the blog

Anyone care to go for a drive?

Thinking back on those New Zealand evenings, tucked in the mountains, surrounded by friends, making the most of our moments together.

I never expected sailing to be such a deep part of who I am, but now I feel such a new connection to the water, to the people who I’ve met because of sailing, and the challenges we’ve faced and overcome at sea.
📷 @whitwhitehouse

You know the old saying, “when life gives you lemons, take a dive into an alpine lake.” Seems to fix most of my problems. Photo by @shreddin_kevin

Keep it simple.

Find the things that get your heart racing and hold on tight.

It’s officially larch season in the PNW. I haven’t been able to get out to see them the last year or two so it was great to be in the right place at the right time with some lovely humans. Shot for @marmot

Ten out of ten would recommend this Airbnb.

For some reason I’ve been telling my story a lot more often lately, and I think back on all the twists and turns that it’s taken to get here. The connections that I’ve been able to make with some of the most lovely humans, and the adventures we’ve shared along the way. Some have been way out in the backcountry, and many have been right here, in this van named Ruby, a place that has been home and provided me with a cornerstone of stability.
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To be comfortable in your home is critical. It’s where you go to regenerate the batteries. Check out my story for some of my favorites from @backcountry and use code WILL15 to get 15% off your first purchase (some restrictions apply)
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#findyourbackcountry #sponsored

It’s hard to see a chapter of life close. Actually close is the wrong word, I will now forever be a sailor, a man who is with the sea. Our time aboard the Velella was meaningful, deep and full of reflection, the type of time that doesn’t happen often in today’s world, the type of time we often search for in any number of outdoor pursuits. The thing I found so refreshing at sea was that we came to a time when I didn’t feel the need to seek that feeling of “now-ness”; rather it was just how we were. I’m trying to keep that with me.

Do you think being on social media helps you?

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the Northwest and all the people and places that I care about there that are currently being effected by these fires. It’s hard to be away at a time like this, and even though I realize that I can’t be on the front lines of the fight to control the wildfires, being disconnected from it seems to make it feel even worse. Be back soon PNW.

P E R S P E C T I V E

From this vantage point, it’s hard to believe that space was the entire space that @sonofaboat and I occupied for 25 days straight (and technically the two months before in preparation), sailing from Seattle, Washington to Hilo, Hawaii. In reality, it was plenty of space, in fact it was the only type of space that I’ve been a part of in my recent past that has allowed me the opportunity to really reflect, to grow, to look outward as far as the eye can see and in doing so see inward as deep as the mind can go. It was a beautiful symphony of air and space, simple and meaningful.

Thinking of mountains, cold rock, and colorful flags fluttering in the wind.

More and more the term exploration doesn’t need to mean the act of accessing of places that no human has ever been before, rather it is searching for the inner examination that happens when traveling and seeing places that are new to you.

First things first when we made landfall in Hilo: wash ourselves, wash the boat, prepare for a hurricane, not necessarily in that order.
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A successful sailing trip required some specific gear to stay happy and healthy. From fishing to cooking to staying warm, @backcountry had us covered. Use code WILL15 for 15% off your first order and free 2 day shipping. *exclusions apply
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Find more in my stories 🤙🏼

Is it too late to start my climbing season? I realized the other day while putting together some images for the @americanalpine club that I have only had a handful of days on rock or snow this year… Looking forward to changing that this fall.

“There is something extremely gratifying about doing things that are a little harder…“ ~ Jesse Kamm