Interview
Laura Parent
Nikki Henderson // Winning The Race To Alaska

Nikki Henderson is no stranger to the 59N family. She’s a skipper, a podcaster, master of the Quarterdeck and a dear friend in the community. But when she signs off from these watches, she doesn’t quit. You likely know that she’s been on heaps of other seafaring adventures, including skippering the famed Whitbread machine, Maiden; the Clipper Round the World Race; and her first attempt at the Race To Alaska with Team Sail Like a Girl. I sat down to talk with Nikki about her second, most recent attempt at the R2AK, its challenges, and what made this one such a successful campaign in what I think is one of the greatest adventure races on earth. Guest-Hosted by Ben Doerr.

Nikki Henderson // Winning The Race To Alaska
Interview
Laura Parent
#404: How to be a Sailing Parent w/ Andy, ...

Navigating the challenges of parenthood whilst also maintaining an atypical lifestyle — be that of a sailor, adventurer, or anything that doesn’t involve a 9-5 desk job — has been a consistent theme of this podcast. Now the tables have turned. Andy, Mia and August are raising their two boys whilst running a business and working as professional sailors themselves. Hoping to be a parent myself one day, I took the opportunity to put them on the spot to discuss what has surprised them about parenthood, what they wish they had known before taking the plunge, and what advice they have for anyone else dreaming of a similar future.

#404: How to be a Sailing Parent w/ Andy, August and Mia
Interview
Laura Parent
#403: Pam Wall // Reminiscing on a Life at Sea

Pam Wall returns to the podcast, live from her living room in Ft. Lauderdale. Andy sat down to talk to Pam about the treasure trove of memories in her house, how she stays happy and inspirational despite the tragedy of losing her husband and daughter too soon, the relationship she has with her son, how she stays fit at nearly 80, and lots lots more.

#403: Pam Wall // Reminiscing on a Life at Sea
Interview
Laura Parent
#402: Celeste Pomerantz // To Svalbard in ...

Celeste Pomerantz wasn't a sailor until she signed up for a sail & ski trip out of Tromsø, Norway, that was headed north in search of un-skied peaks in Svalbard. The boat was called SOFIE, and was owned and skippered by friend of 59º North, Mats Grimsaeth. I discovered Celeste in the ski film Wavy 2 about the adventure and immediately reached out to her. We talked about sailing in the Arctic, her upbringing in the mountains of western British Columbia, similarities between big mountain skiing and offshore sailing, managing fear, 'imposter syndrome' and her studies in renewable energy.

#402: Celeste Pomerantz // To Svalbard in Search of Un-skied Couloirs
Interview
Laura Parent
#401: Terje Andre Pedersen // Sailing in the ...

Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen was the first to reach the South Pole and the North Pole, but his greatest achievement may have been leading the first successful crossing of the Northwest Passage in 1906. Terje Andre Pedersen grew up inspired by Amundsen's great stories of exploration. He has followed his own dreams, and is soon to set sail towards the Northwest Passage in Amundsen's wake with a ship made of wood and a crew made of iron.

#401: Terje Andre Pedersen // Sailing in the Wake of Amundsen
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#352: Robin Lee Graham // Fifty Years Since Sailing DOVE

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#352: Robin Lee Graham // Fifty Years Since Sailing DOVE

#352. Robin Lee Graham made history when he left California in 1965, at the age of sixteen, to sail around the world alone on Dove. He met his wife Patti on this epic journey, which he completed in 1970. The voyage was followed by a flurry of media and a difficult return to life ashore. The Graham’s moved to Montana soon after the circumnavigation, where they built a life with their two kids, Quimby and Ben. Robin and Patti still live on Flathead Lake, where their close-knit family gathers often.

Robin wrote three books with the help of Derek Gill: Dove, The Boy Who Sailed Around the World Alone, and Home is the Sailor. Dove was adapted into a Hollywood movie in 1974.

Emma's mother, Lynn, sailed across the Atlantic in 1978, when she was twelve years old. Lynn had the first edition of The Boy Who Sailed Around the World Alone on the shelf beside her bunk, and spent their 26 day passage from Maine to Ireland flipping through its pages. Emma grew up with that same copy on her shelf, which sparked her trajectory towards sailing.

In February 2022, 50 years after Robin's circumnavigation, Emma traveled up to Montana to interview Robin in person, in the house he built on Flathead Lake. The two sailors talked about Robin's early sailing days, his relationship with his father, his faith, and how he and Patti have built their life.

#351: Andy Chase // Sinking of the Bounty, Maritime Seamanship

#351: Andy Chase // Sinking of the Bounty, Maritime Seamanship

#351. Andy Chase is a professional mariner in every sense of the word. He's worked all over the world on all types of ships - big, small, sailing ships and container ships. Nonfiction writer John McPhee even based his wonderful book 'Looking for a Ship' on Andy's maritime career. Most recently, Andy's been a long-time professor at Maine Maritime Academy and even skippered the schooner BOWDOIN back to the Arctic. I spoke to Andy at length about his career and his thoughts on seamanship, which there are many.

#350: Ryan Ellison // An Emotional Solo Trans-Atlantic

#350: Ryan Ellison // An Emotional Solo Trans-Atlantic

#350. Ryan Ellison, friend of the show, returns to talk about his emotional voyage solo across the Atlantic. Aboard POLAR SEAL, Ryan got involved in a migrant rescue at sea and helped save the lives of dozens of migrants as he stood by to mark their position while the helicopter rescue crews did their work. Ryan reflects on the traumatic experience and the life epiphanies that came from the experience, why he stopped in Cape Verde, why he continued solo after almost abandoning the attempt, and what he learned about himself in the process. Andy & Emma co-host today's show with Ryan.

#349: Peter Gibbons-Neff // Mini-Transat Dreams

#349: Peter Gibbons-Neff // Mini-Transat Dreams

#349. Peter Gibbons-Neff - the namesake of PGN Ocean Racing - is a solo sailor from Annapolis aiming for the single-handed Mini Transat next year in 2023. Peter & I have crossed paths many times, most recently in Kinsale, Ireland - we were outbound on ICEBEAR heading to Sweden, and Peter was inbound on his Mini arriving from France. We traded photos and I promised then I'd get him on the show! Peter tells me the story of how we wound up in the same harbor an ocean away from home.

#348: Emma Garschagen // 7 Months at Sea

#348: Emma Garschagen // 7 Months at Sea

#348. 59º North's own Emma Garschagen is back in the interviewee-seat after having sailed 12,000 miles as the mate on ICEBEAR in 2021. Emma takes us through all of the ups and downs of her long voyage, from successfully completing her first trans-Atlantic crossing to an offshore medical emergency.

New to the show? Listen to episode #311 to learn more about Emma and her sailing origins!

#347: Dawn Riley // Sailing Stories from the Whitbread, America's Cup, and Oakcliff

#347: Dawn Riley // Sailing Stories from the Whitbread, America's Cup, and Oakcliff

#347. Dawn Riley is an expert big-boat and match-racing sailor, and a wonderful storyteller. Emma got Dawn on the phone for an hour of sailing stories from Dawn's incredible career.

Dawn was the first woman ever to manage an entire America’s Cup syndicate, the first American, man or woman, to sail in three America’s Cups and two Whitbread Round the World races. She was on the Maiden crew in the 1989-90 Whitbread Race. Dawn is the Executive Director at Oakcliff Sailing, an organization dedicated to raising the level of sailors and sailing in the United States.

Learn more about Dawn's career here (dawnriley.com) and more about Oakcliff Sailing here (https://www.oakcliffsailing.org/). Learn more about training programs at Oakcliff here (https://www.oakcliffsailing.org/programs/), or how to support their mission here (https://www.oakcliffsailing.org/support-us).

#346: Chris Nolan // Practical Navigator: From the U.S. Coast Guard to Tall Ships

#346: Chris Nolan // Practical Navigator: From the U.S. Coast Guard to Tall Ships

#346. Chris Nolan is a former US Coast Guard cutterman and current USCG reservist. He is a faculty captain and current interim academic dean at Sea Education Association (www.sea.edu) in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. Chris is also the founder of Practical Navigator (www.practicalnavigator.org) where he provides educational resources to mariners. He runs a YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/c/NavigationTraining/videos) where he shares educational material and stories from his experience at sea. In this episode, Emma and Chris discuss Chris's time in the Coast Guard and subsequent transition into sailing education on tall ships. We explore questions around leadership, being a good shipmate, and how to take care of one's own needs while still looking out for others.

#345: Matt Rutherford (Again!) // Refitting Old Boats, Greenland & More

#345: Matt Rutherford (Again!) // Refitting Old Boats, Greenland & More

#345. Matt Rutherford (again!). Matt & Andy shoot the shit about sailing origins, how far we've come since 2011, his big-ass schooner refit, missing solo sailing, and Matt's upcoming Greenland expedition with his Ocean Research Project. Want to sail with Matt? He's looking for a female mate to work alongside him, his first mate, and scientist Nicole Trenholm for the duration of the summer. Low pay, high adventure! Contact oceanresearchproject.org to apply.

#344: Taylor Grieger // HELL OR HIGH SEAS

#344: Taylor Grieger // HELL OR HIGH SEAS

#344. Taylor Grieger returns to the podcast to talk about how sailing saved his life. Taylor is a military vet, a former US Navy rescue swimmer, who suffered from severe PTSD on his return to civilian life. He returned to a childhood love of sailing, and with two friends, set out to sail around Cape Horn and talk about PTSD for a film called HELL OR HIGH SEAS. Taylor has since started the American Odysseus Sailing Foundation (amodsailing.org) to help other vets and first responders recover from PTSD through sailing. Catch the film at hellorhighseas.com.

#343: Djemila Tassin // Racing the Mini Transat

#343: Djemila Tassin // Racing the Mini Transat

#343. Djemila Tassin is a Belgian and Spanish sailor from the island of La Palma. She completed the 2021 Mini Transat aboard her boat Kaïros. Djemila is a determined solo sailor, a trained oceanographer, and an inspiring adventurer. In this episode, Emma and Djemila discuss the mental preparation necessary for an undertaking like the Mini Transat. In addition to her confidence and drive, Djemila found success through advice from mentors and learning to ask for help. Djemila is taking all her lessons on racing and seamanship from last year's race into the next edition of the Mini Transat aboard a new boat. Follow her adventures and contact Djemila at www.djemilasailing.com.

#341: Megan Frey // Sail Training & Trusting Yourself

#341: Megan Frey // Sail Training & Trusting Yourself

#341. Megan Frye is a tall ship sailor and educator. She has spent the last 10 years at sea, sailing traditionally rigged vessels all over the world. She is pursuing her dream of connecting people through sailing with Ocean's Dream. Emma connected with Megan after the transatlantic on ICEBEAR to hear more of Megan's fantastic story. They discussed how Megan followed her intuition to islands in Norway and Scotland, and the Alaskan coastline. Megan shared the comical and joyful story of her first sailboat, and we dove in to the plan for her sail training nonprofit, Ocean's Dream.

You can find out more about Ocean's Dream and support Megan at https://www.oceansdream.org/

#339: Angel & Pete // Pro Skiers Turned Ocean Sailors

#339: Angel & Pete // Pro Skiers Turned Ocean Sailors

#339. I first talked to pro skier-turned-sailor Angel Collinson in the fall of 2020 before she ever set out on an offshore passage. About a year later, I caught up with her and Pete aboard their steel sloop SEABEAR in the Canary Islands, after they'd done their first major ocean crossing. We talked about Pete's lifelong history as a sailor, how he and Angel met in the officers of Teton Gravity Research in Jackson Hole, why they're both such great huggers and how Angel's sailing career is evolving in real-time, just as she's officially announced her retirement from skiing.

#335: Kirsten Neuschäfer // Golden Globe Race 2022, Skip Novak, & Solo Sailing

#335: Kirsten Neuschäfer // Golden Globe Race 2022, Skip Novak, & Solo Sailing

#335. Kirsten Neuschäfer is a professional sailor and adventurer, most recently working as a skipper for Skip Novak's Pelagic Expeditions in Antarctica in the Southern Ocean. At 22 she cycled solo 15,000 km from Europe to her home in South Africa, and is now preparing for her biggest challenge yet - the 2022 Golden Globe Race, a solo, nonstop circumnavigation of the globe starting next year!

#334: Marcus Hutchinson // The French Solo Sailing Scene

#334: Marcus Hutchinson // The French Solo Sailing Scene

#334. We met Marcus Hutchinson in Kinsale, Ireland after ICEBEAR's trans-Atlantic, having been referred to him by one of our former crew who used to be his neighbor. Marcus has been deeply involved in the high-end racing scene for most of his career, first as a naval architect with Rob Humphries, later as editor of Seahorse Magazine, on America's Cup campaigns, and now as a coach and mentor for major solo ocean sailing campaigns including the Figaro and Vendee Globe. Andy talked to him at his house in Kinsale back in August.

#333: Lisa Blair // Around Antarctica Again

#333: Lisa Blair // Around Antarctica Again

#333. Lisa Blair is an Australian adventurer who holds multiple world records for her solo sailing adventures. She is a positive and strong voice for confronting climate change, and for pursuing one's dreams full force. Lisa is currently preparing to sail solo, nonstop, and unassisted around Antarctica, in pursuit of world records and groundbreaking ocean data collection. On her boat, Climate Action Now, Lisa will be facing the Southern Ocean again as she races the clock around the world.