Global gypsy and bastardized citizen of the world, Andreas soon realized that there were better wind and waves than the ones on the lakes around Madrid and Zurich where he grew up and went to college. After spending some time in California, he fell in love with the place and in particular, with Sophie. After a 7 year long distance relationship between Madrid and Santa Barbara, then Zurich and Paris, and lots of traveling in between, they decided to move together and live in the same country. After 3 years in Spain, they backpacked around the world for some extended time and later settled in Long Beach, CA.

Andreas is passionate about the environment and how people interact with it all over the world. He loves his family even more than the amazing jobs he has had and convinced them to drop everything to chase the dream of sailing with their son and disabled daughter. Besides spending time as a family, the goal is also to prove that a non-verbal, wheelchair-bound child shouldn't prevent you from pursuing your dreams and living life to the fullest as a family. The hope is to inspire other people and families in similar situations.

South African born, raised by french parents in Huntington Beach, California makes for an interesting start to Sophie's life. Studying art and design in Santa Barbara and then Paris put her on a path of international passion - its no wonder Sophie fell in love with her Spanish/Swiss husband. Together they lived in Madrid and then traveled the world revealing a deeper interest in wanderlust and the paths less traveled. 

Sophie has lived with her husband and 2 children in Long Beach, California for the past 15 years enjoying the beach life, community, family, friends and her graphic design business. She kitesurfs any chance she gets and will never turn down mountain biking on a single track. Apart from being outdoors, she's followed her maman's amazing culinary talents and enjoys cooking and especially, eating delicious food. And her search for perfect bread continues!

Becoming a mother to Enzo [who is currently 12] and Anais [10] has helped her become appreciative and aware of how fragile life can be and how much we take for granted when we are healthy. Enzo grows wiser [most of the time!] and bigger by the day and is proof that life happens faster and faster. Anais was born with one enlarged hemisphere in her brain, also known as hemimegalencephaly. This caused a large amount of seizures and complicates her life greatly. She has helped put into focus and shifted what's important in life. And this has led to wanting life to be lived and not let it go by without making it the best possible. Life shouldn't stop because of a child's disability. This is what has fueled Sophie and her family's desire to get out of the routine of daily life, for a little while at least, and experience an adventure. An adventure of sailing in warm waters and discovering! 

Enzo likes to read and write novels, kiteboard, and surf. He's 12 years old and is starting 7th grade in a new homeschooling program. He is excited to learn, and is excited to be with his friends and family. 

Enzo has some pretty fantastic sailing skills that he's learned while sailing sabots on Alamitos Bay. On a sailing boat you can be assured that he'll be right there when you need to tack, check on fenders or help with a line when taking off from the dock. He's the perfect mate for this grand adventure we are about to embark on.

Enzo has a bearded dragon named Winkie who, for now, is staying with a friend. We wanted her to come, but it was too complicated.

Anais is 10 and loves to be tickled and feel the wind in her face. Her absolute favorite place to be is on her swing - on the sailboat, that would be a chair-hammock. Anais has a brain condition which causes her to have many seizures or epilepsy, impairing her ability to walk, talk or do any simple tasks most of us do daily. Her love and smile radiate and can make just about anyone fall in love with her!

Anais requires a lot of our assistance to feed her, bath her, dress her and help her stand but she is certain to be happy wherever we go. Since her family loves to travel and be adventurous, she comes along for the ride and hardly ever complains. You can catch her on a mountain bike trail in the Burley trailer laughing and having a good time or walking across the beach in a backpack excited by the kite her dad is carrying and the wind in her face.