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Where the Wind Blows: From the Boardroom to the Aegean: A True Story of Family, Resilience, and Discovery Under Sail
One bold decision. Three teenagers. A family sabbatical through the ancient ports of the Mediterranean.
EXCLUSIVE: Includes access to a private visual archive of nearly 200 original voyage photos from the Where the Wind Blows expedition.
Trade the boardroom for the breakwaters. Where the Wind Blows is the unforgettable true story of Heyward and Charlotte Coleman as they uprooted their lives to set sail with three teenagers through Greece, Turkey, Italy, and Spain.
Written with the technical eye of a former U.S. Nuclear Submarine Officer, this memoir goes beyond the standard cruising log. It is a story of resilience, humor, and the raw grit required to turn a career-driven family into a seasoned, ocean-crossing crew.
Why readers love the "Voyages of Skimmer" series:
Expert Perspective: Experience the refits, the gales, and the mechanical puzzles through the lens of a Nuclear Navy veteran--where technical authority meets the unpredictable sea.
A Family Transformed: Watch as three teenagers trade city comforts for seamanship, navigating winter squalls in the Aegean and quiet dawns on the Ionian.
The "Gunk-holing" Route: Beyond the tourist traps, discover the hidden coves and ancient harbors of the Mediterranean as few travelers ever see them.
"I felt I was with them." (Five-Star Review)
Join nearly 4,000 readers who have shared this highly-rated, 4.5-star journey. This family adventure is a masterclass in what it means to rely on one another, backed by hundreds of five-star reviews.
Sail with the Skimmer through:
Sun-bleached Greek Islands | Turkey's hidden coves | Historic Ports of Italy and Spain | The Strait of Gibraltar | Winter squalls in the Aegean
Whether you are a seasoned mariner or an armchair adventurer, Where the Wind Blows is your invitation to leave the safe harbor behind and find out what lies over the horizon.
Also Available: The Next Port -- the global circumnavigation that follows this Mediterranean odyssey.
EXCLUSIVE: Includes access to a private visual archive of nearly 200 original voyage photos from the Where the Wind Blows expedition.
Trade the boardroom for the breakwaters. Where the Wind Blows is the unforgettable true story of Heyward and Charlotte Coleman as they uprooted their lives to set sail with three teenagers through Greece, Turkey, Italy, and Spain.
Written with the technical eye of a former U.S. Nuclear Submarine Officer, this memoir goes beyond the standard cruising log. It is a story of resilience, humor, and the raw grit required to turn a career-driven family into a seasoned, ocean-crossing crew.
Why readers love the "Voyages of Skimmer" series:
Expert Perspective: Experience the refits, the gales, and the mechanical puzzles through the lens of a Nuclear Navy veteran--where technical authority meets the unpredictable sea.
A Family Transformed: Watch as three teenagers trade city comforts for seamanship, navigating winter squalls in the Aegean and quiet dawns on the Ionian.
The "Gunk-holing" Route: Beyond the tourist traps, discover the hidden coves and ancient harbors of the Mediterranean as few travelers ever see them.
"I felt I was with them." (Five-Star Review)
Join nearly 4,000 readers who have shared this highly-rated, 4.5-star journey. This family adventure is a masterclass in what it means to rely on one another, backed by hundreds of five-star reviews.
Sail with the Skimmer through:
Sun-bleached Greek Islands | Turkey's hidden coves | Historic Ports of Italy and Spain | The Strait of Gibraltar | Winter squalls in the Aegean
Whether you are a seasoned mariner or an armchair adventurer, Where the Wind Blows is your invitation to leave the safe harbor behind and find out what lies over the horizon.
Also Available: The Next Port -- the global circumnavigation that follows this Mediterranean odyssey.
- GenresNonfictionTravel
332 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 26, 2013
About the author
Heyward Coleman
2 books11 followersHeyward Coleman is a former submarine officer in the U.S. Nuclear Navy with a Master’s in Nuclear Physics from Duke University and an MBA from the Harvard Business School. Throughout a career spanning the oil shipping industry, the founding of an environmental radiochemistry laboratory, and the development of cutting-edge cancer therapies, he has remained driven by a dual passion for technical innovation and maritime adventure.
He is the author of the two-part series, The Voyages of Skimmer. The first volume, Where the Wind Blows, recounts the 1989 family sabbatical that transformed a career-driven executive and his family into a seasoned crew in the Mediterranean. The sequel, The Next Port, follows his subsequent five-year circumnavigation—a journey defined by technical resilience and the invention of the "Caliban" autopilot, a Rule bilge-pump-powered system engineered mid-Pacific by his son, Alex.
To bridge the gap between the technical grit of the written word and the reality of life at sea, Heyward has created an exclusive Digital Vault for his readers. This private online gallery contains hundreds of high-resolution photographs documenting the "Caliban" in action, the Turkish and Charleston refits, and the remote horizons of the French Canals and the Amazon River. Access to this visual archive is a reward provided exclusively to readers within the pages of his books.
Today, Heyward lives in Charleston, South Carolina. While his ocean-crossing days are behind him, he spends several months each year navigating the inland waterways of Europe aboard his canalboat, Magnolia—proving that for a true explorer, the journey never truly ends.
He is the author of the two-part series, The Voyages of Skimmer. The first volume, Where the Wind Blows, recounts the 1989 family sabbatical that transformed a career-driven executive and his family into a seasoned crew in the Mediterranean. The sequel, The Next Port, follows his subsequent five-year circumnavigation—a journey defined by technical resilience and the invention of the "Caliban" autopilot, a Rule bilge-pump-powered system engineered mid-Pacific by his son, Alex.
To bridge the gap between the technical grit of the written word and the reality of life at sea, Heyward has created an exclusive Digital Vault for his readers. This private online gallery contains hundreds of high-resolution photographs documenting the "Caliban" in action, the Turkish and Charleston refits, and the remote horizons of the French Canals and the Amazon River. Access to this visual archive is a reward provided exclusively to readers within the pages of his books.
Today, Heyward lives in Charleston, South Carolina. While his ocean-crossing days are behind him, he spends several months each year navigating the inland waterways of Europe aboard his canalboat, Magnolia—proving that for a true explorer, the journey never truly ends.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
February 9, 2023
A good story about a family learning the ups and downs of living together in a small space.
The skipper/owner's wife was verging on paranoid about danger and I'd have abandoned the trip rather than put up with her whingeing each time they needed to leave a harbour.
A proof reader before it went to print would have been a great help, and about half way through I started highlighting the mistakes, and I've just seen that there were 19 in that half!
I'd like to have learned more about the sailing and less about the history of the ruins they visited though I'm sure an equal number of readers would prefer the opposite.
The author was at his best when regaling us with stories about how the corrupt officials in customs, boat yards and really just about everywhere, were doing a good job of fleecing him whilst smiling at him.
The skipper/owner's wife was verging on paranoid about danger and I'd have abandoned the trip rather than put up with her whingeing each time they needed to leave a harbour.
A proof reader before it went to print would have been a great help, and about half way through I started highlighting the mistakes, and I've just seen that there were 19 in that half!
I'd like to have learned more about the sailing and less about the history of the ruins they visited though I'm sure an equal number of readers would prefer the opposite.
The author was at his best when regaling us with stories about how the corrupt officials in customs, boat yards and really just about everywhere, were doing a good job of fleecing him whilst smiling at him.
June 29, 2026
I received a free copy of this book from a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
This isn’t my normal type of book, but I enjoyed learning about sailing and particularly about the travails of bureaucracy in the Mediterranean in the late 1980s. It helped me realize also how much easier travel and living abroad is now with cell phones and internet. The author’s hatred of the Greeks is legendary but also became annoying. In general, I grew weary of the day to day descriptions of the sailing and ports, which all ran together for me. For a seasoned sailor, especially one who had travelled this region, I’m sure this book would be much more interesting.
This isn’t my normal type of book, but I enjoyed learning about sailing and particularly about the travails of bureaucracy in the Mediterranean in the late 1980s. It helped me realize also how much easier travel and living abroad is now with cell phones and internet. The author’s hatred of the Greeks is legendary but also became annoying. In general, I grew weary of the day to day descriptions of the sailing and ports, which all ran together for me. For a seasoned sailor, especially one who had travelled this region, I’m sure this book would be much more interesting.
May 7, 2026
What a fantastic book this was. An interesting and eventful journey around the Mediterranean in the late 80s. I would have loved to have been one of their children missing a year of school to go sailing! It was a very addictive read and I felt quite sad when the trip was all over and the yacht was being sold. I am, however, delighted to see there is a sequel about a 5 year circumnavigation voyage!
July 17, 2023
Thank you Hayward for both of your cruising tales. I read them in the order you wrote them and found both fun to read and informational. I have over 20,000 sea miles on many types of sailboats, mostly wooden classics. I left Southern California straight out of high school hitchiking to the East Coast and then crewing to the Caribbean where I stayed for almost five years with one trip back up to Mystic on Sandefjord,a 1913 Nowegian lifesaving redningskoite owned by the Cullen Brothers from South Africa. What I liked about both of your voyages was the many stops you took to enjoy where you were. Many of my voyages were destination based so stopping was only for necessities. “Where the Wind Blows” actually showcased your beginnings in cruising and sailing experience whereas “The Next Port” exemplified how much you had learned and honed your cruising techniques. Taking your young family along was admirable and I’m sure they benefitted greatly from the experiences and have great memories.
Btw, this review is by Katelyn’s father, Kendall. Perhaps we will meet someday on the canals in France. I am currently planning my own cruising retirement. Cheers to you both and family.
Btw, this review is by Katelyn’s father, Kendall. Perhaps we will meet someday on the canals in France. I am currently planning my own cruising retirement. Cheers to you both and family.
July 28, 2021
A strangely lack lustre read
I wanted to like this book but somehow it never came alive for.me. This American family spent a year sailing and while I'm sure they were actually absolutely charming, they drove me mad. Now about thirty years ago, the smart alicky children will be middle aged and settled in life but then,.although they plainly became good seamen, they annoyed me constantly.
Maybe I'm being unfair, this book did nothing for me but you might love it.
I wanted to like this book but somehow it never came alive for.me. This American family spent a year sailing and while I'm sure they were actually absolutely charming, they drove me mad. Now about thirty years ago, the smart alicky children will be middle aged and settled in life but then,.although they plainly became good seamen, they annoyed me constantly.
Maybe I'm being unfair, this book did nothing for me but you might love it.
November 29, 2021
It’s OK
It’s not a bad story, but truthfully the author seems so full of himself that I had a hard time enjoying it. He comes across as a pompous, typically arrogant American that looks down his nose at everyone else…including his family. It must have been hell having to sail with this guy. He never misses a chance to remind everyone how successful of a businessman he is (was?)
Anyway, if you can get past that, it’s not a bad travelogue about sailing the Med.
It’s not a bad story, but truthfully the author seems so full of himself that I had a hard time enjoying it. He comes across as a pompous, typically arrogant American that looks down his nose at everyone else…including his family. It must have been hell having to sail with this guy. He never misses a chance to remind everyone how successful of a businessman he is (was?)
Anyway, if you can get past that, it’s not a bad travelogue about sailing the Med.
January 17, 2022
Close to home
The Coleman's visited many places I did in 83. I am many years and miles away from that now but this read refreshed memories that made me smile and laugh.......and recount to my current audience of family and friends. Thanks.
The Coleman's visited many places I did in 83. I am many years and miles away from that now but this read refreshed memories that made me smile and laugh.......and recount to my current audience of family and friends. Thanks.
May 25, 2023
A. very good read about a families developing adventure.
Great descriptions of places in the Mediterranean and the families ways of coping with planning their sea borne adventure balancing risks against experience. The challenges dealing with beaurocrats was interesting.
Great descriptions of places in the Mediterranean and the families ways of coping with planning their sea borne adventure balancing risks against experience. The challenges dealing with beaurocrats was interesting.
August 12, 2023
excellent book for sailors
This is the second book by Heyward Colman and both excellent, to see this family learn to sail a big boat in the Med not the most forgiving place to learn despite what is said about it, thank you very much all of you. Mike
This is the second book by Heyward Colman and both excellent, to see this family learn to sail a big boat in the Med not the most forgiving place to learn despite what is said about it, thank you very much all of you. Mike
July 16, 2024
Good book about cruising the eastern med
I enjoyed this book. We have been now sailing for 8 years and have no regrets. As a cruiser, I identified with many issues encountered and solved. It is a good read.
I enjoyed this book. We have been now sailing for 8 years and have no regrets. As a cruiser, I identified with many issues encountered and solved. It is a good read.
May 9, 2025
I love nautical yarns. And this one doesn't disappoint. A very easy going read and ideal for those that need a bit of escapism.
January 11, 2026
DELIGHTFUL READ
This was quite an enjoyable and entertaining read. I am looking forward to starting the next book. Glad I found this.
This was quite an enjoyable and entertaining read. I am looking forward to starting the next book. Glad I found this.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews