Sailing is as much about judgment as it is movement—reading wind, water, and timing with precision. These posts explore life on the water, from practical experience to the quieter realities of navigation, weather, and decision-making, where small choices can carry significant consequences.
Mitchell Felding sails to Tangalooma, where sunlit beaches and holiday crowds give way to a darker game of loneliness, resentment and opportunity. Watching couples from offshore, he spots women who feel ignored or trapped, offers them sympathy, and takes what he wants beneath the stars—then asks whether anyone is hurt.
Tangalooma For Sun, Sea and Loved-Up Couples and Families Read More »
The Duyfken visited Scarborough marina around twenty years ago. Recently, I saw her in Mandurah, passing through the canals. The ship holds historical significance, as it was the first to record a landing in Australia in 1606. Despite its small size, it represents a bygone era of sailing. [Link to video provided].
Duyfken Visits Mandurah. Historic Replica Ship Comes to My Hometown. Read More »
Solo sailing offers serenity, freedom and the unsettling knowledge that anything can happen beyond sight of land. Recalling a dangerous coastal voyage through Queensland’s Wide Bay Bar, Michael considers the isolation, fear and psychological endurance of life at sea—and how those experiences shaped the dark oceanic mystery of SEETHINGS II.
Unexplained Disappearances On Oceans When Sailing Read More »
Money, glamour and murder begin gathering around a Raby Bay canal home and a sixty-foot catamaran. Michael imagines the woman who might command it: a beautiful doctor, skilled sailor and fertility specialist with secrets. Felicity Snow has not quite arrived, but the first unsettling pieces of her character are forming.
Moreton Bay: Glamour, Catamaran Sailing, and Dark Secrets in Raby Bay Read More »
A new book trailer? Not quite. This time, the trailer is for my boat. After years of registration limbo, missing paperwork and delicate family politics, I finally replaced the old beast with something new. Now the nonsense can stay ashore while Margo and I get back to fishing together again.
My New Trailer Is Finished Read More »
A yachtsman’s routine morning near Moreton Island turned horrifying when a tangled rope released a young woman’s body beneath his anchored vessel. With no reported missing tourists, no confirmed identity and no known cause of death, police are searching Lucinda Bay and surrounding waterways for answers to a disturbing mystery.
Body Found Underneath Boat Anchored Near Moreton Island Read More »
For three years, I traded clocks and schedules for tides, wind, and weather aboard a thirty-foot yacht. Life at sea stripped away distractions and taught me a different way to live—one guided by nature, simplicity, and self-reliance. This is a reflection on freedom, solitude, and the ocean’s enduring rhythm.
I Once Lived By The Rhythm Of The Sea Read More »
Before the first book was written, came a small writing life on MySpace (see below this red text). It was called “Captain’s Log” and was intended to chronicle my new life at sea. The marriage was nearing its end, and so I moved from the land to the water. It was a big step. I
Pre-SEETHINGS Journey with Michael Forman Read More »
Ahoy, fellow sea enthusiasts! Have you ever noticed that when it comes to naming recreational fishing boats, there’s a certain charm in simplicity? It seems like the name “Bob” has become the unsung hero of the nautical world, making waves as the go-to moniker for boat owners who prefer a dash of humour with their
Bob’s Your Boat, Not Just Your Uncle Read More »
Australia’s wildlife has a terrifying reputation, but statistics suggest otherwise. The sharks, snakes and spiders are deadly but barely register compared with the far more common hazards found throughout the big brown land. Before visiting Australia, tourists have similar concerns. Not the cost of the flights to get there.Not the jet lag after arriving.Not even
Dear Tourist: Australia Isn’t Trying to Kill You (Mostly) Read More »