Daria and Alex Blackwell are lifelong sailors and passionate cruisers. They have completed three Atlantic crossings and have spent years cruising the coasts of the Americas and Europe, as well as the Bahamas, the Caribbean islands, and the Atlantic islands, most recently double-handing on their vintage 57-foot ketch, Aleria. Alex holds a USCG Master’s license with sailing and towing endorsements.  Daria holds a USCG OUPV Captain’s license. The Blackwells are members of the SSCA, Mayo Sailing Club, Irish Cruising Club, and American Yacht Club. They are also the organizers of the SSCA cruising station for Ireland.

The Blackwells are co-authors of Happy Hooking: The art of anchoring, which has received excellent reviews in the sailing press. Their seminar on anchoring has drawn large crowds and delivered exceptional attendee critiques and comments.
SailAmerica

Daria and Alex are frequent authors writing about their sailing adventures and contributing to Cruising World, Classic Boat, Latitudes & Attitudes Seafaring, Practical Boat Owner, Ireland Afloat, Offshore, Windcheck, and elsewhere.  For many years, they served as the webmasters for the website of American Yacht Club and launched the popular www.CoastalBoating.net, “the boaters’ resource for places to go and things to know”. As founders of Sail4Kids Make a Memory Cruise, the Blackwells were recognized with prestigious awards by both American Yacht Club and the International Society for Perpetuation of Cruelty to Racing Yachtsmen.
 
The Blackwells have both enjoyed professional careers as copywriters, marketers and speakers. Among Daria’s accomplishments is management of advertising agencies, including as President of Bozell Global Healthcare and Managing Partner of S&H, Division of Y&R and WPP. She was also elected President of the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association and assisted in establishing the Europe Chapter. Alex was a partner in Starnet Media Group, a marketing support services firm. Alex’s first book, Oyster Delight by Jonathan Mite, is a tribute to his lifelong interest in oysters, having launched an oyster hatchery in Ireland after being awarded a Master’s degree in Fisheries Biology.  They currently live in Ireland with their cruising kitty, Onyx.

Happy Hooking is available for direct order via the website www.coastalboating.net.