From January 1998 to March 2004 Liza and Alan Farrow-Gillespie of Dallas, Texas, completed a two-person sailing circumnavigation — their lifetime dream — aboard the Hylas 54, Heartsong III.

Liza has published a lighthearted memoir of the trip, entitled A Voyage of Heart and Song. This website supplements the book with photographs, videos, and a more detailed description of the circumnavigation route and the boat.

Heartsong III | Hylas 54All told, Heartsong III sailed more than 37,000 miles. She crossed three oceans (Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic), made landfall on six continents (all except Antarctica), and visited more than 50 countries.  During the trip, about 20,000 people from 57 countries followed the website.

The F-Gs have resumed land life in Dallas, Texas.  Liza is an attorney and partner with Farrow-Gillespie Heath Witter, LLP.  Alan is a pediatric anesthesiologist and assistant chief of the anesthesiology department at Children’s Health Medical Center of Dallas, as well as a Professor of Anesthesiology at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

The hardest part about returning to work? Wearing shoes.

In August 2018, Liza was diagnosed with metastatic ovarian cancer. She posts updates on her status to friends and family at Liza on Leave.

Liza's Log

A Voyage of Heart and Song, by Liza Farrow-Gillespie

Get the Book

A Voyage of Heart and Song, the book about Liza and Alan Farrow-Gillespie’s sailing circumnavigation, was released on January 14, 2019, by Texan Press, Inc., and BookBaby. Book Description Here is the book description from Read more…

Liza's Circumnavigation Log

Thank you

Thank you for joining us along our journey and for participating in this site.  There are so many people around the world who made the trip even more special.  I won’t list all the names, Read more…

Flags

Here are lists and discussions of the flags Heartsong III carried during the circumnavigation. Primary Flag — Stars and Stripes According to international maritime law, a yacht must fly from the stern an easily visible Read more…

At Anchor in Thailand (Video)

In Phong Gnong Bay, near Phuket, Thailand, we drove the dinghy around the boat at sunset for a 360-degree look at both her and her beautiful surroundings.

Heartsong III | Vanuatu | Farrow-Gillespie

Cruising Vanuatu

Vanuatu Cruising Notes from August 2001 (Partial) **IMPORTANT NOTE: The information below is NOT intended to be complete, but rather is selective, opinionated, and reflects our own particular experience at the time.** Entry and Exit Read more…

Heartsong III | Fiji | Farrow-Gillespie

Cruising Fiji

Fiji Cruising Notes: June-July 2001 **IMPORTANT NOTE: The information below is NOT intended to be complete, but rather is selective, opinionated, and reflects our own particular experience at the time.** Entry Entry ports for Fiji Read more…

Heartsong III | New Zealand | Farrow-Gillespie

Cruising New Zealand

We spent about 18 months in New Zealand, cruising and land-traveling.  It is a paradise on earth.  Here is some information that was current as of 2001. **IMPORTANT NOTE: The information below is NOT intended Read more…

Logbook Statistics to Date

Statistics from the Logbook June 1998 through December 2000 (Florida to New Zealand) From departure until January 1, 2001, Heartsong III sailed 12,000 miles and visited 70 different ports (some more than once) and 17 different countries Read more…

Landlubber FAQ

Landlubber FAQ

Okay you lubbers — and you know who you are.  Here are answers to questions we get all the time.   (This page was written in Auckand, New Zealand, in 2000.) 1.  What has been the Read more…

That Texas Bunch

Published in Boca Magazine, Trinidad & Tobago Imagine three couples, long-time friends in land-locked Dallas, Texas.  Imagine  further that they first met in a 30-boat sailing club on a lake five hundred miles from the Read more…