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Seven at Sea: Why a New York City Family Cast Off Convention for a Life-changing Year on a Sailboat
Erik and Emily skillfully show it is possible to live big on a shoestring budget while giving their family an astonishing education in adventure, creativity, purpose, and grit. Linda and Richard Eyre, #1 New York Times Best-selling Authors of Teaching Your Children Values Working the night shift as a temp in a high-rise cubicle, Erik Orton knew something had to change. He felt the responsibility of providing for his wife and their five children the youngest with Down syndrome but craved a life that offered more than just surviving. Watching the sailboats on the Hudson River during his sunset dinner breaks, Erik dared to dream. What would it be like to leave the hustle of the city and instead spend a year on a sailboat, somewhere beautiful, as a family? Despite having no sailing experience, his wife Emily s phobia of deep water, and already stretching every dollar to pay rent and buy groceries, the family of seven turned their excuses into reasons and their fears into motivation. Sure, they would miss their friends, they could go broke, they could get injured or die. Worst of all, they could humiliate themselves by trying something audacious and failing. But the little time they still had together as a family, before their oldest daughter left for college, was drifting away. The Ortons cast off the life they knew to begin an uncertain journey of 5,000 miles between New York City and the Caribbean, ultimately arriving at a new place within themselves. A portrait of a captivating and resilient family and a celebration of the courage it takes to head for something over the horizon, this is a deeply compelling story told alternately by Erik and Emily for all those who dream of leaving routine in their wake.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published March 4, 2019
39 people are currently reading
1474 people want to read
About the author
Erik Orton
3 books10 followers10 Random Things I Love:
- Sailing (downwind and beam reach)
- Rock climbing (especially granite)
- Surfing (easy waves for now)
- My accordion (everything's better with an accordion)
- Writing books (Seven at Sea, and a couple others in progress)
- Learning (preferably via YouTube)
- Journaling (almost everyday)
- My family (my wife, Emily and our five kids)
- God (I think He's super creative)
Please drop me or Emily a line. We love hearing your stories: hello@fezywig.com
- Sailing (downwind and beam reach)
- Rock climbing (especially granite)
- Surfing (easy waves for now)
- My accordion (everything's better with an accordion)
- Writing books (Seven at Sea, and a couple others in progress)
- Learning (preferably via YouTube)
- Journaling (almost everyday)
- My family (my wife, Emily and our five kids)
- God (I think He's super creative)
Please drop me or Emily a line. We love hearing your stories: hello@fezywig.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 164 reviews
May 19, 2019
A family-first adventure! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Erik and his wife, Emily, have five children. Erik is working a job in a high-rise dreaming of a different life for his family as he watched the sailboats drift by on the Hudson River.
Erik considers buying a sailboat and taking his family on an adventure. He’s never sailed, and his wife is deathly afraid of deep water, but that doesn’t stop him. The lack of large funds didn’t either. They buy the boat and sail to the Caribbean together, over 5,000 miles.
Seven at Sea is a beautiful book. It includes color pictures and a loving family. Both Emily and Erik narrate, which was fun and interesting. The Ortons keep it honest and authentic, too. They include both the highs and the lows of their trip.
I am inspired by the Ortons making their dream a reality. They chose their adventure and wrote a sincere story about it. I loved the epilogue where I learned more about what each family member is doing now. I also enjoyed reading about how the trip affected each family member.
Overall, Seven at Sea is a well-written adventure story involving a family that could be any family going all-in and putting their family first.
I received a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
Erik and his wife, Emily, have five children. Erik is working a job in a high-rise dreaming of a different life for his family as he watched the sailboats drift by on the Hudson River.
Erik considers buying a sailboat and taking his family on an adventure. He’s never sailed, and his wife is deathly afraid of deep water, but that doesn’t stop him. The lack of large funds didn’t either. They buy the boat and sail to the Caribbean together, over 5,000 miles.
Seven at Sea is a beautiful book. It includes color pictures and a loving family. Both Emily and Erik narrate, which was fun and interesting. The Ortons keep it honest and authentic, too. They include both the highs and the lows of their trip.
I am inspired by the Ortons making their dream a reality. They chose their adventure and wrote a sincere story about it. I loved the epilogue where I learned more about what each family member is doing now. I also enjoyed reading about how the trip affected each family member.
Overall, Seven at Sea is a well-written adventure story involving a family that could be any family going all-in and putting their family first.
I received a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
April 2, 2019
3.5 stars, rounding up
I have never wanted to live on a boat. Ever. And after reading this book? I'm even more convinced that I would never, ever want to live on a boat. But, it takes all kinds of people to make this world go around and I like reading about people who are different than me, who have different dreams and go for them.
This book is told from alternating perspectives of both authors, Erik and Emily Orton. I'm really glad it was that way because it was Emily's insights that really connected me to this story. Maybe that's because I am a woman? A wife? A mother? I'm not sure but one thing I do know is that Emily is a saint among women. She supported her husband's dream and helped bring it to fruition. I mean, five kids on a boat? Doing school and balancing chores, meals and everything else? She was the glue that held everything together and I really came away from the book with a healthy admiration for her.
The pacing of this book is slow, but there were interesting things that kept me going. I think the Ortons are a great of example of daring to dream and making those dreams become reality. My dreams may not be the same as theirs, but I love the reminder that with planning, hard work and determination, dreams can come true.
Content: mild peril, an instance or two of mild swearing
- I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
I have never wanted to live on a boat. Ever. And after reading this book? I'm even more convinced that I would never, ever want to live on a boat. But, it takes all kinds of people to make this world go around and I like reading about people who are different than me, who have different dreams and go for them.
This book is told from alternating perspectives of both authors, Erik and Emily Orton. I'm really glad it was that way because it was Emily's insights that really connected me to this story. Maybe that's because I am a woman? A wife? A mother? I'm not sure but one thing I do know is that Emily is a saint among women. She supported her husband's dream and helped bring it to fruition. I mean, five kids on a boat? Doing school and balancing chores, meals and everything else? She was the glue that held everything together and I really came away from the book with a healthy admiration for her.
The pacing of this book is slow, but there were interesting things that kept me going. I think the Ortons are a great of example of daring to dream and making those dreams become reality. My dreams may not be the same as theirs, but I love the reminder that with planning, hard work and determination, dreams can come true.
Content: mild peril, an instance or two of mild swearing
- I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
February 13, 2019
This is an honest memoir about a family taking the road less traveled. The Orton family set sail on sailboat with their 5 kids at a time in their lives when most people are in a good groove. Kids in school, friends, birthday parties, sports, jobs, etc.....
The story talks about the ups such as beautiful anchorages, tropical islands, and amazing people. It also tells you some of the tougher times they encountered such as boat problems, tough navigating, and sometimes just needing a break from the rest of your family. Space can be tight on a sailboat and usually everyone knows what is going on....there is no hiding your feelings. They also make this dream real for the normal family. Did they go on high adventure vacations before this and have a ton of experience? Not really. Did they have a lot of money? Not really. Did they still go and learn from their mistakes and grow as a family? Absolutely. I loved the epilogue at the end and learning what the family is currently doing. You can tell by what has transpired since they returned the trip had a lasting effect on the whole family. Is the sailing life for everyone? Probably not but this memoir gives you inspiration to pick your own adventure.
The story talks about the ups such as beautiful anchorages, tropical islands, and amazing people. It also tells you some of the tougher times they encountered such as boat problems, tough navigating, and sometimes just needing a break from the rest of your family. Space can be tight on a sailboat and usually everyone knows what is going on....there is no hiding your feelings. They also make this dream real for the normal family. Did they go on high adventure vacations before this and have a ton of experience? Not really. Did they have a lot of money? Not really. Did they still go and learn from their mistakes and grow as a family? Absolutely. I loved the epilogue at the end and learning what the family is currently doing. You can tell by what has transpired since they returned the trip had a lasting effect on the whole family. Is the sailing life for everyone? Probably not but this memoir gives you inspiration to pick your own adventure.
October 6, 2019
2.5 starts. I started by being fascinated and a little envious of a family who has the guts and the chutzpah to live so tenuously and in the moment, but as I continued reading, I became annoyed and downright irritated at their recklessness and irresponsibility which reflects more on them as individuals and parents and less on their adventures. Erik seemed to me to be selfishly exuberant, or perhaps exuberantly selfish! He strikes me as a man with ADHD who is always chasing HIS dreams, HIS passions, and everyone else can come along for the ride. I doubt he fully understands how incredibly lucky he is to have a wife who indulges in her husband's whims. I didn't understand the point of their marital discord outlined for a few pages in the book. What was the point of that--to try to show us they were like any normal married couple with additional stressors while living a boat in the middle of the Carribean? It was portrayed as a breezy squabble that they both got over in a day or two, and yet, there were some serious undercurrents of deeper problems as outlined by threat of separation, forging a new path. Weird--it made me think that Erik is a free spirit who will NEVER be satisfied unless he's chasing his next dream . . . at the expense of everyone else. It's more irritating because they belong to the same church I do, but the values espoused by our ancestor pioneers of sacrifice, hard work, and especially, delayed gratification are skewed by this family to justify what they do. Yes, they sacrifice and work hard, and you could claim they delay gratification, but it's all in pursuit in indulging in Erik's quest, Erik's dreams, Erik's restlessness. And the parents claim they're teaching their kids to grab opportunities, chase their dreams . . . but how realistic is it for them to live their future lives with such wanderlust? Of course their kids mostly love it--they don't know any different life! But, with so many girls in the family, you would hope their parents would teach them the value of a partner who can support them, dig in and provide for stability, sacrifice for the greater good of the family. I feel Erik and Emily have set up unrealistic expectations of family life for their children which will make it impossible for them all to happily achieve with their future families.
October 5, 2019
This is nonfiction about a family that decides to set sail on the open seas for a long while. The parents pack up 5 kids (the youngest with Down Syndrome) and hope they have enough money for a year at sea.
I liked the humor in this. I also liked the learning process this whole traveling experience was for the entire family. I also appreciated the emphasis they put on family and making memories. Family came first and they always made room for attending church regardless of where they were or on which island they were on.
Now here comes the BUT....in the beginning I thought what an incredibly understanding wife Emily was. She gave in every time as her husband cajoled her into giving him what he wanted. I never got the idea that this was her dream. There was also a little honest moment about some marriage discord, but I didn't feel it was properly resolved in the book. So, 3 stars for me.
I liked the humor in this. I also liked the learning process this whole traveling experience was for the entire family. I also appreciated the emphasis they put on family and making memories. Family came first and they always made room for attending church regardless of where they were or on which island they were on.
Now here comes the BUT....in the beginning I thought what an incredibly understanding wife Emily was. She gave in every time as her husband cajoled her into giving him what he wanted. I never got the idea that this was her dream. There was also a little honest moment about some marriage discord, but I didn't feel it was properly resolved in the book. So, 3 stars for me.
April 1, 2019
A compulsively readable, gripping, thought provoking, at times emotional, exasperating, exhausting, optimistic and hopeful account of one family's search for what really matters, their decision to do something crazy and risky to find it, and the subsequent life-changing journey they took to following through. It is filled with insight, humor, danger, uncomfortable honesty, and poignant lessons learned along the way to realising that the journey is the destination and no matter what happens, relationships are the most important things we have in our lives and we should shrug off what doesn't matter to strengthen and refine them.
March 22, 2019
I enjoyed this book. It was well written. It was fun and adventurous. You get a first hand account of everything that happens during this year while reading the authors accounts. It is, for the most part, reading their diary pages.
The family is committed to their adventure, they are very likable and work well together to get things to happen.
I find it is a very inspirational story however it is not realistic for anyone to pick up and head out to sea and live their dream. Most people have to work to pay bills and don't have investments to support themselves if they make a decision to live off the grid temporarily. Erik Orton was working for a temp agency but he and his wife also had investments that they could transfer into cash to assist them. This is not something that everyone has to assist. I don't believe any of this would have possible if they were not personally bankrolled.
Their tale of adventure is fun and captivating and Erik has a way with words that shows his true spirit and the spirit that exists within his family. They are truly a blessed family.
I also want to mention Ray Romijn, a busker the family encountered along the way and I have fallen in love with his music. He is truly an up and coming star.
Thank you to Erik Orton, Shadow Mountain and Goodreads. I received this book in a Goodreads Giveaway and this is my honest review.
The family is committed to their adventure, they are very likable and work well together to get things to happen.
I find it is a very inspirational story however it is not realistic for anyone to pick up and head out to sea and live their dream. Most people have to work to pay bills and don't have investments to support themselves if they make a decision to live off the grid temporarily. Erik Orton was working for a temp agency but he and his wife also had investments that they could transfer into cash to assist them. This is not something that everyone has to assist. I don't believe any of this would have possible if they were not personally bankrolled.
Their tale of adventure is fun and captivating and Erik has a way with words that shows his true spirit and the spirit that exists within his family. They are truly a blessed family.
I also want to mention Ray Romijn, a busker the family encountered along the way and I have fallen in love with his music. He is truly an up and coming star.
Thank you to Erik Orton, Shadow Mountain and Goodreads. I received this book in a Goodreads Giveaway and this is my honest review.
June 5, 2019
Twee and tedium in equal measure.
This is the tale of a brave couple who made the brave decision to not live on Manhattan for a year. Being great adventurers, they bravely sublet their cramped flat on the Upper East Side and spend a year daringly drifting aimlessly about a couple of islands in the Caribbean before heading home via the notoriously treacherous Inter-coastal Waterway. The punch line is that they brought their five precocious children with them, so it's really cramped!!!!! Along the way there are times they get really cold, maybe even damp. There is even some sunstroke. But fear not, these intrepid seven do get back to New York City, and find themselves changed by the prospect of getting a book deal!
There is a genre of books out there that describes people who have made all kinds of radical changes in their lives and have something to say about it: think,Henry David Thoreau, Scott Nearing, or Louise Dickinson Rich. Then there are those whose lives went very wrong and they needed to learn how to survive: think Adrift: Seventy-Six Days Lost at Sea. There are charming memoirs of familial misadventures, such as Life with Father. Then there are books like Canoeing with the Cree where the author is trying to discover something about himself. Then there are books like Mississippi Solo: A River Quest where the author is trying to discern something about where he lives. This book tries so hard to be a mashup of all of these, but without any of that messy stuff that makes it interesting.
What results is a sub G-Rated family adventure where nothing any more risky than your own family's trip to Disney World occurs. It feels like the complete lyrics of Mumford and Son printed upon vanilla Jello. This is a supremely low risk 'adventure', and the family dynamics are simply too good to be true. There is more distilled family wholesome in this thin book than can be obtained from the entire The Little House Collection. In fact this book constitutes an entirely new global reserve. It's banal. It's boring.
In closing I just really want to take issue with the subtitle. There are no "cast-off" conventions in this cozy little voyage. They left NOTHING BEHIND. The climax of this nothing of a book is that they walked a couple blocks home from the boat to their apartment.. and then Erik went back to his day job and everyone else went back to their lives. omg.
This is the tale of a brave couple who made the brave decision to not live on Manhattan for a year. Being great adventurers, they bravely sublet their cramped flat on the Upper East Side and spend a year daringly drifting aimlessly about a couple of islands in the Caribbean before heading home via the notoriously treacherous Inter-coastal Waterway. The punch line is that they brought their five precocious children with them, so it's really cramped!!!!! Along the way there are times they get really cold, maybe even damp. There is even some sunstroke. But fear not, these intrepid seven do get back to New York City, and find themselves changed by the prospect of getting a book deal!
There is a genre of books out there that describes people who have made all kinds of radical changes in their lives and have something to say about it: think,Henry David Thoreau, Scott Nearing, or Louise Dickinson Rich. Then there are those whose lives went very wrong and they needed to learn how to survive: think Adrift: Seventy-Six Days Lost at Sea. There are charming memoirs of familial misadventures, such as Life with Father. Then there are books like Canoeing with the Cree where the author is trying to discover something about himself. Then there are books like Mississippi Solo: A River Quest where the author is trying to discern something about where he lives. This book tries so hard to be a mashup of all of these, but without any of that messy stuff that makes it interesting.
What results is a sub G-Rated family adventure where nothing any more risky than your own family's trip to Disney World occurs. It feels like the complete lyrics of Mumford and Son printed upon vanilla Jello. This is a supremely low risk 'adventure', and the family dynamics are simply too good to be true. There is more distilled family wholesome in this thin book than can be obtained from the entire The Little House Collection. In fact this book constitutes an entirely new global reserve. It's banal. It's boring.
In closing I just really want to take issue with the subtitle. There are no "cast-off" conventions in this cozy little voyage. They left NOTHING BEHIND. The climax of this nothing of a book is that they walked a couple blocks home from the boat to their apartment.. and then Erik went back to his day job and everyone else went back to their lives. omg.
March 7, 2019
This book is so great! The voice of both of the authors, Erik and Emily Orton, were both amazing. I loved the way they both talk, giving the story of their family and adventures a complete feeling.
The authors start this one out before they’ve even learned how to sail a boat. I loved the way that gives the reader the full story of what they did and why. The reader gets to follow these two and their family as they learn to sail, figure out what kind of boat they want, and deal with their adventures and misadventures at sea.
This book includes maps and pictures. This gives the reader a way to form images in their mind. I loved being able to see where each of the sections took place and relate all of those things to the story.
This one’s non-fiction. I can’t say I’ve ever wanted to live with our three kids on a boat on the ocean. But reading this book made me see that there can be so much more to life for a family then being in one central location. It’s something to think about!
The authors start this one out before they’ve even learned how to sail a boat. I loved the way that gives the reader the full story of what they did and why. The reader gets to follow these two and their family as they learn to sail, figure out what kind of boat they want, and deal with their adventures and misadventures at sea.
This book includes maps and pictures. This gives the reader a way to form images in their mind. I loved being able to see where each of the sections took place and relate all of those things to the story.
This one’s non-fiction. I can’t say I’ve ever wanted to live with our three kids on a boat on the ocean. But reading this book made me see that there can be so much more to life for a family then being in one central location. It’s something to think about!
July 26, 2019
I once learned the very, very first lessons of sailing and, although I loved that and someday might like to have a mini sailboat like the one I learned in to sail on calm small local lakes and ponds, after reading a book like this I think real sailing out on the ocean does not sound at all like my cup of tea. Luckily that does not dampen my enjoyment of reading about this family's adventures doing something together that they love. I was impressed that they talked about both the joys and difficulties of that much togetherness, and a little bit about how they worked through the many issues that came up. It makes me want to be a little better with my own family.
July 25, 2019
I now understand why my husband never reads books about inexperienced sailors! I found this book poorly written, whiney and very frustrating. This couple takes their 5 children (including one special needs child) on a 6 month sailing adventure in the Caribbean. They had very little sailing experience, not much money and little mechanical expertise. The father behaved like a spoiled brat when things didn't go his way almost ruining his marriage. They were very lucky they all returned safely. Yes, they all seems to have a great experience. The sea can be extremely dangerous as many have found.
May 25, 2020
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The thought of sailing the ocean blue in a yacht has always appealed to me. The romance of the high seas, the freedom from the day to day responsibilities of modern life. Here is a family that managed to do that while staying together as a unit.
On the surface this sounds like exactly the kind of book I would like, but the reality of the situation is that a memoir is only as likeable as the people writing it and I ended up disliking the two co-authors. While I admire they're thriftiness and rejection of modern consumerism, I found myself annoyed by both the wife and husband of the writing duo behind this book. The husband comes off as prideful to a fault, rather than learn from a failure he decides to pack up his things and change careers entirely. Simultaneously he looks down on his new job and sees it just as something to pay the bills rather than a real career. The wife goes along with all of this, which I guess could be seen as admirable since she puts up with a lot to keep the family together, on the other hand once they get on the boat and start sailing around I found myself annoyed by her chapters, especially her "I know best" attitude to raising her special needs kid.
The two adults seem to get on their new boat without much of a plan, for a large portion of the book they can't seem to make up their mind whether to sail north or south. In the end they suddenly realize they need to sail back to NY, and also that there is a time limit dictated by their boat insurance that they need to sail out of the hurricane zone by a certain time of the year. The fact that this didn't seem to factor in during any point in time for their earlier waffling back and forth regarding where to go was really baffling to me. Their dash back to NY up from the carribbean really highlights their inexperience as sailors, and lack of preparation, which made for a good adventure but for some reason I found annoying. Part of the issue for me was the lack of learning or humility from the two authors. They seem to be winging it with every expectation that things will just work out fine.
In the end their hubris leads to the boat sinking almost within sight of new york harbor. This was probably my favorite part of the book and from my point of view as the reader was just the sobering reality of their situation catching up with them. The husband and captain of the ship is pretty much 100% responsible for the boat going down, which happens due to what in the mountaineering world is called summit fever. He chooses to sail through unknown waters in the middle of the night in bad conditions, just so he can sail into NY harbor at a certain time and day (because wouldn't that be nice). The fact that after sailing for thousands of miles they still haven't learned to let nature's rhythms dictate their journey in order to stay safe is mind boggling. And in the book the authors never owns p to what a gigantic mistake the husband made (he doesn't learn or take it as an opportunity to own up and self reflect, and his wife doesn't seem to be interested in playing the blame game.)
In the end this book would be a good read for those interested in sailing and owning and living on their own boat. There is a good overview of the different things that can go wrong, and what can be done to remedy these issues. It is a sobering reminder that achieving your dreams can come at an unforseen cost. Overall I think the family did a great job, and I'm sure the kids will all turn out fine. The co-authros are a little weird and just not my type of people. I never got comfortable with them, and their voice. Their world view is was skewed just a little too much away from mine and I found it off-putting on numerous occasions.
You can read it if you want to go into sailing or living off the grid or on a tight budget. Otherwise it's not worth it.
The thought of sailing the ocean blue in a yacht has always appealed to me. The romance of the high seas, the freedom from the day to day responsibilities of modern life. Here is a family that managed to do that while staying together as a unit.
On the surface this sounds like exactly the kind of book I would like, but the reality of the situation is that a memoir is only as likeable as the people writing it and I ended up disliking the two co-authors. While I admire they're thriftiness and rejection of modern consumerism, I found myself annoyed by both the wife and husband of the writing duo behind this book. The husband comes off as prideful to a fault, rather than learn from a failure he decides to pack up his things and change careers entirely. Simultaneously he looks down on his new job and sees it just as something to pay the bills rather than a real career. The wife goes along with all of this, which I guess could be seen as admirable since she puts up with a lot to keep the family together, on the other hand once they get on the boat and start sailing around I found myself annoyed by her chapters, especially her "I know best" attitude to raising her special needs kid.
The two adults seem to get on their new boat without much of a plan, for a large portion of the book they can't seem to make up their mind whether to sail north or south. In the end they suddenly realize they need to sail back to NY, and also that there is a time limit dictated by their boat insurance that they need to sail out of the hurricane zone by a certain time of the year. The fact that this didn't seem to factor in during any point in time for their earlier waffling back and forth regarding where to go was really baffling to me. Their dash back to NY up from the carribbean really highlights their inexperience as sailors, and lack of preparation, which made for a good adventure but for some reason I found annoying. Part of the issue for me was the lack of learning or humility from the two authors. They seem to be winging it with every expectation that things will just work out fine.
In the end their hubris leads to the boat sinking almost within sight of new york harbor. This was probably my favorite part of the book and from my point of view as the reader was just the sobering reality of their situation catching up with them. The husband and captain of the ship is pretty much 100% responsible for the boat going down, which happens due to what in the mountaineering world is called summit fever. He chooses to sail through unknown waters in the middle of the night in bad conditions, just so he can sail into NY harbor at a certain time and day (because wouldn't that be nice). The fact that after sailing for thousands of miles they still haven't learned to let nature's rhythms dictate their journey in order to stay safe is mind boggling. And in the book the authors never owns p to what a gigantic mistake the husband made (he doesn't learn or take it as an opportunity to own up and self reflect, and his wife doesn't seem to be interested in playing the blame game.)
In the end this book would be a good read for those interested in sailing and owning and living on their own boat. There is a good overview of the different things that can go wrong, and what can be done to remedy these issues. It is a sobering reminder that achieving your dreams can come at an unforseen cost. Overall I think the family did a great job, and I'm sure the kids will all turn out fine. The co-authros are a little weird and just not my type of people. I never got comfortable with them, and their voice. Their world view is was skewed just a little too much away from mine and I found it off-putting on numerous occasions.
You can read it if you want to go into sailing or living off the grid or on a tight budget. Otherwise it's not worth it.
July 12, 2019
An interesting book, but at time a bit aggravating to read. I don't have any sailing background. I would be interested to know what a true sailor would think of this. It seemed like this family was very inexperienced and probably undertook this trip prematurely. For example, at one point, he talks about heading into a 500mile stretch without knowing if he has insurance to cover him, uncertain of his weather, and his previous experience only being 80miles up to that point. They relied heavily on others around them for help in fixing problems or address in immediate needs. And while it does seem like that sailing community is a group of people who "give and take", the incidences related in this book seemed like there as a lot of "taking" without any "giving" back. They were simply too inexperienced to offer help to others and I think relied (consciously or subconsciously) on the fact that a family with five kids would endear themselves to others to get the assistance they required.
The story is a series of blunders. I can't even remember them all - some as simple as mis-tying a knot and losing equipment to not going though the drawbridge correctly to actually having their boat sink. Yet, this plucky family gets through it all and doesn't see it as anything uncommon. This is where I wish I had an experienced sailor friend who could give me their opinion because my impression is that a great deal of these blunders could have been minimized or avoided with proper planning, better knowledge, exercising caution, or better equipment. There is a huge emphasis in the book on the virtues of risk-taking and so their journey (blunders and all) is considered something to be lauded, at least that is the authors' perspective. But as a parent myself, it feels irresponsible to commit yourself to such a risky course with so little preparation and knowledge. It's one thing to take risks that affect you or other informed adults, but it's another level when you have the responsibility of children and expose them to potential consequences of your choices in the quest of pursuing adventure and risk ( and spinning it as a good thing).
Yes, they did an amazing trip and yes, they had amazing family experiences. They were quite lucky that nothing disastrous happened - and owe of a lot of their good luck to the helpful souls who took pity on them (and yet they don't seem to recognize this.)
Glad I read it; don't particularly recommend it.
The story is a series of blunders. I can't even remember them all - some as simple as mis-tying a knot and losing equipment to not going though the drawbridge correctly to actually having their boat sink. Yet, this plucky family gets through it all and doesn't see it as anything uncommon. This is where I wish I had an experienced sailor friend who could give me their opinion because my impression is that a great deal of these blunders could have been minimized or avoided with proper planning, better knowledge, exercising caution, or better equipment. There is a huge emphasis in the book on the virtues of risk-taking and so their journey (blunders and all) is considered something to be lauded, at least that is the authors' perspective. But as a parent myself, it feels irresponsible to commit yourself to such a risky course with so little preparation and knowledge. It's one thing to take risks that affect you or other informed adults, but it's another level when you have the responsibility of children and expose them to potential consequences of your choices in the quest of pursuing adventure and risk ( and spinning it as a good thing).
Yes, they did an amazing trip and yes, they had amazing family experiences. They were quite lucky that nothing disastrous happened - and owe of a lot of their good luck to the helpful souls who took pity on them (and yet they don't seem to recognize this.)
Glad I read it; don't particularly recommend it.
January 9, 2020
I listened to this book, and I appreciated the fact that there were both a male and female narrator to give voice to Erik and Emily. It was great to listen to while taking down Christmas decorations. :) There were both things that I like and disliked about this book.
I liked the easy narrative style. They used their five senses in describing various aspects, and it made it live for me. I had a couple of good takeaways from the book. One is the emphasis to let go of time and enjoy the moment. I liked the idea of letting things emerge rather than worrying about forcing events, timing, people, etc.
Another good takeaway is that people are people and emotions vary regardless of your circumstance. The Ortons were living a dream in the Caribbean and yet they still had ups and downs in their moods which impacted their relationships. It dispels the myth that if you are "in paradise" you will always be happy. They portrayed their relationships with honesty, which was both refreshing and a bit too much at times. I didn't need to know all.
There were some other things that I didn't like, which were enough for me to rate this a 3-star book. The book was a journey story full of stories that followed a travels from one place to another--first this, then this, then that. Memoirs needs a basic theme, and I felt like an over-arching theme was missing. In essence, it felt like a travel-log. Going along with that is that it was way too long. If the book had been around 5 hours (listening time) rather than 8.5 hours, it would have been so much better. Cutting the book down would have forced the authors to really pick the stories that were the most important.
The other thing that I found highly disappointing was the lack of religious and spiritual influence. I first heard about this book because Erik and Emily spoke at Time Out for Women. They talked about some of the spiritual experiences they had in preparing for this event and in living it out. Some of the comments they made were powerful, and I've pondered them over the weeks since I heard them speak. These were absent from the book. I really wanted more of that side, which I was expecting since it was published by Shadow Mountain, an imprint of Deseret Book.
I liked the easy narrative style. They used their five senses in describing various aspects, and it made it live for me. I had a couple of good takeaways from the book. One is the emphasis to let go of time and enjoy the moment. I liked the idea of letting things emerge rather than worrying about forcing events, timing, people, etc.
Another good takeaway is that people are people and emotions vary regardless of your circumstance. The Ortons were living a dream in the Caribbean and yet they still had ups and downs in their moods which impacted their relationships. It dispels the myth that if you are "in paradise" you will always be happy. They portrayed their relationships with honesty, which was both refreshing and a bit too much at times. I didn't need to know all.
There were some other things that I didn't like, which were enough for me to rate this a 3-star book. The book was a journey story full of stories that followed a travels from one place to another--first this, then this, then that. Memoirs needs a basic theme, and I felt like an over-arching theme was missing. In essence, it felt like a travel-log. Going along with that is that it was way too long. If the book had been around 5 hours (listening time) rather than 8.5 hours, it would have been so much better. Cutting the book down would have forced the authors to really pick the stories that were the most important.
The other thing that I found highly disappointing was the lack of religious and spiritual influence. I first heard about this book because Erik and Emily spoke at Time Out for Women. They talked about some of the spiritual experiences they had in preparing for this event and in living it out. Some of the comments they made were powerful, and I've pondered them over the weeks since I heard them speak. These were absent from the book. I really wanted more of that side, which I was expecting since it was published by Shadow Mountain, an imprint of Deseret Book.
March 5, 2019
Erik and Emily Orton and their 5 children, ages 6-16 (one with Downs Syndrome) have made a spur-of-the-moment decision to chuck work and life in New York and journey to the Caribbean. There, they obtain a sailboat and begin their one-year exploration of a new life adventure.
The story takes the reader through all the trials of living together in tight quarters; learning to navigate the waters; and learning all the ins-and-outs of sailing itself. There are good time and not so good times. However, it is a life lesson for all.
At first, I was a bit bored with all of the sailing terminology that didn't interest me at all. However, it got a bit better because my husband and I have taking cruises to the Caribbean and have even rented a sailboat and crew for a week to sail to different Caribbean islands. Glorious adventures!
I can also understand the frustrations and the victories they faced. Dropping everything and taking on a whole new life is quite a challenge. My family and I did that twice when we all moved to Paris where my husband had been offered a job with NATO for a few years. For us, it was moving to a whole new country and learning a whole new language. There were huge challenges but also lots of wonderful memories. I’m sure the Orton family will all grow from this experience. It proves to us that we can do something different. It’s good to take us away from what we know and experience new things. Good for them.
If you life to think what it would be like to take on a totally different life, do give this book a read. You might find that you are braver than you think. Good luck.
Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
The story takes the reader through all the trials of living together in tight quarters; learning to navigate the waters; and learning all the ins-and-outs of sailing itself. There are good time and not so good times. However, it is a life lesson for all.
At first, I was a bit bored with all of the sailing terminology that didn't interest me at all. However, it got a bit better because my husband and I have taking cruises to the Caribbean and have even rented a sailboat and crew for a week to sail to different Caribbean islands. Glorious adventures!
I can also understand the frustrations and the victories they faced. Dropping everything and taking on a whole new life is quite a challenge. My family and I did that twice when we all moved to Paris where my husband had been offered a job with NATO for a few years. For us, it was moving to a whole new country and learning a whole new language. There were huge challenges but also lots of wonderful memories. I’m sure the Orton family will all grow from this experience. It proves to us that we can do something different. It’s good to take us away from what we know and experience new things. Good for them.
If you life to think what it would be like to take on a totally different life, do give this book a read. You might find that you are braver than you think. Good luck.
Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
November 6, 2020
Three and a half, maybe four stars. I have to say I slept through the first hour or two of this audio book. Not because it was boring, but because it helps me fall asleep when someone is reading a bedtime story to me. But it must have caught my interest more than a sleep aide, because I listened with great interest to the rest of the book. This family of two parents and five children learned a new skill, together, when really the only person interested in the new skill and adventure of it was the dad. But the fact that the others were willing to support him and go along with taking sailing lessons and going on an adventure with him says a lot about the support this family has for each individual. Not to mention living in close quarters—on a sailboat!—and dealing with endless Hours of boredom with a few exciting adventures thrown in there—well, it’s just remarkable. In the process they learned who they were, both as individuals and as a family; they learned to be vulnerable to the elements and to new human beings; they learned to work together, to love one another, to be a team.
As for the first couple of hours, or 25% of the book, I tried twice to go back and listen to them, and I finally decided to just listen to the rest. And I still got a lot out of this book. So I probably won’t be trying again to listen to the beginning. I’m good. It’s good. Enjoy.
As for the first couple of hours, or 25% of the book, I tried twice to go back and listen to them, and I finally decided to just listen to the rest. And I still got a lot out of this book. So I probably won’t be trying again to listen to the beginning. I’m good. It’s good. Enjoy.
August 22, 2023
I've read many sailing journey type novels but not one that involved a family with 5 kids! Being a mum to one child, I can't imagine living and traveling with him for 10 months on a sailboat so I give a lot of props to the Ortons for even thinking of doing this trip.
I wish Goodreads would let you do half a star as I'd have this as 4.5. It was interesting, but not overly in depth about anything about the islands they sailed to. I didn't like the plugs to friends blogs or children's music videos etc. Since I listened to this, perhaps it was more annoying then just being able to skim over it in a physical book. I did enjoy the broader concepts of life they broached in this book, which I feel was their main drive to write this.
Many people dream of doing things like this trip with their family (myself included), as we only live once right? And we talk ourselves out of it, because it's scary, and we worry about money, security and perception from others. We list all the ways in which things can fail we focus on that. But what if we changed the question into: what would we gain if we did this and it turned out okay? I don't know why for me this was such a profound concept, but it's been making me think differently.
The way the Ortons included their children in their decision making was really nice to see. I learned a few things from their parenting style and hope I've learned a few things from how they look at life as well.
I wish Goodreads would let you do half a star as I'd have this as 4.5. It was interesting, but not overly in depth about anything about the islands they sailed to. I didn't like the plugs to friends blogs or children's music videos etc. Since I listened to this, perhaps it was more annoying then just being able to skim over it in a physical book. I did enjoy the broader concepts of life they broached in this book, which I feel was their main drive to write this.
Many people dream of doing things like this trip with their family (myself included), as we only live once right? And we talk ourselves out of it, because it's scary, and we worry about money, security and perception from others. We list all the ways in which things can fail we focus on that. But what if we changed the question into: what would we gain if we did this and it turned out okay? I don't know why for me this was such a profound concept, but it's been making me think differently.
The way the Ortons included their children in their decision making was really nice to see. I learned a few things from their parenting style and hope I've learned a few things from how they look at life as well.
February 24, 2019
I thoroughly enjoyed traveling along with the Ortons on their family adventure! Erik, Emily and their five children decide to learn to sail and this leads eventually to the purchase of a catamaran they rename Fezywig and a 5,000 mile adventure lasting nearly a year. Not every couple, let alone a family this size, could stand so much closeness; this family not only survives intact but grows through the shared experience and trials and joys along the way. The reader is treated to the whole experience, both the highs and lows. The Ortons travel to some amazing places, but also get stuck waiting on boat repairs and weather and have to rethink their plans and expectations. Through this process, they all learn to slow down and take life as it comes. There is no sugarcoating here. Life on a boat can be dangerous, but without risk, there is no reward. Living the life of a cruiser is not for everyone, but this family inspires with their willingness to break out of the mold and try on a new lifestyle.
Thank you to Shadow Mountain Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to Shadow Mountain Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.
January 25, 2024
Can you have a review that is a like/dislike relationship? If you can, that is how I would describe this book. Being a lover of sailing stories, I was looking forward to this. Many parts were interesting and fun to read. There were a fair amount of parts that just were frustrating. I have to agree with other reviewers on the dad in this book. Although he could be strong, supportive, etc., there were enough times when he was short with his family (even though it was his idea to sail), not understanding with his kids/wife when things went wrong (he had some accidental mistakes as well) and just plain self-serving. He has an angel for a wife and I was happy she stood up for herself and the kids several times throughout the book. There were plenty of good times to redeem the story, but it just was hard to get down with some of the thought processes going on. It's my first sailing read that I was not entirely thrilled with so that's new.
March 31, 2019
This book, about a family of seven who decides to live aboard a 38-foot long catamaran while sailing around the Caribbean and the Bahamas, makes for an interesting read. It's a very honest and intimate account about the things that went wrong on the trip (constant boat repairs, inclement weather, injury, arguments, etc.) and the things that went well (family togetherness, meeting new people, seeing exotic places, etc.). Although the Ortons don't make sailing sound very glamorous and they definitely did NOT convince me to follow in their wake, their book was intriguing enough to keep me reading. It got monotonous and dull in places (like any boat trip, probably), but overall I liked it. I'd give it about a B-.
September 22, 2022
Read this book about a family of seven boating around for a year while my family of seven was RVing around for two weeks - it was a perfect read for the moment with lots to relate to about family life in small spaces and getting your kids out into the world.
September 25, 2019
Why did they do this? I almost felt like it was staged just to make money from writing a book about the experience. Still, it was interesting.
April 14, 2023
This was one of those books that left me in tears but the end. I loved experiencing their journey all along the way.
January 27, 2022
After living on a boat for 4 years with 6 kids, I could relate to this family. We did stay at a marina and only took it out to scrape the bottom. Lots was learned. The kids husband loved it me not so much.
October 26, 2020
What a crazy adventure!
July 27, 2019
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
I don't read a lot of non fiction but this is the type I enjoy most other than reference materials like cooking or knitting books. There are travel books of the reference type which can also be helpful and they also tend to contain stories in addition to the facts.
If you enjoy travel stories and human adventures, this is a highly recommended read for you. I really enjoyed so many things. The alternating chapters and points of view between Erik and Emily was great. Having two perspectives is wonderful; it would have been interesting to have a paragraph from each child's thoughts too. I appreciated their hard-won learning and journey into something new. I admire their courage in going into the unknown. Seven at Sea is told in an honest sharing by these two parents, mistakes and triumphs all on view.
While not everything went smoothly, (when does that happen?), it gave them such an amazing education. It's not just the sailing skills they developed, it is the emotional journey. They learned to work together in close quarters as a family, a team. This family found new friends in many places. Erik and Emily chose to devote time to the family being together instead of each off on some separate tasks of work, education or other activities (sports, music, etc.). This worked well with their setting out into a unique experience together. What a stunning success for their family!
Narration:
George Newbern is a familiar narrator to me. Erica Sullivan is new to me. I really enjoyed the narration at 1.5x speed. Since there was little dialogue, each narrator gave us the stream of thoughts by their character. They did a wonderful performance.
Listen to a clip: HERE
COYER: REad a book with a ridiculously long title. 97 characters PTS: 3
I don't read a lot of non fiction but this is the type I enjoy most other than reference materials like cooking or knitting books. There are travel books of the reference type which can also be helpful and they also tend to contain stories in addition to the facts.
If you enjoy travel stories and human adventures, this is a highly recommended read for you. I really enjoyed so many things. The alternating chapters and points of view between Erik and Emily was great. Having two perspectives is wonderful; it would have been interesting to have a paragraph from each child's thoughts too. I appreciated their hard-won learning and journey into something new. I admire their courage in going into the unknown. Seven at Sea is told in an honest sharing by these two parents, mistakes and triumphs all on view.
While not everything went smoothly, (when does that happen?), it gave them such an amazing education. It's not just the sailing skills they developed, it is the emotional journey. They learned to work together in close quarters as a family, a team. This family found new friends in many places. Erik and Emily chose to devote time to the family being together instead of each off on some separate tasks of work, education or other activities (sports, music, etc.). This worked well with their setting out into a unique experience together. What a stunning success for their family!
Narration:
George Newbern is a familiar narrator to me. Erica Sullivan is new to me. I really enjoyed the narration at 1.5x speed. Since there was little dialogue, each narrator gave us the stream of thoughts by their character. They did a wonderful performance.
Listen to a clip: HERE
COYER: REad a book with a ridiculously long title. 97 characters PTS: 3
May 12, 2019
I was amazed at what this family went through in order to sail for what seemed like a short period of time. They did have some amazing adventures if you overlook the dangers they also encountered. I would award the mother a medal because without her this adventure would never have happened as a family. Her husband had the most sailing knowledge but she had the faith and courage to make it a success.
December 22, 2018
I usually prefer fiction; I love reading as an escape from reality. But this memoir, Eric and Emily Orton’s Seven at Sea, was about as literally an escape from reality as possible. It didn’t read as fiction — the family likely wishes their adventure could have offered more fantasy — but it takes a lot of guts and gumption to give up the life you know for the dream of a life untethered.
Seven at Sea recounts the Ortons challenges and joys of a year at sea, sailing on a smaller catamaran… as a family of seven. Unconventional to start, the large family lived in a two bedroom apartment in Manhattan where Eric alternated between creative jobs and cubicle temp night shifts. Five children are already a handful; the youngest’s Down Syndrome offers yet another twist.
A year’s sail in the Caribbean wasn’t a family dream; it was Erik’s. None had any previous sailing experience; Emily even had a phobia of deep water! But readers will love that the idea was to prove they could all get out of their comfort zones and face challenges together. In fact, their honesty and courage — and the kids’ willingness to go with it — is what makes this book so fascinating to read. Despite this, I have to admit that it was cringeworthy to follow along on the Orton’s journey.
Seven at Sea definitely doesn’t romanticize cruising. In fact, so much of what the Orton’s convey is just how hard it was to do even the little things. Their boat is a money pit, their finances remain a point of stress, and it seems there were always more pains than pleasures. But this family seems to believe that their lives could be enriched by the experience. The learning and adventure was worth it. And the together time. But… is there such a thing as too much togetherness?
Takeaways from Seven at Sea will be different for every reader, but an overall theme is that we should definitely not all ditch our jobs and buy sailboats anticipating a new life at sea. For me, I appreciate the follow through on a most challenging goal. And have to say… Emily deserves major kudos!!
Seven at Sea recounts the Ortons challenges and joys of a year at sea, sailing on a smaller catamaran… as a family of seven. Unconventional to start, the large family lived in a two bedroom apartment in Manhattan where Eric alternated between creative jobs and cubicle temp night shifts. Five children are already a handful; the youngest’s Down Syndrome offers yet another twist.
A year’s sail in the Caribbean wasn’t a family dream; it was Erik’s. None had any previous sailing experience; Emily even had a phobia of deep water! But readers will love that the idea was to prove they could all get out of their comfort zones and face challenges together. In fact, their honesty and courage — and the kids’ willingness to go with it — is what makes this book so fascinating to read. Despite this, I have to admit that it was cringeworthy to follow along on the Orton’s journey.
Seven at Sea definitely doesn’t romanticize cruising. In fact, so much of what the Orton’s convey is just how hard it was to do even the little things. Their boat is a money pit, their finances remain a point of stress, and it seems there were always more pains than pleasures. But this family seems to believe that their lives could be enriched by the experience. The learning and adventure was worth it. And the together time. But… is there such a thing as too much togetherness?
Takeaways from Seven at Sea will be different for every reader, but an overall theme is that we should definitely not all ditch our jobs and buy sailboats anticipating a new life at sea. For me, I appreciate the follow through on a most challenging goal. And have to say… Emily deserves major kudos!!
October 12, 2019
This book was disappointing. The writing wasn’t great, with much of it sounding like a series of lists of things they did, without really relaying their experiences. I was expecting a little more excitement and sense of adventure in a book about a family at sea for months. But, the thing was, they weren’t really “at sea” for much time at all, living mostly docked at different islands, sometimes for months. I was also left kind of appalled at many of their choices. They embarked on this experience in the age of internet, but seemed blindsided regularly by things I would have researched beforehand, like the cost of groceries on a Caribbean island, or common boat engine issues, equipment and their costs, etc.
It’s difficult to like a book in which the main person is someone you find incredibly unlikable. This was the situation I found myself in with Eric, the father of this sailing family. An early description of him left me thinking, “He sounds like a freaking nightmare,” and as the book went on, that opinion was cemented.
There were few standout lessons learned and shared that had much impact. The only memorable one was the three different kinds of confidence they felt their family was getting from the experience.
It’s difficult to like a book in which the main person is someone you find incredibly unlikable. This was the situation I found myself in with Eric, the father of this sailing family. An early description of him left me thinking, “He sounds like a freaking nightmare,” and as the book went on, that opinion was cemented.
There were few standout lessons learned and shared that had much impact. The only memorable one was the three different kinds of confidence they felt their family was getting from the experience.
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