaign=prom SALTY PODCAST SAILOR SHIRTS:  https://saltypodcast.myshopify.com/ YOUTUBE PLAYLIST: https://saltyabandon/SaltyPodcastPlaylist Wanna create a Livestream?: Https://streamyard.com/pal/d/5430067749060608 GEAR FEATURED IN MY UPCOMING VIDEOS: 🛟 Boat Fenders → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08S1PXKKR ⚓ Dock Lines → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BS4BNYR9 🧽 Exterior Cleaning Kit → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BL533KR7

    24 min
  5. Met on SAILOR DATING SITE to Cruising Full-Time | Salty Podcast #91

    APR 5

    Met on SAILOR DATING SITE to Cruising Full-Time | Salty Podcast #91

    Send us Fan Mail In Salty Podcast #91, I sit down with Bill and Katherine of Mi Salida Sailing in Black Point Settlement, Exumas, Bahamas. They share how they met on a dating site for sailors, bought an Island Packet 465, and made the leap into full-time cruising.  We talk about their origin story, why they chose this boat, what it’s really like cruising full-time as a couple, and the balance between caution, experience, and learning as you go. Katherine brings decades of sailing experience, Bill brings the dream and determination, and together they’ve built a life afloat with their dog Gracie.  This episode also gets into the real side of cruising life — expensive repairs, boatyard time, breakdowns, heat, stress, and those moments where you wonder why you’re doing it — along with the freedom, beauty, community, and unforgettable memories that make it all worth it.  If you’ve ever thought about living aboard, retiring to sail, or chasing a dream later in life, this one is for you. Support the show SALTY ABANDON:  Cap'n Tinsley, Orange Beach, AL: Oct 2020 to Present - 1998 Island Packet 320; Nov 2015-Oct 2020; 1988 Island Packet 27 Feb-Oct 2015 - 1982 Catalina 25 Get rid of those boat smells with Airlock! 10% off with code SALTY here: https://airlockusa.com?sca_ref=10693038.qKP0HHcr3urB&utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=affiliatelink&utm_campaign=prom SALTY PODCAST SAILOR SHIRTS:  https://saltypodcast.myshopify.com/ YOUTUBE PLAYLIST: https://saltyabandon/SaltyPodcastPlaylist Wanna create a Livestream?: Https://streamyard.com/pal/d/5430067749060608 GEAR FEATURED IN MY UPCOMING VIDEOS: 🛟 Boat Fenders → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08S1PXKKR ⚓ Dock Lines → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BS4BNYR9 🧽 Exterior Cleaning Kit → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BL533KR7

    57 min
  6. Talking with Full-Time Liveaboards from Cruisers Beach in Big Majors, Exumas Bahamas | Salty Podcast #90

    MAR 30

    Talking with Full-Time Liveaboards from Cruisers Beach in Big Majors, Exumas Bahamas | Salty Podcast #90

    Send us Fan Mail The Bahamas looks effortless on Instagram until you’re the one staring at a forecast that says 25 knots and realizing your entire plan depends on a weather window. From a sandy hangout at Big Majors Cay, we sit down with Roger and Kristen, liveaboards on their 1995 Island Packet 40 Shamala, to talk through the real decisions that shape a cruising day: when to stay put, who to trust for weather, and how to move south without turning a passage into a grind. Their path to full-time cruising is a decade-long build from sailing classes and smaller boats in California to relocating to Florida, moving aboard, and taking a first Bahamas attempt that didn’t go as planned. We get into the practical side of liveaboard life and Bahamas cruising in the Exumas, including anchor choice by wind direction, why Thunderball Grotto is a low-tide mission, and the kind of hyper-specific local intel you only learn from other cruisers on the beach. We also unpack the tools and community that make the lifestyle work. Roger and Kristen explain how they use the NoForeignLand app for anchorage reviews, dinghy docks, and messaging new friends without sharing phone numbers, plus how remote connectivity like Starlink changes what’s possible afloat. Then we go deeper into the moments that test you, from a scary shoal encounter near Charleston to the confidence that comes from a safe, comfortable boat and the prep that helped them ride out Hurricane Ian. If you’re into Bahamas sailing, weather routing, liveaboard cruising, or Island Packet ownership, this one is packed with firsthand lessons. Subscribe for more dock talk and passages, share this with a cruising friend, and leave a review. What’s the one tool or habit you refuse to sail without? Support the show SALTY ABANDON:  Cap'n Tinsley, Orange Beach, AL: Oct 2020 to Present - 1998 Island Packet 320; Nov 2015-Oct 2020; 1988 Island Packet 27 Feb-Oct 2015 - 1982 Catalina 25 Get rid of those boat smells with Airlock! 10% off with code SALTY here: https://airlockusa.com?sca_ref=10693038.qKP0HHcr3urB&utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=affiliatelink&utm_campaign=prom SALTY PODCAST SAILOR SHIRTS:  https://saltypodcast.myshopify.com/ YOUTUBE PLAYLIST: https://saltyabandon/SaltyPodcastPlaylist Wanna create a Livestream?: Https://streamyard.com/pal/d/5430067749060608 GEAR FEATURED IN MY UPCOMING VIDEOS: 🛟 Boat Fenders → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08S1PXKKR ⚓ Dock Lines → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BS4BNYR9 🧽 Exterior Cleaning Kit → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BL533KR7

    37 min
  7. Bahamas Update from Capt Tinsley aboard @SaltyAbandon!

    MAR 24 ·  BONUS

    Bahamas Update from Capt Tinsley aboard @SaltyAbandon!

    Send us Fan Mail I haven't had a chance to do any interviews lately but I DO appreciate the feedback from the audio podcast followers as well as the social media followers...asking for more interviews!  I should be in Georgetown by this weekend and there will be all kinds of sailors to interview there!  I'm looking forward to it. In the meantime, please follow Salty Abandon on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Tiktok and see my clips of my journey.  Thank you! Capt Tinsley Support the show SALTY ABANDON:  Cap'n Tinsley, Orange Beach, AL: Oct 2020 to Present - 1998 Island Packet 320; Nov 2015-Oct 2020; 1988 Island Packet 27 Feb-Oct 2015 - 1982 Catalina 25 Get rid of those boat smells with Airlock! 10% off with code SALTY here: https://airlockusa.com?sca_ref=10693038.qKP0HHcr3urB&utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=affiliatelink&utm_campaign=prom SALTY PODCAST SAILOR SHIRTS:  https://saltypodcast.myshopify.com/ YOUTUBE PLAYLIST: https://saltyabandon/SaltyPodcastPlaylist Wanna create a Livestream?: Https://streamyard.com/pal/d/5430067749060608 GEAR FEATURED IN MY UPCOMING VIDEOS: 🛟 Boat Fenders → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08S1PXKKR ⚓ Dock Lines → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BS4BNYR9 🧽 Exterior Cleaning Kit → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BL533KR7

    1 min
  8. WIDOWED & SAILING: Sailing After Loss - Tinsley's Story | Salty Podcast #89

    FEB 16

    WIDOWED & SAILING: Sailing After Loss - Tinsley's Story | Salty Podcast #89

    Send us Fan Mail Salty Podcast Sailor Shirts:  https://saltypodcast.myshopify.com The wind doesn’t just move a boat; it moves a life. Captain Tinsley sits down with her longtime friend Mark to chart the real story behind her voyages—from Atlanta freeways to the Gulf’s passes, from small-boat frustrations to bluewater confidence, and from a hurricane’s chaos to the quiet, stubborn act of healing after losing Salty Scotty. What unfolds is a clear-eyed look at seamanship and the inner weather that shapes it. We get specific about the money and mechanics of cruising: why smaller, tougher boats keep budgets sane, how anchoring versus marinas changes monthly costs, and which upgrades actually matter offshore. Tinsley walks through ASA training, a game-changing Key Largo refresher, and the Catalina 25 that taught her the value of autopilot and a wheel. She opens the logbook on a night when an alternator belt failed, electronics died, and she and a crewmate lined up on stars until the Coast Guard guided them to safety at dawn—proof that redundancy, calm, and paper backup are not optional. Then the storm hits. Hurricane Sally’s last-minute turn brought surge that snapped lines and wrecked a marina. Tinsley lost her Island Packet 27 and came away with hard insurance lessons: document every upgrade, update coverage, and triple-line for real surge, not the forecast you want. The rebuild led to a new boat and a sharper standard for “yacht quality” installs—tight through-hulls, clean wiring, and maintenance that pays dividends when the Gulf turns mean. The most vulnerable chapter is also the bravest. After Scott’s unexpected passing, the sea felt different. She kept moving anyway—Miami slips, Bahamas weather windows, two cats learning the rhythm of passages—leaning on cruisers’ communities from Women Who Sail to the Georgetown anchorage where skills and spare parts circulate like tide. We also get candid about safety as a solo woman, reading water and people, ICW etiquette, rental-pontoon chaos, and the moment a shadowing boat peeled off when boundaries were made unmistakable. If you love real-world sailing—budgeting, training, storm prep, solo tactics, and the quiet holiness when the engine clicks off—this story will meet you where you are. Subscribe, share with a salty friend, and leave a review with your biggest sailing lesson or question. Your voice helps keep this voyage going. Support the show SALTY ABANDON:  Cap'n Tinsley, Orange Beach, AL: Oct 2020 to Present - 1998 Island Packet 320; Nov 2015-Oct 2020; 1988 Island Packet 27 Feb-Oct 2015 - 1982 Catalina 25 Get rid of those boat smells with Airlock! 10% off with code SALTY here: https://airlockusa.com?sca_ref=10693038.qKP0HHcr3urB&utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=affiliatelink&utm_campaign=prom SALTY PODCAST SAILOR SHIRTS:  https://saltypodcast.myshopify.com/ YOUTUBE PLAYLIST: https://saltyabandon/SaltyPodcastPlaylist Wanna create a Livestream?: Https://streamyard.com/pal/d/5430067749060608 GEAR FEATURED IN MY UPCOMING VIDEOS: 🛟 Boat Fenders → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08S1PXKKR ⚓ Dock Lines → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BS4BNYR9 🧽 Exterior Cleaning Kit → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BL533KR7

    57 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.9
out of 5
13 Ratings

About

The Salty Podcast shares real sailing stories and adventures — expert tips, ocean crossings, storm tales, heartwarming stories, and the quirks of life at sea. Each week, Cap’n Tinsley brings you voices from the water: sailors who’ve crossed oceans, lived aboard, and chased horizons. Join The Salty Podcast each week for adventures in storm survival, cruising life, and the joy of sailing. No fluff — just salty conversations, heartfelt moments, and lessons from sailors worldwide.  Salty Abandon is Captain Tinsley from Gulf Shores & Orange Beach AL:  Oct 2020 to Present -  1998 Island Packet 320; 2015-2020 - 1988 Island Packet 27 (lost in Hurricane Sally Sep 2020)Want to support the podcast? http://patreon.com/SaltyAbandon Salty Podcast Shop:  https://SaltyPodcast.myshopify.com https://youtube.com/@svsaltyabandonhttps://www.facebook.com/saltyabandon sailing podcast, sailing stories, sailing adventures, sailboat life, cruising lifestyle, liveaboard sailors, ocean adventures, solo sailing, circumnavigation, bluewater cruising, sailing the Caribbean, sailing the Bahamas, offshore sailing, storm stories, sailing interviews, real-life sailing stories from around the world, tips and experiences from liveaboard sailors, adventures of solo and crewed sailors, lessons from storms, passages, and long crossings, cruising life beyond the horizon 

Information

  • Creator
    Captain Tinsley
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    103
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Salty Podcast: Sailing Stories & Adventures
  • Show Website
    Salty Podcast: Sailing Stories

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