In 1917, the family moved to Colorado and later California before choosing to live on a fifty-foot boat off of the British Columbian and Alaskan coasts from 1924–1931. Originally only intending to live there three months, the family spent those seven years with Kathrene as the mate, Robert as the skipper, and daughter Bobs as the quartermaster when on vacation from boarding school. It was during this time that Kathrene focused on her writing, having started in 1922.
