Swell

by Captain Liz Clark

This book took me back to the sea. Found it really entertaining and well-written. Of many lessons we learned during 2020 the first one that comes to mind while reading is that although we cannot control what goes around us, we are always free to choose how we respond and adapt.

You get a real sense of the challenges of single-handed offshore sailing, the need to be self-sufficient, the required mental and physical strength. She provides a wealth of lessons to be learned in all three dimensions although not always agreed with some of her decision-making. The book is well written and it is easy to visualize the beauty of the places she visited.

For a young courageous girl in her twenties, pursuing her mostly solo sailing dreams in an activity normally governed by men, Clark’s challenges are compounded to say it lightly. She is running no race, but rather making a living out of the experience while visiting the stunning corners of the Pacific. She undergoes a profound transformation as she progresses, becoming a wholehearted environmentalist after seeing how much damage we humans inflict on the seas and the World.