Getting stuck in the mud in the Erie Canal……
It was early morning on the 6th day out of New York City, traversing the Erie canal to reach Lake Ontario when we hit the bottom. We were really stuck. The depth sounder said we had 4’4” and my keel is 6’6”. This meant that two feet of my keel were firmly stuck in the thick […]
Sailing with the Surgeons
It was pouring rain. The nasty weather was coming in from the West. I could see the dark black clouds rolling towards the marina. Every few minutes, there would be a flash of lightning, followed by the roar of thunder. I was questioning the wisdom of taking my surgical colleagues for evening sail. Should something […]
The Sailing Adventure with the Guatemalan Cousin
The PredictWind app suggested that the lightning and thundershowers would not arrive until after 5 PM. Yet it was almost 11 AM and the dark threatening clouds were already barrelling in from the west. The lightning flashes were visible in the distance, and we heard the roar of thunder a few seconds later. This meant […]
The China Adventure
They were waiting for us when we arrived at the Shanghai Airport. A Chinese surgeon named Car and the driver. They stuffed bouquets of flowers into our hands and then photos, before they ushered us into a waiting van for the 4 hour drive to the small city of Taixing. They explained it was not […]
Novels you must read by John Hagen
The Sailor Have you ever felt the burning desire to craft your own narrative? As a busy surgeon, I have often pondered it, but spare time was a luxury I rarely had. My mind was buzzing with brilliant ideas, but the thought of translating them on to the paper felt overwhelming. Only after retiring from […]
Heading South for the Winter
The inevitable question arises: what could possibly drive someone to want to do such a thing? When heading south in the winter, most of us opt for the convenience of air travel, indulging in luxurious accommodations at a 5-star, all-inclusive hotel, and passing the time lounging by the pool, sipping on colorful fruity drinks adorned […]
Heading South for the Winter
With the icy autumn wind rattling the rigging, the sailboat rocked back and forth. The eery noise created by the boat prevented any conversation in the cockpit of the 51-foot sailboat. The boat forged ahead, battling against the strong eastward wind and crashing waves. Under the cover of dark clouds, the night was pitch-black, with […]
The Erie canal adventure
The clock struck 7 a.m., signaling the start of the day. With the combined efforts of Steve and Neil, the boat was carefully positioned in front of the crane, ready for the mast to be lifted. As we prepared our morning brew, the aroma from the Nespresso machine filled the boat. It was going to […]
Just ask for Gavin
“Do you think we should give them a hand?” asked Neil. The image of me holding onto the bottom of the mast and tripping on the lifeline sending the mast to the bottom of the Hudson River flashed through my mind. “We’ll leave it to the professionals,” I replied. Scarano Boat works had attached the […]
The final leg to Hampton
The alarm went off at 5 a.m., jolting me awake from a deep sleep. Reluctantly, I crawled out of the warm bed and to the main salon. My brother Neil was already awake and firing up the Nespresso. Neil and I were savoring our first coffee of the morning, enjoying the warmth of the mug […]