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A Year in the Coast Guard

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The idea of joining the Coast Guard was first planted during a wild and beautiful sail on a one-hundred year old boat, Ziska , that I helped bring home from Alaska to Washington in 2019. During this voyage, many distress calls came over the radio - especially in the north - and we heard the Coast Guard talk people through very difficult situations. It was comforting to know that the Coast Guard was close(ish) by. When we were further offshore and hit by rough weather, it was harder being out of range of help. After this trip, I started volunteering for the nearby Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue station, and we sometimes did training operations with the local Coast Guard station. This sparked my interest even more. I had been working for the provincial government for three years - great work with wonderful people - but after some big personal losses, I really felt the need for a change. I submitted my application to the Coast Guard and forgot about it till I got a phone call inv...
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Atlantic Crossing on Sailing Vessel Relias

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On the day we set sail, our new crew Jason and I rowed to the nearby village for one final supply of fresh vegetables, bread, and passage snacks – the essentials. As we neared the beach, a large swell picked up the dingy and for a split second we balanced like a leaf on the crest of a wave. Then it flipped us upside down and crashed over us. I flew out and got nailed into pebbles while the upturned dingy landed on Jason’s head. After quickly checking that he was okay, I ran back into the surf to rescue the oars, which were being sucked out to sea. Then we both hauled the dingy out of the water. Note to self:  Waves that looks small and friendly from the ship may be larger than they appear.   Streaming saltwater, we walked the sailor’s “walk of shame” into the dusty town, past a group of fishermen by the shore, who were grinning from the free entertainment. We shopped quickly, trying to politely pretend that there weren’t little puddles around our feet. After heading back to th...
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Swiftsure Race

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The best part of any race or voyage is when the crew start gathering at the boat. There is a feeling of excitement in the air as each person arrives by car, plane or on foot, stows their bag, and greets their new crew-mates. The crew of the race-boat Korina Korina was a mix of Canadians and Americans, recruited by Captain Jon Kudson over the past couple of months. We were doing the long-distance route of the Swiftsure International Yacht Race, starting in Victoria, sailing through the Juan de Fuca Strait south of Vancouver Island, going round a marker at the edge of the Pacific Ocean, and returning back to Victoria for a total of 256 kilometres.   Brave crew-mate leaps on the boom to fix some rigging The start of Swiftsure is really fun, as over 100 sailboats whiz around in a small space, trying not to bump into each other as they wait for the cannon that marks the start. There is a lot of yelling! We had a bit of a slow start, but we knew that the wind was going to pick up towards...
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William Pemberton

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Last year on this day, we lost Will Pemberton. He's been a brother to us for nearly 20 years, and the loss of this great man has been unfathomable. I'm not a religious person, although I'd say I'm spiritual and believe in the good workings of the universe. Hours before Will's death, I got a very strong "nudge" out of the blue. I prayed to whoever could hear me (universe, love, god?) that Will would feel safe, loved and peaceful as he journeyed into his final rest where there is no pain. The next morning, my mom called to say that he had passed early that morning. Will's funeral was small due to Covid, but during the wake, many friends came by in staggered visits to say goodbye to Will. It's burned in my mind, seeing each of the children kissing the coffin goodbye and then processing out to the burial site. As my brother John led a final hymn, several people grabbed shovels - including the children - and helped to lay their dad to rest. Perhaps ...
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An Ocean Turn-Around and Return to Canada

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On March 18th, with a ship's hold filled with food, Matt and I handed in our visas and checked out of Mexico, prepared to follow our dream to cross the Pacific Ocean. Covid-19 was only just starting to be on the radar in Mexico, and our destination of French Polynesia had no cases. Ships were still welcome, and the ocean crossing would be considered our quarantine. All seemed well (spoiler: it wasn't). As we prepared to set sail, news came over the radio that French Polynesia had its first confirmed case. French Poly closed it's borders immediately, and mandated that all arriving ships would have to depart after restocking. Otherwise, crews would be deported and flown home to their countries. The entire South Pacific closed its doors, including New Zealand and Australia. With most of the borders in Central and South America closed as well, we hurriedly checked back into Mexico, just in time. Our new plan: spend the summer in the beautiful Sea of Cortez, eating through o...
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Magical Whales Along Haida Gwaii

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When sailing south from Alaska, you will pass the magical islands of Haida Gwaii, formerly the Queen Charlotte Islands. Home to the Haida nation, this archipelago is filled with history and rare animal species. It is also guarded by the Haida watchers, who guard the inlets and grant permission for ships to anchor and come ashore. Once ashore, these watchers will give visitors an incredible overview of the region.  As we rounded the tip of Haida Gwaii, the forested shoreline of the northernmost island lay wreathed in mist. At this point, we were becalmed for three solid days, inching our way forward with the drifter sail whenever we got a tiny breeze or nudge of current. On the second day, it was the type of calm where time stood still, and the sea looked golden and glassy. The ship was suspended at right angles to the water, but we also felt as though we were sitting on the curve of the horizon, making us feel like we were perched on the edge of the earth.  It was at th...
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The Good Ship Ziska - Sail from Alaska to Washington

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It's very difficult to put certain adventures into words, but here are a few that sum up this marvellous voyage for me - beautiful, wild, surreal, tough and freeing. In total, we sailed 1252 miles in 12 days from Ketchikan to Port Townsend, heading quite far offshore around the outside of Haida Gwaii and Vancouver Island to avoid some gale-force winds (spoiler alert: we dodged one gale, but hit another). The good ship Ziska is a beautiful 38 foot gaff-rigged wooden sailboat. It's over 100 years old and has been completely rebuilt.  I joined Ziska up in Ketchikan, Alaska, after the captain put out a call for crew to help sail the boat back home to Port Townsend after the Race to Alaska . While we were waiting to depart in Ketchikan, I started to hone my sailorly skills, learning how to self propel myself up the mast with rock-climbing gear (swinging around at 100 feet is terrifying, but also my favourite place to be on the boat!), how to tie reef knots in the sail and coil rop...
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