Michael & Tere met as teenagers in the Virgin Islands in the early 60's. He had recently completed an Atlantic crossing on his parents Falmouth Quay Punt "Falcon."  Tere had arrived a couple of years earlier aboard 38' "Shellback."

Tropic sunsets, pristine coral sand beaches, new islands to explore: it was in their blood from childhood. They wed aboard the wonderful Brixham Trawler "Maverick" at that time run as a charter boat by Tere's parents, Jack and Ruth Carstarphen. Then they took up their lives in the BVI around Marina Cay, Michael's parents, Allan and Jean Batham's off-shore hotel and ran Beef Island Shipyard.

Their children, Marina and Conrad were born in Road Town, Tortola, but in 1971 the family left the BVI to see New Zealand where they were raised and schooled.

New  Zealand lies in the South Pacific, with in easy proximity to a multitude of tropical islands spanning Polynesian, Melanesian, and just north of the Equator, the Micronesian people. The temptation of so many islands to explore proved too much to ignore. Michael and Tere returned to the sea when their children left home to begin their own life adventures in the U.S.

Sea Quest, their 47' steel ketch, designed in New Zealand by Colin Childs, has been their home now for over a decade. Onboard their sturdy vessel they have plied the oceans  from New Zealand to Japan, where they remained more than two years. In between they visited hundreds of ports and  anchorages in a dozen countries. Over a beer they will regale you with their adventures searching out war wreckage in the Solomon Islands, diving in Palau, carrying a golden Shinto shrine through the teeming streets of Japan , having their bodies caked in turmeric in honor of a visiting Bishop,  witnessing the solemn rites of a Melanesian burial, and much more.

Marina  Cay Hotel in the Br. Virgin Islands. Now Pussar's, but developed in the 60's by Michael's parents, Allan & Jean Batham. Michael and Tere lived on Great Camanoe Island, at back left.

All this has given Michael and Tere a taste for more. In 1998 they returned to New Zealand to refit their yacht, write a book, and spend time with Michael's parents, retired there. But in May of 2002 they embarked for French Polynesia, a voyage across 3,000 miles in the southern Pacific Ocean...a voyage that proved to be rather nasty...

WRITE ARTICLES

Tere fills her spare time making notes and writing  articles for cruising magazines, appearing from time to time in publications such as Cruising World, Cruising Helmsman, Ocean Navigator, and Practical Boat owner.

SEA QUEST ANCHORED AMONGST THE ROCK ISLANDS OF PALAU.

Beautiful water, wonderful islands, a mysterious culture and fabulous diving are the rewards of cruising Palau.

Continued  About Us  page 2  "Life Aboard Sea Quest".