I enjoyed this book. I'm not a sailor, nor do I have any experience on the water whatsoever, but this story was a personal account of a beautiful but difficult adventure at sea, personal relationships that are tested to the breaking point, and a deep and satisfying love of animals (namely, her two dogs Kali and Darwin). It was honest and raw, as she navigates true love and heartbreaking loss through this emotional journey. It shines a bright light and puts perspective on what adventure in paradise can look like when navigating all aspects of life on a boat 24/7 with a companion in close quarters. Is it all worth it? was the resounding question woven throughout the journey-- every argument, mishap, frustration, disappointment, doubt. I'm envious of her incredible experiences, being something of an introverted free-spirit myself. I equally enjoyed reading about the many islands they reached, as I did matters of the heart and mind that she wrestled with. Her inner thoughts and feelings were very real and relatable in this memoire, regardless of your place in life.

Just an intriguing look into one woman's sacrifices to live in paradise, and an understanding of how that life is possible. Well done, enjoyable read, and I especially loved the end because I too am just beginning to discover the joys of that unique and resourceful exchange that also feeds my love for animals!

This was a fun but challenging book for me to read. Never the avid reader of nonfiction, I found this memoir very approachable and would definitely read more from this author. The reason this book was such a challenge for me was due to the authenticity of it. It is difficult not to become overwhelmed by emotional and personal judgments when reading the imitate details of someone’s life. Because you know it’s a true story, you can’t write certain things off as shock value or drama inducing, it’s just what really happened.

In the beginning of this memoir I didn’t love nor hate the author. I spent a large portion of my reading experience trying to decide if I liked her or not. At some point, I decided it didn’t matter. I was so consumed with exploring her alternative lifestyle and discovering cultural differences I’d never considered, I began to have an immense appreciation for her. I didn’t always agree with the choices she made, but they were her choices to make. I often found myself wanting to pass judgment against her for daring to be honest about the things she was saying, thinking, feeling, and doing. I had to be honest with myself a few times and stop pointing my finger.

The most relatable moments, unfortunately, were those moments of great sorrow. Experiencing the losses she describes in this book was uncomfortable yet empowering. I have nothing but respect for writers who are able to share their pain and journeys to recovery with others so openingly. I too have had pet challenges in my life and have lost loved ones to cancer. While I haven’t experienced the bullying of a customs agent, I have had negative experiences with law enforcement because of the color of my skin.

My ultimate take away from this book, is the message of travel it promotes. While I don’t plan on taking up the nomadic life any time soon, I want to travel and experience new places and things. I also want to encourage others to live a life of meaning based on what they want, not what society tells them they should want.

I thoroughly enjoyed discussing this book with the IWSG Book Club and highly recommend this memoir to anyone who likes travel, nature, and adventures.

The travel memoir Plunge: One Woman's Pursuit of a Life Less Ordinary by Liesbet Collaert is full of adventure on the water, but the memoir is much more than travels on a sailboat. Collaert comes to realize that life truly is about making choices, and in this memoir, she comes to treasure her own.

Collaert makes herself vulnerable by letting the reader into her lifestyle, into her decisions, and into her emotions. While sailing on Irie, their 35 foot catamaran, allows Collaert and her husband Mark to enjoy the stunning world of island hopping, reality disturbs their paradise again and again, which adds tension to the story.

This freedom to sail across the ocean to remote locations comes with challenges. From health issues and business problems to storms and boat repairs, Collaert’s life becomes filled with angst. These challenges begin to take the fun out of island hopping—for Mark. Collaert tries to persuade him to continue. In so doing, she offers readers deep insight. “Paradise is in the surroundings, not in the circumstances. People experience the same location differently, based on their state of mind.” [p-303, Kindle Edition]

Plunge: One Woman's Pursuit of a Life Less Ordinary closes by tying up any threads and themes of the memoir. Again and again, Collaert offers the reader deep insight. “Happiness comes from within. It’s presented in fleeting moments; it’s found when you feel at peace with the decision you’ve made.” (p. 323, Kindle Edition).

Collaert explains how she’s changed through her journey on the water, yet she reminds the reader she is still that adventurer of her youth. Her adventures have not ended. They’ve just changed venue.

If you are looking for a stunning adventure sailing the azure water of the South Pacific, Plunge: One Woman's Pursuit of a Life Less Ordinary by Liesbet Collaert is the right book for you. Collaert includes photographs at the end of the book.

“I’d rather regret the things I did than the things I missed out on,” declares Liesbet Collaert. Readers will soon discover that the author doesn’t miss out on much, embracing the nomadic life on land and sea wholeheartedly. In her memoir Plunge, the author pursues a life less ordinary, just as her subtitle suggests.

As her story unfolds, we discover world-traveler extraordinaire Liesbet has earlier backpacked alone through Southeast Asia, has tripped in an RV with Mark through Mexico and Central America, and now, is navigating the Pacific on board a catamaran named Irie, which means “all good.”

A voyage of discovery, Plunge weaves both the psychological and physical strains of a life at sea: signing up for the sailing life but getting seasick and feeling ambivalent about living on board a boat 24/7 with boyfriend, later turned husband Mark.

The travelogue definitely reveals life up close and personal. The duo experience turbulent weather as they manage a business in the middle of the sea. Other turbulence is of the mental and emotional variety: tenuous electronic connection to the outside world, serious health problems, loss of family members far away, and through it all, the persistent questions, “Will my marriage survive? Will we make it to Fiji? What’s next?”

However, this memoir is not all stress and strain. The author treats the reader to humor: Trying to kill a squirmy fish with vodka and rum. To mystery: What about that hidden engagement ring? And, always, to keen observation: “Our waterproof tablet is my best friend when on solitary duty. I write my diary and blogs, read eBooks, and play Sudoku to exercise my mind. I listen. The boat slices through the water and the wind generator buzzes on and off sporadically. The sky explodes with bright stars. Our trail sparkles with phosphorescence . . .”

It is obvious the author has benefitted from keeping detailed diaries and journals of her travels; we are treated to marvelous description like one of her birthdays at sea, “When the light fades, we take Darwin to shore for his evening walk. His tail is wrapped with a new bandage, since he pulled the old one off during our snorkel expedition. He runs, rips coconut husks apart, and digs his head into the sand. His nose is covered. Mark and I sit together on a sarong. We watch the sun dip behind the horizon, illuminating the sky in 50 shades of orange and pink. I smile.”

I have met Liesbet and Mark in person and know that they are committed fully to the roaming life and to each other and now also to doggie daughter Maya. A woman as playful as the one on the cover, swimming with pet dogs and probably with dolphins, Liesbet is also brave enough to swim with reef sharks. In my view, the author has made a big splash with Plunge and is deserving of my five-star rating.

She’s a reasonably good writer, but the stream of consciousness style of writing is a two edged sword. If the character/narrator is likable, it is delightful, but Leisbit is not very likable, and her portrayal of Mark makes him unlikable as well. They did indeed live a life less ordinary, complete with exquisite joys and devastating hurts, but what came through in this book is a fairly constant stream of complaining. Her honesty about her own emotional struggle is interesting, yet a distinct downer.

I had been searching for a fun sailing memoir to read and Plunge was just what I was looking for! I felt like I was right there with Liesbet and Mark for the sailing adventure which starts in Annapolis, Maryland and ends in the French Polynesia. Liesbet writes an honest account of what it is like to live aboard a boat encapturing the good times and the bad. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has dreamed about traveling by boat! Thanks Liesbet Collaert for a great reading adventure!

Plunge, One Woman’s Pursuit of a Life Less Ordinary, is a fantastic look at a lifestyle most of us briefly consider or fantasize about realized. Through Liesbet Collaert’s eyes and words, we see nearly 20 years of the good and the bad, the idyllic moments and the difficult times, and of other places and an almost bohemian worldview. We had the good fortune to meet Liesbet in, of all places, Antarctica. Over several meals, or while relaxing and trying to stay upright in our heavily rocking ship’s lounge, she regaled us with many fascinating stories of the adventure that is her life. These she vividly paints in her book. It is an altogether charming story and an excellent read, showing most of us a road not taken, with all the ups and the downs. I thoroughly recommend Plunge, a most enjoyable read.

It's eye-opening to read this first-hand account of how the life that we all perceive to be "paradise" - living on a sailboat in tropical islands - can often be tough and exhausting. If you'd like to learn about the reality of this lifestyle, this book will tell you all! There are many weeks of peace and beauty on the water, which are delightful to read about, but the majority is hard work battling weather and personal relationship issues. It is impressive to read about the experience of sailing through the night in a storm, and fun to hear about the remote islands she visits, but the consistent storyline is the author's honest sharing of her innermost fears and relationship struggles with her husband.

It's inspirational to see someone managing to continue the nomadic life for such a long time - many of us do it for a few years and then return to traditional job/work/school, but she has managed to do it for over a decade already! Keep it up!

An entertaining memoir by an adventurous woman who refuses to live an ordinary life. The writer and her husband spend a number of years living on a catamaran and sailing to amazing places. The writing is fresh and honest as she tells of the good, the bad and the downright ugly of living in cramped quarters with another person, stormy weather and constant boat repairs and maintenance. The vivid descriptions of sailing around the beautiful Caribbean and Polynesian Islands will make you wish you were there. But the rough seas and bad moods may make you think twice about such a venture. Liesbet is herself no matter what and proves that not everyone needs to live a 9 to 5 life.

Super schön geschriebenes Buch

Wow, great read and you did so well. I've done 2 x6 month stints sailing only up the east coast of Queensland Australia and that's it for me. As enjoyable as it is, I too long for the home luxuries. Long hot showers, hairdressers and the biggest of all not having to think or worry about the weather.

Thank you for a great read I could partly relate to.

Anyone who ever doubted themselves, go ahead and read this wonderful book. Full of honesty and inspiration. Life matters and the writer, Liesbet, demonstrates these experiences brilliantly. I could not put this book down until it was done. Thanks for a wonderful "day off".

Plunge gives a nice insight in the author’s life, thoughts, struggles and consequences of the choices she makes. A never ending travel story, opposite to what most of us do: settle down.

The book takes you through her adventurous life, it is enriching, sometimes funny, putting things into perspective and sometimes a bit sad. Like most of our lives do sometimes.

It reads smoothly and keeps your curiosity throughout the whole story. It is a nice travelling/sailing memoir and reminds that going against the grain is not the most easy way.

Fantastic and honest book!