About Me

Hello, and welcome aboard!

My name is Eileen, the first mate of our boat Mai Thai, a motor vessel (as opposed to a sailing vessel.) Mai Tai is a Polynesian drink, which means "out of this world in Tahitian." Once upon a time, Eileen was a bartender and Thai is our last name, hence, the blog name mvmaithai. We like Mai Tai and other cocktails and wine, but they don't like us. We have what is known as the "Asian flush;" after even one drink, my face would become warm and pink and my body would itch, and some times I might even barf! Not a good feeling. Now you know why we are a dry boat.

Mai Thai anchored in Sarasota

Mai Thai docked at St Augustine City Marina

So, after boating in the Boston area for several years, Eileen and her husband were hooked on the lifestyle and dreamt about cruising full time. Their dream came true in 2001. They bought a 37' powerboat, quit their jobs, sold their home and went cruising into the sunset.

Their travels have taken them up and down the U.S. East Coast, the Bahamas, the Florida Panhandle and the inland waterway (Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway and Tennessee River). Their adventures have been published in boating magazines Latitudes and Attitudes and Living Aboard (evolved into Cruising Outpost and later renamed back to Latitudes and Attitudes), the shuttered Yahoo! Voices and on her blogs (mvmaithai and tenchired) on Google's blogspot.com and on their YouTube channels mvmaithai and tenchired11.

These days, Mai Thai is tied up on the lovely Tennessee River in Guild, Tennessee. When not writing, Eileen dabbles with gardening, taking pictures and videos, and birdwatching. She volunteers at the Tennessee Aquarium, doing horticulture work.

Thank you for visiting. Cheers!