From Farm to Ocean, a Memoir: The story of a Kansas farm boy who realized his childhood dream of leaving the farm and sailing the world

Captain Paul A. Jones grew up an only child on a small Kansas farm, far from any ocean. When Paul's mother read him "The Sailor Dog," a book about a little dog who dreamt of escaping the farm and sailing on the ocean for adventure, Paul was hooked. He too began to dream of leaving the farm, learning to sail, and adventuring to see foreign lands and different kind of people. This memoir traces Paul's life, beginning in the middle of the last century and detailing an idyllic way of life that is no longer seen in country today: the one room country school, milk delivered door-to-door, and fishing in the creek with a coffee tin of worms. Paul's story holds a darker history as well: he lost his father at age eleven and his single mother worked alone to support her son. Paul lived through the turbulence of the 60's, struggling with his own demons as the country struggled with its demons.At the heart of this memoir is the ocean. Paul married, had a career as a dentist, and raised two wonderful daughters, but he never forgot his dream of sailing and traveling to foreign lands. From Farm to Ocean details how Paul planned, prepared, and executed his dream adventure: taking a year off from work to sail the high seas.In his early 50s, Paul actually did it. He and his family lived aboard their sailboat, visiting most of the Caribbean islands between Florida and South America. In this book's pages, Paul shares the challenges, joys, sights, and sounds of living aboard and traveling the diverse islands. A thoughtful and witty narrator, Paul also shares what he has learned about the world and himself in his travels, the obstacles he's overcome, and triumphs he's achieved. The hopeful declaration of this memoir is this: not matter where you began, you too can find a dream, plan to realize it, and make your dream come true.