Meet Annie, a fun and feisty twelve and a half-year-old girl living in California with her family who goes sailing for six months in 1979-1980!

Book cover for "Girl Sailing Aboard the Western Star"

She loves horseback riding and hanging out with her friends, and avoiding her older brother (well, of course!)! One night in August 1979, her parents inform Annie and DJ that they’re going sailing. On a 53-foot sailboat. For six months. In the Caribbean. Can you IMAGINE?!

To Annie, it seems as though her entire world has come crashing down! Sure, her family goes sailing from time to time off the California coast – for a weekend or so, but not for six months! She’s being taken away from her friends, her life, her showing of horses! Annie makes sure to note everything down to the last detail in her diary how unfair this all is. Just like a twelve-year-old would do! (I remember journaling about how mad I was at certain things – do you?!)

Regardless of Annie or her brother DJ’s intense dislike for their upcoming journey, they’re going. There were no options. Her parents sold their home in California, shipped the majority of their animals and belongings to Kentucky, and then packed up and headed for Florida and the Bahamas, where they would board their sailing home for the foreseeable future!  

I can only imagine the HORROR of this at twelve! This book, ‘Girl Sailing Aboard the Western Star,’ is so much fun! I was laughing while reading along with Annie’s adventures and the drama that comes along with being twelve. Especially in that situation.  

The Western Star sounds like an exquisite sailing boat! I even went out and tried to find images on Google, which I did find. I can’t guarantee it’s the same boat, though it does have the same name!  

Bimini location, the Bahamas
Bimini location, the Bahamas

Annie and her family set off on their sailing adventure from Bimini, the Bahamas. Before this book, I’d never heard of it. Apparently, though, Ernest Hemingway lived there in the 1930s, and Bimini’s entirety celebrates that fact. There’s even an Ernest Hemingway restaurant – Hemingway’s Restaurant!

From Bimini, the family goes sailing to Nassau, via the Providence Channel. From Paradise Island in Nassau, they head towards Eleuthera, also in the Bahamas, where they end up docking at Cape Eleuthera Marina & Yacht Club. Annie’s journal has all sorts of interesting facts that I wouldn’t have known otherwise about the Bahamas! Did you know that European settlers first landed on Eleuthera Island in 1648? That was quite some time ago!

Annie’s parents make sure that she and DJ have a lot of fun, in addition to their schoolwork, while they’re sailing the Caribbean! They bought two jet-skis for both kids to enjoy when they were anchored and staying in one place for a while! How awesome would that be? To cruise around the Bahamas on a jet-ski and come back to your home on a sailboat!? I’m seriously in awe and slightly jealous!

Map of the Bahamas Islands
Map of the Bahamas Islands

Once they leave Cape Eleuthera, they head for Little San Salvador Island. Did I mention that while all this sailing and docking is occurring, they get to go SNORKELING too!? While you’re reading Annie’s diary, you being to realize that what started as the most offensive thing that could ever happen to a twelve-year-old – might have been a blessing! The things that she and her family got to do are unlike the majority of people I know, that’s for sure!  

After a bit of exploring in Little San Salvador, they begin sailing towards Cat Island! (I want to go here, huge fan of cats!) Annie and her family celebrate Christmas while being anchored near Cat Island, and they exchanged meaningful handmade gifts instead of the typical items we share nowadays! I think homemade gifts are the way to go! They’re more personal and show how much you care!  

Cat Island, pink sand beach, where the family had went sailing towards on their journey
Cat Island – pink sand beach

Cat Island seems to be one of Annie’s favorites that she wrote about – mainly because of the mostly deserted beach, and the PINK, yes PINK, sand! I can only imagine! That’s definitely on my bucket list now! Another plus for their prolonged stay at Cat Island is that Annie began her scuba diving lessons! After a bit of a rough start, where she wasn’t getting oxygen as the tank malfunctioned – wait, let’s not get into that – she has a BLAST! Diving down deep and seeing the giant assortment of different colored fish and reefs was an incredible experience. At least, as I saw it through her eyes!

Next up, sailing to Conception Island, which was deemed a National Park in 1964! The Island is home to green turtles, several types of migratory birds, and who knows what else! Supposedly, it’s considered to be the most beautiful Island in the Bahamas! This Island was one of the first Islands that was discovered by Christopher Columbus! There are some ruins on the Island that suggest people did live there before 1900! Take a look here.

Blue parrotfish
Blue parrotfish

Annie and her family went diving at Conception Island, specifically to “the wall,”and her journey below sounds mesmerizing! She saw orange sea fans, yellow brain coral, organ pipe coral, blue parrotfish, triggerfish, blue tangs, bluehead wrasse, sea stars (aka, starfish – BLUE ONES!), sea turtles, sharks, and MORE! How insanely wonderful does that sound?! Another thing to add to my bucket list! Another tidbit of info that Annie gives out while sharing her diving experience here is that parrotfish poop sand. Sand. Seriously.

By February of 1980, Annie’s family had sailed to Long Island in the Bahamas! They followed along Long Island until they reached Stella Maris Marina. Annie didn’t have the best time on Long Island. She’s super allergic to mosquitos and states that they’re “man-eating” there. So they weren’t there too long – and soon were sailing towards Hispaniola via the Old Bahama Channel.  

Citadelle Henri Christophe photo
Citadelle Henri Christophe

Hispaniola is an island comprised of two independent nations; Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Annie’s family made their stop at Port Du Cap-Haitien, Haiti. While they were staying in port at Haiti, Annie’s mom was determined to see Citadelle Henri Christophe, which was once Henri Christophe’s home. He was the only monarch of Haiti ever. How neat is that?!

Fortaleza San Felipe photo in Puerto Plata.  Annie's family went sailing around the cape and saw this gem!
Fortaleza San Felipe

After they departed Haiti, they sailed their way to Puerto Plata, the Dominican Republic. While heading towards Puerto Plata, they get to view the Fortaleza San Felipe! Stunning! While they’re anchored in Puerto Plata, Annie’s mom gets ahold of her family in Santo Domingo, and she and Annie travel there via bus to visit! Once their visit is over, which Annie loved, as she got to take a “real” shower, they flew to San Juan, Puerto Rico, to meet up with her dad and brother! Talk about a side-trip!

After a short interlude while in San Juan, while their sailboat is fixed up a bit, and Annie gets her belated Christmas/birthday gift; they begin sailing to St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. Annie and her brother get to start exploring St. Thomas a bit on their own, so long as they stick together. They even meet up with some kids their age that are there as well. Their time on St. Thomas was well-spent, and Annie found herself with her first crush. They get to attend a carnival event, which they had a blast at, made new friends and enjoyed their time together.

Anchorage Condos in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands.  The last place her family was sailing towards to stay.
Anchorage Condos in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands

At long last, after months of sailing aboard the Western Star, they make their way to Anchorage Condos in the St. Thomas Yacht Club, where they stayed for a while for DJ and Annie to finish school. Not too long after, around May of 1980, Annie, DJ, and their parents moved to Kentucky as planned.  

Annie, or RuthAnne, goes into a bit more detail near the end of the book about how her life continued from there. The details about what happened to some of the farm animals from California. Along with how she kept showing horses and more. Honestly, it took me a day and a half to read the book. It definitely reads like a journal, not a formal text. Which makes sense, considering she kept this actual journal while she was sailing on the Western Star. It’s all based on real events, and it is incredible to relive her time as seen through her eyes 40 years later!

RuthAnne was kind enough to do a Q&A with me via email to boot! Here’s how that went down:

1.     How did your family and friends react to your book?

My parents couldn’t believe how the book made them feel like they were back on the Western Star, but through my eyes. My husband and his mom thought this book was really good too, and those were the best compliments of all.

2.     What’s your favorite pastime?

Traveling, being with my pets, and writing. Right now, I am spending most of my time writing, and I have my assistants (three cats and a dog) helping me take breaks. One of my new books is based on a trip to Europe. It’s awesome to allow my mind to travel back and feel as if I am back there. Needless to say, I am really enjoying that project.

3.     What happened between you and blue eyes?!

We met back up when I was in college, but his life was always going to be on a boat and my heart was on a farm.

4.     Do you still go sailing? How often?

I haven’t sailed in a very long time, but my dad and brother had small charter fishing boats in the mid to late 1980s and I won a huge fishing tournament in the Florida Keys. I released all the fish, by the way. I learned how to water ski and met my husband at Cypress Gardens in Florida around the same time and we spent many hours on the lakes, but in a ski boat. Now my oldest son has the boat and we ski when we visit him in Florida.

5.     How long, from beginning to end, did it take you to get the book together and get it published?

About 18 to 20 months.

6.     You’re a huge fan of showing horses. Did that continue when you got back to Kentucky? Have your kids followed in your footsteps?

Riding has always been a huge part of my life. I was the youngest rider to win the 17 & Under at the California Professional Horsemen’s Association (CPHA) finals at age 10 and the first juvenile rider from California to win at the World’s Championship Horse Show held at the Kentucky State Fairgrounds in Louisville, Kentucky. Riding and training with the “First Lady of Equitation” in the American Saddlebred industry and world-renowned horse trainer, Mrs. Helen K. Crabtree in Simpsonville, Kentucky and won multiple world’s championship titles.

I’ve been busy preparing another journal-style adventure like Girl Sailing to share what it was like growing up with horses and the hard work involved in becoming a champion. My new book, The Last Crabtree Girl, will be available on July 1, 2020.

7.     How are you and your family handling this lockdown business?

My husband has worked more than ever, still flying around the world. My youngest son had to finish his junior year of college at home. My middle son works from his home and says it’s really hard to work and not play games all day. My oldest son is working from home as well, but he works for Universal Orlando and had several new projects they’d started, so he is hoping they can get back at it soon. Yes, he designs new rides and things at Universal in Orlando. How fun is that?! Because of this lockdown, I have spent more hours focused on writing (or rewriting) to get books launched sooner.

8.     What are you looking to accomplish in say, the next 5 years?

To publish a book a year would be Amazing! I also hope to one day answer these questions in person. I think it would be fun to talk to people about my books and maybe tell kids how important it is to journal. It doesn’t have to be published, but journaling was an important outlet in my life.

9.     Now that it’s been a while, do you and your brother DJ get along any better? Does he have fond memories of your adventures?

DJ and I are so close! DJ and I look back and can laugh at our time on the boat. It was actually fun and once we left the boat, we were together, staying at Crabtree Farms, and we had each other as an important part of a support system, and he ended up being one of my biggest cheerleaders throughout my horse showing career.

10.  Have you ever gone back to any of the places your family sailed to back then? If so, have the places changed any or are they still similar?

Yes, I have gone back to a couple of the places, and I can’t tell you how much they have changed. The places where DJ and I rode the Jet Skis no longer exist. The Atlantis Hotel on Paradise Island now takes up the whole island at the first place in Nassau where we rode. I went there and was shocked. Also, the water isn’t clear like it was when we sailed back then. It seems murky and all the reefs are dull. The colors aren’t as bright and brilliant as I remember them. Cat Island, my favorite place in the book, is no longer a vacant beach. It has hotels all over. I actually thought I would go down there to finish this book, but the trip to Europe took its place.

11.  As a young girl, you really wanted to help the poor people you came into contact with on your adventure – have you ever been able to do anything like that?

Yes! I am involved with several nonprofit organizations in my hometown and I donate to several not in my area. And all the proceeds go to a nonprofit organization from my fun little pet books, the If Pets Could Talk series on Amazon.

12.  Where will be the first place you travel to when you can, once the lockdowns are let up?

My middle son and I have a trip planned for two weeks in Japan in October, but if that’s canceled, we will go the next year. I feel lucky to have been able to spend the whole month of January this year in Argentina and Antarctica researching for another book. So, it hasn’t been that long ago that I was able to travel. By the way, that trip was amazing!

13.  I loved your Puffins series, and this book is a winner as well! What’s next in regards to writing?!

Thank you so much for loving my Puffin series. They were so much fun to write. I haven’t announced it to the public (until now), but The Last Crabtree Girl should be out July 1st and I have a middle grade chapter book series I am starting (book one is in the second rewrite stage) and I hope to have that launched this fall. The problem is that the second book was supposed to be based in Japan and that trip will probably have to be postponed.

14.  What would you say to your younger self if you could go back? Any advice or helpful tips?

Don’t be afraid to try new things, go on adventures, and be open to suggestions. I would tell my younger self, “Don’t worry, be happy. Everything will be alright.” Maybe I wasn’t afraid, but there were several times when I acted like I did at the beginning of Girl Sailing, where I didn’t want to go, but when I did, it was awesome. It took me a few times to learn that lesson. I would also tell myself to journal more often because even if I didn’t publish the stories, I think our stories about our lives need to be documented and remembered later in life.

15.  What is your favorite quote?

I have at least ten, but these are my top two:

“Imagination is more important than knowledge.” –Albert Einstein

“To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.” –Anatole France

What’s your take on this book, if you’ve had a chance to read it? You can purchase it on Amazon, as well as other major booksellers! If not, do you think you’ll add it to your list of things to be read? I’m always adding new things to my Goodreads list! It’s always growing! What about you? What are you currently reading?

If you’re interested in other reviews I’ve done, go check these out too! I’d love a comment or share! No More Dodging Bullets; Three Paws; Dancing to the Darkest Light & Doggy Defenders! All a fun mix for adults and kiddos, depending on what you’re looking for! 🙂 Or if you’d like an absolutely adorable, kid friendly book that’s also written by RA Anderson, go check out my review on her Puffins series!

Author RA Anderson - head shot.  Author of Girl Sailing Aboard the Western Star
Author of Girl Sailing, RA Anderson

RuthAnne Anderson has several ways of keeping in touch with her and her unique thoughts, talents, and photos! She’s an award-winning writer and photographer who has had her works published in multiple outlets! You can find more about her on her website: https://ra-anderson.com/. Or, keep in touch via her social media pages: FB: https://www.facebook.com/raAndersonAuthor/ ; Twitter: @aruthanne Twitter; IG: @ra_anderson_author Instagram OR @aruthanne Instagram. Also, a special thanks to Teresa Hinojosa, with Ascot Media Group, for giving me the capability of reading and reviewing this whole series! You can find more information on them here, https://ascotmedia.com/.

Love ya,

Kelly Ann

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