Sailing with Love
Our Story
Sailing wasn’t always part of our life plan. It began when Tom joined a team-building trip with coworkers and spent a week sailing the St. Lawrence. He came home completely captivated by sailing—and by the dream of someday heading south to blue water. Years passed, but that spark never faded for him.
In June 2019 we finally took the leap and bought our first boat, a Shark 24. Tom was instantly hooked. Me… maybe a little less so at first. I loved the calm when we were sailing, but I wasn’t thrilled with the heeling and the lack of comforts. Then life paused for a bit because COVID happened, a move to the country, and the kind of “life happens” years that put adventures on hold.
By 2022 we were ready again and upgraded to our beloved Sea Turtle (Agra), who gently eased me into truly loving sailing. We spent a total of 3 sailing seasons learning on Lac Deschênes, gaining confidence, and dreaming bigger. June 2023, Tom was diagnoses with PTSD from his Canadian Armed Forces deployments. We quickly made the connection that sailing was something deeply meaningful for him—a calming therapy of sorts. We were out on the water as much as four times a week if the weather permitted. We truly thought we had a good handle on this sailing thing!
In winter 2023 we took another giant step and purchased Agra2 in Racine, Wisconsin. Tom started LTD for his PTSD December 2023. Bringing her home through the Great Lakes over 2.5 months was humbling, incredible, challenging, and unforgettable all at once. Since then, our time has been filled with sailing the St. Lawrence, exploring the Thousand Islands, tackling repairs and upgrades, and preparing for our next chapter.
Despite the challenges we’ve faced so far, sailing has become something truly special for us—it’s where Tom finds his calm, grounding, and a piece of himself that can be hard to reach on land. And for me, it’s where I get to see that version of him again. So yes, we love the adventure and the beauty of sailing—but for us, it’s also healing, connection, time together, and memories we treasure.
We’re not perfect sailors, fearless explorers, or professional adventurers. We’re just us—learning as we go, celebrating the wins, laughing at the mishaps, and sharing the real story of what it’s like to chase the horizon.
If you love sailing, good stories, and honest adventures, welcome aboard.
You’re in the right place.
Meet Our Crew
Get to Know Us
Captain Tom
Tom proudly served 30 years in the Canadian Armed Forces as both an infantry soldier and Military Police member, and now continues life as a Veteran. After working with the federal government, he is currently on permanent LTD and awaiting a medical pension while navigating life with PTSD. When he isn’t on the water, you can usually find him woodworking, working on the sailboat, kayaking, riding the ATV, or planning our next adventure.
Admiral Nicole
I spent 25 years working in childcare, including running a home daycare from 1996 to 2018, before retiring when Tom finished his military career. These days I love quieter joys: knitting, crocheting, crafting, digital planning, kayaking, snowshoeing, reading, and we just started ballroom dancing. And more than anything, spending time with my family. I never dreamed sailing would be part of my life story, but here we are… and I’m so grateful it is.
First Mate Ryleigh
Ryleigh is our 10-year-old Shichon with plenty of sass, endless devotion to “her” people, and very little patience for strangers or her overly enthusiastic puppy niece who steals attention and snacks. She’s gentle, loving, fiercely loyal, and the perfect sailing companion for me. She may be small, but she has a very big place in our hearts.
About Us
(because it really is hard to separate us)
We’ve been married for 31 years, high school sweethearts who went to college together, built a life, raised two amazing daughters, and collected more memories than we can count. In 2020, we traded city life for a quiet home in the country. Though true “empty nesting” has only existed for about one year! We share our lives with our sweet fur baby, daughters, a grand-fur-baby, wonderful neighbours who regularly steal us for card nights, and a whole lot of love, humour, and history.