First Things First

Welcome to the Mistral blog! We're getting a new wave of traffic after yours truly penned a review of boating blogs for WoodenBoat and word of the Mistral presence started rattling around the resonant hull of the blogosphere.
Newcomers to said site will notice there has not been much blogging here of late. However, we might point out that the latest chapter of the Mistral saga took first place in the annual contest of Boating Writers International, the main organization for boating writers. The story, written by the Mistral steward in his capacity as boating columnist for the Seattle Times, won in the ever-sexy category of boat/engine care and maintenance. “What a surprising treat!" wrote one judge. "Sorensen [the Mistral steward, who generally hides behind euphemisms like "Captain," "Skipper" and "Anker"] reveals passion and a sense of grand duty in a topic normally reserved for bone-dry writing.”