Category Archives: Sailing

Telling the New Year and Jeannette Wall’s failures in The Silver Star

I remember reading Wall’s Half Broke Horses one sunny afternoon when I lived on the Schooner Shenandoah. Below deck, on my bottom bunk, an upwards-facing porthole that would leak salty water when we tacked too far provided me with enough natural light to dot on Wall’s words. I loved the book, reading it practically inContinue reading “Telling the New Year and Jeannette Wall’s failures in The Silver Star”

A Brief Book Review: The Voyage of the Sanderling: Exploring the Ecology of the Atlantic Coast from Maine to Rio by Roger D. Stone

In my infinite quest to find books about travel and sailboats void of the fetishization of colonialism, imperialism, or eurocentrism, I dove deep into this novel which I purchased in a quaint bookstore called Westsider Books in the Upper Westside of New York City. While Stone, who recently passed away this year, makes some goodContinue reading “A Brief Book Review: The Voyage of the Sanderling: Exploring the Ecology of the Atlantic Coast from Maine to Rio by Roger D. Stone”

So Where Do We Go Now?

I sit here knowing I shouldn’t write about school stuff or the things that make my eyebrows squint downwards so the images in my head can replace my vision. The creases on my face tighten almost rhythmically at the thought of anything abstract. Yet all that spirals around in my brain are the things I’veContinue reading “So Where Do We Go Now?”

Map of “Somewhere”

            m I am free On an island far far away from here, where  sailboats toss and roll in the  surf, and seagulls soar like a soprano’s song Lines destined for a diary or at least a schooner’s topsail  becomes the indicator of land where inlets become infinite, coves abundant A land where I am free,Continue reading “Map of “Somewhere””

The Lighthouse Guided Me to Shore: My Adventure Coming to Bass Harbor, Maine

The day after I finished finals I had a dream about a lighthouse. When I woke up, having nothing immediate to do for the first time in forever, I decided to look up some lighthouses on the east coast. Maine in particular always struck my fancy, as my Mom is from a tiny island offContinue reading “The Lighthouse Guided Me to Shore: My Adventure Coming to Bass Harbor, Maine”

John Steinbeck’s The Log from the Sea of Cortez, Childhood Expedition, and a World Already Discovered?

A book with a map as its cover, about some great expedition over water; these kinds of stories are simply irresistible to a literate sailor like me. Add the value of reading the work of people as important as Steinbeck and you’ve created my next read. This book reminded me of what it is likeContinue reading “John Steinbeck’s The Log from the Sea of Cortez, Childhood Expedition, and a World Already Discovered?”

A Brief Poem Review: “Dauber” by John Masefield

I first heard “Dauber” about five years ago, sitting on the narrow benches across from the rocking tables that can only be found in the main saloon of a schooner. Shenandoah is her name. Captain would read us this poem most nights. I have to admit, most of us, including myself, zoned out or nappedContinue reading “A Brief Poem Review: “Dauber” by John Masefield”

My time spent on the Schooner “Shenandoah”

I’ve gone to the Shenandoah in Martha’s Vineyard for the past four summers (minus this last summer because of Covid). When I first started writing my book my mom looked up writing camps I could do and she eventually found this one. I remember when we first took the ferry to the island and IContinue reading “My time spent on the Schooner “Shenandoah””