We met Maya and Aladino in Marstrand this summer, where they were cruising the Swedish coastline on their Vindo 32, Magic Carpet. Maya is a Canadian musician, filmmaker, and sailor. Aladino is a Swiss and Italian boatbuilder and sailor. They recently bought a Cape George 36, Magic Carpet II, that they are refitting in Canada with the goal to sail around the world. Maya and Aladino create beautiful films of their journeys and have a successful YouTube channel with new videos released every Friday.
#354: Jon Totten // Sailing Therapy with Dogsmile Adventures
Jon Totten is an outdoorsman, educator, sailor, and all-around great person. He spent 12 years leading outdoor adventures in Northern Idaho before he found a path as a professional sailor. Jon led sailing charters in the San Juan Islands and the Caribbean until life forced him to change paths. After an absolutely epic adventure in 2020, he went back to Idaho where he founded his nonprofit, Dogsmile Adventures. His organization is now in its second year creating therapeutic sailing opportunities for everyone. Check it out at dogsmileadventures.org and be sure to watch their Youtube videos to hear more stories from the folks who sail with Jon.
In this episode, Emma and Jon discuss the path that led Jon to Dogsmile Adventures. They talk about addiction, mental health, the healing power of the outdoors, and how to make sailing available to more people.
#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.
#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!
#325: Lisa Blair // Facing Fear
#325. Lisa Blair is an adventurer, author, and a multiple world record holding sailor. Her boat, Climate Action Now, is a brilliantly colorful poster of a positive approach to tackling climate change. In 2017, Lisa set out to break the record for a solo, nonstop circumnavigation around Antarctica. She was dismasted south of Cape Town, about three quarters of the way through the passage. Unstoppable as ever, Lisa repaired Climate Action Now and completed the circumnavigation, setting her first of many world records. Lisa wrote a wonderful book, Facing Fear, about her 2017 Antarctic circumnavigation. You can follow Lisa, support her voyages, and find her book at her website: https://lisablairsailstheworld.com/
#313: Mia Karlsson & Emma Garschagen // Sailing Origins
#313. Mia Karlsson should be no stranger to you all. She is the co-owner and founder of 59 North Sailing, and is married to Andy Schell. They live in Sweden with their son Axel, where Mia is an active outdoorswoman and puzzler. She grew up in Sweden and has been an avid traveler since she was young. When she and Andy met, her sailing career began. Mia has now sailed over 50,000 miles and completed five Atlantic crossings. She created the first mate position on the 59 North Swan's, which is the job that Emma now occupies. Emma will also be appearing as a regular guest-host for ON THE WIND, so stay tuned for more episodes with her as interviewer!
