Kyle - enjoying his chocolate cake

Kyle was born in the USA in Cheyenne, Wyoming but was raised in the Denver, Colorado area. Surprisingly far from sailboats or sailing, but with a lot of access to the Rocky mountains and many outdoor activities which gave him a love for the beauty of nature and the solitude and majesty of the outdoors. Unlike his interest in flying, which he can trace to a definite, specific, moment in his childhood, his interest in sailing gradually snuck up on him; probably as a result of watching too many episodes of Qunicy ME. Realizing after about the 20th episode that Quincy lived on a boat, the idea that someone can live on a boat stuck in Kyle's head and gestated over many years.

He attended both alternative Junior High and High School which concentrated on a self directed curriculum and encouraged independent thought and exploration. He went to college and became a professional pilot. His first order of business after flight school was to move to San Francisco, probably drawn by the deep hidden dream inside him to get on a sail boat. For the next 5 years he had many a moment staring at the sail boats in the bay, and flying around them while getting his sea plane ratings, wondering if he would ever be able to learn to sail and even live on a boat someday. Kyle even bought a house, which turned out to be not much to his liking, apart from his not having to ask for permission to get a new pet (he loves animals, eventually ending up with 10, including cats, dogs, parrots and the world's cutest Green Iguana)

From flight instructing, Kyle moved to flying night freight in small twin engine airplanes up into the rural mountain airports of the Pacific NW, and eventually moved to Portland, Oregon before getting his current job as a passenger airline pilot for Continental/Express Jet which took him to Houston, Texas, and then Cleveland Ohio. While checking the classifieds for a car he was selling, he noticed on the facing page "Sailboats for sale", and found that coincidentally there were many sail boats selling for the same price as he was expecting for the car - $2900.

In short order Kyle had his first sailboat - a 1978 Hunter 25 with the rather unfortunate name of "Baby Cakes". His next order of business was to find a place to keep the boat, and someone to teach him how to sail it! Once his training was complete (on a boat appropriately named Patience), Kyle proceeded to sail at every available opportunity. It did not take long after acquiring Baby Cakes to realize that he wanted something he could at last live aboard and sail year round. His first thought was to go back to Portland Oregon, a place that he was very much in love with and since the first time he saw it he knew he wanted to be "from there". After a long search, Kyle found a boat in Norfolk, VA - a 1987 Hunter 35.5 - which he promptly had trucked overland to Portland, and moved aboard.

Unfortunately, not long after to moving to Portland, Kyle and his then wife separated, partly due to differences in sailing philosophies. Kyle lost the boat and nearly all his possessions, finding himself back in Cleveland and living aboard Baby Cakes again, which mercifully he had not yet had time to sell. After a few months getting reacquainted with sailing his old friend Baby Cakes, Kyle met Maryanne on the Internet. Maryanne immediately jumped out at Kyle, her photo was a very natural one taken on a remote and windy beach and in her profile she said many lovely things about life and about sailing.

Kyle and Maryanne immediately hit it off and soon she was living aboard with him on Baby Cakes. They then were very fortunate to get to have 2 solid months sailing with each other over the length and breadth of Lake Erie. Kyle says one of the best things about Maryanne, was that even on a 25' boat, for days at a time, she was always wonderful company and the boat never felt too small for the two of them - he knew he could go anywhere with her. During the next winter, they found Prydwen, the boat they would live on until Footprint. Now that they are done saving hard for Footprint, they are saving hard for early retirement in the hopes of an open ended cruise. Kyle has continued to work with Express Jet and is now a senior Captain based out of Newark, New Jersey.

Maryanne - so cute

Maryanne was born in Devon, England, but was raised in the Lincolnshire/Cambridgeshire border area. Even as a youngster she was quiet and independent. She was head girl at school, and excelled academically. She started studying at Liverpool University for a degree in Maths, following a career path to be a Maths teacher. Sidetracked, she left University and started a career in computing. She worked for various companies, and as expected did well, travelling and working internationally in both Germany, and South Africa for work. Eventually she decided that despite her great career, salary and home, she was living the 'rat race', her life was on a treadmill, and was no longer under her direction - she broke out and decided to return to university to take a 2nd degree - this time in Marine and Environmental Biology; not for the academic goal, but as a life skill to supplement her new hobby as a SCUBA Diver.

This move really helped Maryanne discover her freedom, she became a SCUBA diving instructor, got involved with underwater archaeology, travelled more, and was very happy. But all good things must end, and the final year of her degree course left her undecided as to what to do next. Not wanting to return to a standard working life, she considered back-packing (dropping out), a Ph.D., and even working until she could decide what next - nothing especially appealed. She wanted more of a challenge, and decided to learn to sail - hoping eventually to perhaps cross the Atlantic - "fishing for her supper".

Learning to sail was not as productive as she had hoped. Maryanne planned several weekends of sailing instruction, but each time there was either too much wind, or none at all. None of this seemed to deter her, and at the same time she was getting her VHF and RYA Coxswain qualifications, each useful for her boating future.

Not long after, Maryanne met Kyle, and they have been inseparable ever since. Her dream of crossing the Atlantic is now stretching to possibly sailing around the world.

Maryanne married Kyle and became a permanent resident of the USA. Her first year was marvelous as she was not allowed to work, and She and Kyle moved Prydwen from Lake Erie to Virginia - a wonderful adventure. The next few years were spent busy saving for their now shared dream - which Footprint will help them achieve.

While based in Virginia she continued to learn: Ham Radio Extra, Diesel mechanics courses, and even studied for her Captains' license until she decided it cost too much. She even included Kyle into training he had not bargained for, and last minute exams, but that, she says, is a different story.

Crew of Footprint - Kyle and Maryanne