A Mom's Bold Adventure: Sailing the World with Kids

Imagine a family choosing to set aside conventional life for an extraordinary adventure! That's exactly what Daniel Monk, 41, his wife Bow, 36, and their two daughters, Amelia, 13, and Olivia, seven, decided to do. They traded school routines for an exciting journey across the seas of Africa, all aboard a charming 45-foot yacht they named Pancakes—despite having no sailing experience!

Daniel had a dream that had been steering his life for years—circumnavigating the globe by sea. After overcoming a 13-year battle with drug and alcohol addiction, this adventure marked a significant milestone for him. He described it as “a dream come true,” and expressed how thrilled he was to make these memories with his family. “We believe in being out there. If we’re connecting with nature, that’s more valuable than some Gucci,” he shared while reflecting on the experience. The family aimed to provide their children with a childhood unmarked by outside pressures.

Daniel’s struggle with addiction began when he was just 16. He candidly shared, “I just started partying. It turned out I was allergic to alcohol. I would take drugs and just lose control. I was still functioning so it was very easy to say I didn’t have a problem.” His wake-up call came as he approached his mid-twenties when mornings became increasingly difficult. It was then that he recognized the need for change.

Thanks to the transformative power of seeking help, Daniel’s journey took a positive turn. He met Bow in Bangkok in 2010, and one year later, he decided to enter rehabilitation. With determination, he celebrated three years of sobriety and married Bow soon after he left rehab in 2014. In sharing their journey through addiction, he reminds others to seek help by saying, “Get help because I was there. There was no hope, but thanks to support from 12-step communities around the world, I was fortunate to pursue my dream.”

Inspired by his father, who was a ship captain, Daniel longed for a life at sea. This dream came to fruition in 2021 when he met