Welcome! Michelle and I have been cruising on our full time since May 2017. Originally, on our Nordhavn 47, and since November 2019 aboard our Nordhavn 55 (both named ROAM). Prior to 2017, we cruised and sailed on a Manta 40 sailing catamaran. To access our sailing/cruising blog from those days, try this link: SVDOUBLEWIDE.COM.
On this site, we try to update our blog on a regular basis for the benefit of our friends, family and cruising dreamers. Click on Blog to see a list of articles that we’ve posted over time. We welcome and encourage your feedback and questions – and we hope that future guests will find the time to write a guest post from time to time, describing their adventures with us aboard Roam. Also, keep an eye out for more videos in the future. We have no desire to become “internet stars,” but sometimes a picture isn’t quite as valuable as a few minutes of video.
About Clark
I was blessed with a great family and dreamlike childhood. I met and married the perfect woman for me and together we raised two wonderful boys. We sold our business in 2017 and although I am no where near “rich,” we have obtained a certain level of comfort that allows us to enjoy a few modest hobbies and one or two bad habits.
I grew up in Port Isabel Texas on the shores of the Laguna Madre. My parents owned a small sporting goods store and marina and I spent my youth working on and around boats. My Dad was one of those guys that could do anything. In my eyes, he was the MacGyver of boats. Through him, I learned to be creative and resourceful (two traits which have helped me throughout my career in business).
My wife Michelle and I have been married over 31 years. Together we have two sons, Patrick and Sean, that have both left home. Our oldest, Patrick, graduated from Texas A&M in 2012, is married to the wonderful Heather. Our youngest, Sean, graduated from Texas A&M at Galveston in 2013 with a degree in maritime logistics, and works in the home construction industry Des Moines and Kansas City. He and his wife Amanda have a beautiful baby girl named Eve that lights up the room. We are so proud of the boys, their wives, and the lives they have created for themselves.
After a lifetime of sailing and having cruised the Gulf of Mexico, Florida, and the Bahamas aboard our Manta 40, Double Wide, we were ready for a new challenge and with retirement, we decided to transition to power. The purchase of our Nordhavn 47 (and now our Nordhavn 55), Roam, has been exciting for us both. We even decided to sell our home in San Antonio and make Roam our permanent home!
About Michelle
Hi, I’m Michelle Haley and I’d like to tell you a little about me. I married the most incredible man, Clark Haley, and he has opened an exciting world for me! I love the adventures and journeys he takes me on. We have 2 sons (Patrick and Sean) who make us so proud. Now that they have both graduated college, are out of the house, and on their own, it’s PARTY TIME!!!
I grew up in Houston, Texas where my parents worked for NASA. My Dad was in management for FORD Aerospace and worked in the Astronaut Office. This allowed me to see great things like the Shuttle Simulator, the launch of the Shuttle Discovery, and the Apollo Sawyus rocket take off in Florida. Dad loved to fly airplanes and would take me with him at times. My mother worked for Technicolor where she helped color pictures for the space program. She always had fun pictures to share with us like the earth from the moon and the first spider in space and its intricate web.
I spent my youth hanging out at my grandmother’s ranch in Leakey, Texas. I loved to ride horses and climb the local mountains with my cousins. My parents retired and returned to the ranch. Though my Dad passed in 2020, my Mom lives and works on the ranch, when she’s not traveling to visit children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren!
I always thought I would live on the ranch and have horses, until I met my Sailor. Now I can’t imagine doing anything else. Our lives are full of adventure, which is exactly the way it should be!!
Prior to retirement, I spent 20+ years working as an RN Circulator in the operating room of a small outpatient surgery center in San Antonio. I have tried many different nursing jobs over the years, but my calling was the OR. Those days are behind me though and now I wake up every day wondering where we’ll cruise to next!
About Tugboat
Tugboat Haley is our 9 year old Miniature Schnauzer. When he came in to our family he was the runt of the litter and we thought he would probably be about 8-10 pounds, but as he was maturing, he just kept growing and ended up at 15-16 pounds, which if you ask him, is perfect! Tug loves going anywhere that Clark goes – unless it’s IN the water! He especially loves dinghy rides. His spot is on the bow!
About Sailor
Meet Sailor Haley. She is an 8 year old Yorkshire Terrier and she thinks she is in charge of of all things in her world, including Tugboat, Michelle, Clark, and Roam! A natural hunter, Sailor lives to chase Squirrels, Curly Tails, and birds! [edit: Sailor has become an expert Ghost Crab Hunter. She digs them out of the sand, catches them, and then tears their limbs off. Disgusting, but fun to watch!!] Check out the videos section of this site for Sailor/Crab experiences…
Hunting instincts aside, she is a princess and loves to be pampered. Underway, she can lounge for hours in the lap of whoever is at the helm.
