Swell

by Liz Clark

  Plastic pollution on a remote beach in French Polynesia. MCKENZIE CLARK

  Better to prevent than solve problems! JIANCA LAZARUS

  Admiring a young, endangered Napoleon wrasse. JIANCA LAZARUS

  Our greatest power comes through living from the heart space. JIANCA LAZARUS

  The daily anchor check. JIANCA LAZARUS

  The fierce and fearless tigress, Amelia the Tropicat. LIZ CLARK

  Climate change seemed abstract until I got to know the Pacific peoples who may lose their islands. LIZ CLARK

  Heading home in our inflatable car. JODY MACDONALD

  My desk in the forest built from local materials. TAHUI TUFAIMEA

  Tits in the wind, feet in the sand, drinking in the tonic of the moon. TAHUI TUFAIMEA

  Blessed with a blanket of stars, cool sea air, and the sun for an alarm clock. JIANCA LAZARUS

  Seeking union with all that is. Namaste. LIZ CLARK COLLECTION

  “The revolution begins on your plate” – Ralph Smart. Back home after a day of fruit foraging. TAHUI TUFAIMEA

  Hang on and shoot for the light. LIZ CLARK COLLECTION

  Always ready for a new adventure. JIANCA LAZARUS

  “May the gratitude in my heart kiss all the universe.” – Hafiz. LIZ CLARK COLLECTION

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Meeting Dr. Arent H. ‘Barry’ Schuyler was like catching a shooting star. Without his encouragement and generosity this voyage would not have happened like it did. Barry and his wife, Jean, quietly empowered innumerable other individuals, as well as actively backing an endless stream of projects for environmental and social good. These two remarkable human beings are still my dearest role models.

  My parents, Russell and Melissa Clark, also had a huge role in making this dream possible. They raised me to believe I could do anything, and their support of my pursuits has been unfailing and inexhaustible. I love them more than anything.

  The unparalleled expertise of Marty Spargur, James Lambden, and Mike Jansen transformed Swell into a dynamic, ocean-going vessel. The care and foresight they employed in each detail of their work on the boat has kept me safe and enabled me to reach each new landfall. New friends along the way also helped make repairs and upgrades to Swell when my expertise or muscle fell short.

  I’d also like to thank the numerous businesses and private donors who have offered product, discounts, or dollars to keep this adventure going through the years. From the beginning Patagonia believed in helping one of the first female captains to sail off in search of surf. The people who make this company so extraordinary have my utmost gratitude for their support and their diligent efforts to protect our planet.

  Hundreds of others also contributed to my voyage in countless ways over the years, including support for writing this book. Whether we crossed paths in an anchorage or you cheered me on via the Internet, whether you gave me a lift, lent a hand, published my writing, or offered a warm meal, a good idea, a dock to tie to, a hot shower, a care package, encouraging words, the use of your washing machine, a place to sleep or write, a good luck charm, fresh water to fill my tanks, a prayer or hug when I needed one—thank you. Your kindness and generosity have become a part of me, and I look for ways to pay them forward every day.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  When Liz Clark was nine, her family spent seven months sailing down Mexico’s Pacific coast. After returning to land life in San Diego, she dreamed of one day seeing the world by sailboat. While earning her BA in Environmental Studies from UC Santa Barbara, she fell in love with surfing. After college, she turned her voyaging dream into reality, sailing south from Southern California through Central America and the Pacific Islands. For more than a decade, she has kept her nomadic ocean lifestyle going through writing, blogging, photography, representing conscious brands, and earning recognition as a surf adventurer, environmental activist, and captain. She hopes to inspire people to live their passions and reconnect with nature and our inherent oneness. She was featured in the film Dear and Yonder (2009), and nominated for National Geographic Adventurer of the Year in 2015.

  ABOVE JIANCA LAZARUS

  PARTING SHOT Like a swell traversing the ocean to crash upon a distant shore, may we push on towards our dreams and realize that we are both the wave and the sea all at once. MORGAN MAASSEN

  Go to Our Website

  www.Patagonia.com

  To Purchase your own print or ePub copies of any Patagonia Books,

  www.Patagonia.com/books.