As skipper of Team Washington DC on the 2025–2026 Clipper Round the World Race, I have the privilege and responsibility of leading Team Washington DC, a crew of mostly of novice sailors, through some of the most demanding oceans through an eleven-month global circumnavigation. My role is part coach, part navigator, part mediator, and always... Continue Reading →
The Importance of Celebration and Practicing Gratitude
Life onboard during an 11-month circumnavigation brings with it a rhythm that becomes strangely ordinary, even in the most extraordinary of environments. In the daily grind of sailing our routine of wakeups, watches, sail changes, and meals, can begin to blur together. Even in the middle of vast oceans or under starlit skies, life can... Continue Reading →
“Let’s talk sailing”
This is the second in a series of blogs exploring the many dimensions of participating in the Clipper Race. In this entry, I focus on the sailing, the core of the journey, which is as relentless as it is exhilarating. Ocean racing is not just about pointing the boat in the right direction and sailing... Continue Reading →
A Rabbit In Headlight To Being In My Element
A lot has happened since last posting here. In May 2023 as I stepped off 59 North’s Falken after a transatlantic passage, I received a call from Clipper HQ asking me if I wanted to be an additional qualified person (AQP: better known as first mate) on the race. Since then, I have been caught... Continue Reading →
The Test: Trials for first mate position on the Clipper Round the World Race.
I’ve been an AQP (first mate) on the Clipper Race for 8 months and we have sailed well over halfway round the world. It feels like we are on the home straight. Life has been super-fast paced since the trials for the position in February 2023. Since the race started on September 3rd I have... Continue Reading →
The value of mentorship
The Magenta Project, established by the sailors of the successful campaign of Team SCA in the Volvo Ocean Race 2014-2015 is a collective of passionate people committed to developing pathways and generating opportunities for more equity and inclusion in sailing. When I found out about the project I knew that having a mentor to guide... Continue Reading →
My Transatlantic crossing with 59 North
I’ve been on the water for a few months now. Firstly, on a delivery from the UK across the Bay of Biscay to Gijon and then from Marseille, through the straights of Gibraltar and up the coast to Porto (on the only Archambault A13 ever built). After a short flight from Porto to Gran Canaria,... Continue Reading →
Living in Luxury: Carpe Diem becomes my home
This summer has been a blast! I finished 6th form college early in order to skipper a boat in Croatia for a week. On my return I took (and passed!) my Yachtmaster costal exam and the week after that I started my first full-time job at Oyster yachts. For my first few weeks I was... Continue Reading →
Sailing and family
I am not really from a sailing family; my mum and dad didn’t sail until I was 10. It all started after my grandma died and my grandad decided to re-engage with some of the activities he had enjoyed when he was younger. He and grandma had owned a folk boat “Stella” which they kept... Continue Reading →
Racing Mad Dash
This year I have been competing in my first season of RORC (Royal Ocean Racing Club) and JOG (Junior Offshore Group) racing. I have joined a fabulous team on an Elan 410 called Mad Dash based in Port Hamble Marina. The crew has been slightly different each time but have always been a great team... Continue Reading →