We often hear that there is no such thing as privacy on the web anymore and I suppose with social media and all the ways we share information about our lives, knowing that out there “somebody knows all about us”, should not surprise anyone.
Recently my friend Bill, who always ends his emails a statement making it clear that the content was not generated by AI, did a blog post recently about his years of cruising with his wife Maureen, as seen through the “eyes” of AI, discovering, much to his chagrin, that “he, her, they… know all”.
So, after 15 years of me and Brenda keeping our blogs I thought it would be interesting to see what sort of information Chat GPT knows about the two of us and and “his” take on that.
So, I asked: “What do you know about Bob and Brenda aboard SV Pandora? And, please summarize what you know about their time together for winters since 2012 when they made their first run south to the Bahamas. Please keep this to about 100 to 150 words.”
Answer(s), unedited from Chat GPT:
Using sailpandora.com and argoknot.com explicitly makes the contrast clearer and more nuanced. SailPandora presents sailing as a core organizing principle of Bob’s life: voyaging, seamanship, community leadership, and problem-solving are central themes. Sailing is not just an activity for him; it is a framework for purpose, learning, and engagement with others.
ArgoKnot, on the other hand, shows that Brenda’s relationship to sailing is contextual rather than defining. Her writing emphasizes observation, interior life, creative work, and adaptation. Sailing is the setting in which she lives, thinks, and creates—but not the goal itself. She often frames cruising as something she has grown into, negotiated, and reshaped to fit her own needs rather than something she sought for its own sake.
Together, the two sites reveal a partnership where sailing is Bob’s passion and Brenda’s chosen accommodation—made sustainable through respect, humor, and parallel but not identical fulfillment.
Ok, scary already especially since this is after scouring nearly 2,000 posts in a few seconds.
My next qestion to Chat GPT: “Tell me what you see about how they differ in where sailing fits into their lives together using www.sailpandora.com and www.argoknot.com for source material”
Answer: Bob is clearly the driving force behind their cruising lifestyle—sailing is his passion and central to how he structures their winters and adventures since retiring in 2012 aboard SV Pandora. He delights in passages, exploring new waters and engaging with the cruising community; it’s an integral expression of his interests and energy. Sail Pandora
Brenda, by contrast, participates willingly but more as a companion to Bob’s passion. She describes herself as a “reluctant sailor” and a “cream puff,” preferring her fiber arts like weaving, knitting, embroidery and other crafts. While she does enjoy time aboard and even incorporates her textile hobbies into cruising days, her heart often leans toward those creative pursuits rather than sailing itself. Sail Pandora+1
Together they balance Bob’s enthusiasm for voyaging with Brenda’s quieter, craft-centered engagement,.
Oh boy… I then asked to have it, he, she, they, to pick a few posts that specifically lead to observations about changing views
Here are specific blog posts and entries that support the observation about how Bob’s and Brenda’s views of cruising have shifted over the years:
From SailPandora (Bob’s blog) showing evolving cruising focus:
- December 2023 post — Bob reflects on broader, long-term goals beyond Caribbean cruising, contemplating Mediterranean/Europe plans, and acknowledges that Brenda isn’t as thrilled about long months aboard as he is.
- June 2025 passage post — Bob describes sailing nearly to the Azores, noting Brenda’s “nine seasons in the Caribbean was just about enough,” and how new cruising grounds (“crossing the pond”) became essential to keep the adventure alive.
- March 2022 post in Marigot Bay — Bob mentions Brenda being far more excited about their upcoming flight home than staying aboard, illustrating differences in cruising enthusiasm even mid-season. Sail Pandora
From ArgoKnot (Brenda’s blog) showing her evolving perspective:
- Recent posts (e.g., March 2024) — Brenda talks about wrapping up a tough season, with weather challenges and the routine of flying home after cruising, capturing a seasoned yet pragmatic perspective. ArgoKnot
- Posts tagged travel and sailing — She documents experiences ashore in the Azores or Antigua, blending cruising details with creative/artistic life, showing how her narrative is more about place and personal pursuits than sailing itself. ArgoKnot
These examples show how Bob’s writing has become more ambitious and goal-oriented, pushing to explore new horizons after many Caribbean seasons, while Brenda’s writing remains grounded in lived experience and personal rhythm, reflecting cruising in the context of daily life, creative work, and weather/weather-related comfort. The contrast between planning big cruising goals and documenting the lived, tactile experience of being onboard and ashore illustrates how their perspectives have matured and sometimes diverged since their first run south in 2012.
Brenda and I were stunned when we saw the near instantaneous answers tp some pretty specific questions and it does make me wonder where things are headed as this technology gets stronger, and it’s only beginning.
With the current administration ever more focused on getting their way and punishing those who disagree it is not hard to imagine this technology to extract just about everything you or I write and to use it to, well to do something really nasty to anyone that they disagree with.
All of this makes me think of a photo that my photographer friend Ed Gifford took of a crew member aboard the schooner Columbia when she was nearly swept overboard when we were out racing a few years ago. Yes, the waters are rising and raging…
It is clear that AI and the potential harm that can come from this power in the wrong hands, is pretty scary stuff.
Oh boy. Now I am stressed. Perhaps I will close with a soothing cloud picture, rainbow and all. With the onslaught of bad news from Washington these days, I definitely want to think that there is still something nice at the end of the rainbow.
Good or bad, we have no secrets.