Making Plans

After nearly disappearing, Tiki bars have made a big comeback. What is it about tiki that people find so enthralling? For some it’s the cocktails, and while I certainly enjoy a nice cocktail, I’m an infrequent drinker, so that’s never been my primary attraction to tiki culture. Others love the retro/vintage aesthetic of mid-century modern design from the 1950s and 60s, which many consider the golden age of tiki bars. And a third camp, and probably the one I identify the most with, love all things Polynesian, and have a taste for adventure. We imagine what it must have been like to visit the islands of Tahiti, Hawaii, and Fiji before the influence of Western culture. And when that romantic longing for the past overlaps with an inclination towards the arts and a DIY mindset (or a healthy disregard for money), tiki offers the chance to create a tropical oasis in the comfort of your own home.

Stolen Idol Home Tiki Bar - Glendale, CA

I once described the Stolen Idol (my home tiki bar) as a movie set that is never finished. As a professional filmmaker working in visual effects, I’ve always been drawn to escapism and flights of imagination. I grew up in Los Angeles where I was fed a steady diet of theme parks, B-movie matinees, and Saturday morning cartoons. The Enchanted Tiki Room stands out in my memory as my favorite place in Disneyland. I was a bit of a cowardly kid, and much preferred the campy humor and relative safety of the Tiki Room and Jungle Cruise rides to the terror of the Matterhorn.

The Jungle Cruise - Disneyland, CA

After high school, with Hollywood in my sights, it seemed a natural progression to go to art and film school. It wasn’t long into my career when the film industry gradually abandoned California for the lucrative tax credits of other states and countries. In the 1990s and after I found myself working in a variety of distant locations, including Canada, London, China, Japan, New Orleans, Atlanta, Budapest, and New York. And when I got married and started a family, we began travelling abroad as soon as our daughter could walk, taking her and then our son, for trips to Italy, Hawaii, France, London, Spain, and Bali. I even took an extended sabbatical in 2014 and dragged my family to Provence for four years.

The Wallace Family in Provence, France

All this is to say that I have the travel bug. When I’m at home in Los Angeles I’m usually dreaming of where the next job or vacation might take me. Tiki feeds that wanderlust--an exotic tropical fantasyland with its own immersive history is just sixty seconds away from my living room.

But at some point, fantasy, while entertaining, isn’t really living any more than watching “Raiders of the Lost Ark” is going on an adventure. We can’t all be Indiana Jones (only Harrison Ford can do that!), but for the past few months I’ve been asking myself how I can live in a way that answers the call to adventure that constantly echoes in my mind. I’m no longer young, but I’m at an age where many things are still possible, yet that door is slowly closing. My greatest fear is allowing it to slide shut before I have a chance to see what is on the other side.

Like many teens in the 1970s I was inspired by the book “Dove” by Robin Lee Graham. If you’re not familiar with it, Dove recounts the story of a young man who sails a small boat solo around the world. In my 30s I also loved sailing and I dreamed of one day voyaging to distant islands. I bought a 28-foot ocean going boat and sailed it around the Santa Monica Bay, occasionally going across to Catalina Island with my fiancé and friends. But I was also building a career and a relationship, so the boat and my dreams of sailing the world were put on hold.

“Iskra” Our WestSail 28 at Catalina Island, CA

Cut to 30 years later, and that dream has been rekindled. My career has provided a good (though certainly not extravagant) livelihood so there is a little money in the bank, my kids are grown and (mostly) independent, and my wife enjoys travel (although sailing is not her passion). So I asked myself, what is stopping me? Instead of recreating French Polynesia in my tiki bar, why not arrive on its shores from sea, drop anchor in a remote cove, and experience the real thing?

A cursory search of “Sailboat Cruising in French Polynesia” turns up a surprising number of people doing exactly that. You’ll find YouTube channels and blogs from individuals, couples and whole families traveling the world by sailboat, some who have been doing it for 5-10 years. And doing it at every budget range you can imagine, from small boats and spending $1500/month, to large luxury yachts with unlimited budgets. For those on more earthly budgets, a boat of about 40-45 feet costing around $150k and a monthly budget of about $4,000 is realistic. Cruising, as it’s called, is the act of traveling the world by boat, but is more often described as repairing your sailboat in exotic locations around the world. The highs and lows can be extreme, but vastly rewarding.

Arriving in Ensenada, Mexico on “Keeldragger” a Valiant 40 Sailboat

I believe that momentum leads to action, and the only way to accomplish something is to just start, no matter how small that first step might be. I hadn’t been out on a boat in years, so my first step was to see what was available. Luckily, I’m in Southern California and just a short drive to the coast and thousands of boats, many with owners looking for people to sail with them.

TV talk show hosts say when you put your dreams out into the world, the universe answers your call. I believe the concept is “manifestation.” Truthfully, I’m not mystical at all. This notion of manifestation is, in my mind, is simply the act of making your goals public as a means to connect with like-minded people. People love to share the things they are passionate about, and it turns out that the cruising community is no different.

We also have the world’s most powerful tool at our disposal: the internet. With Google and YouTube it is incredibly easy to find and connect with people all around the globe. It turns out that some of the most interesting and friendly people are just a click and email away.

It wasn’t long before I had found a handful of passionate sailors in the area who also have dreams of long-distance cruising. These fun and interesting adventurers have been generous with their knowledge and time. It’s easier to make a dream come true when you have the support and encouragement of people who share your passion.

Boating with Friends in San Pedro, CA

Dreams without a plan are just fantasies, and so I have charted a simple path:

1.        Get out on the water and sail on other people’s boats as much as possible.

2.        Read and learn everything I can get my hands on about cruising—the subject is vast but so are the resources.

3.        Buy a boat capable of going anywhere in the world and learn everything I can about sailing and maintaining it.

4.        Cast off for Baja and mainland Mexico, ideally in late 2025, but no later than January 2026.

5.        Cruise Mexico as long as it takes to feel confident, then cross the Pacific to French Polynesia (summer 2026 - summer 2027).

6.        From that point, follow the wind and seasons around the south Pacific and ultimately wind up in New Zealand.

7.        Be open to change, enjoy the adventure, and live life to the fullest.

So, this is my goal: take my love of tropical adventure from the armchair to the ocean. There’s a small window of opportunity, and I am at an inflection point. While I am certainly a dreamer, I also like to think that I am someone who turns my dreams into reality. I look forward to sharing the journey, and I hope you’ll enjoy following along. Wish me Fair Winds!