On the Wind Sailing

Andy Schell's new podcast on, well, the title speaks for itself! Subscribe on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts! Music by Storm Weather Shanty Choir. Donate at 59-north.com/thinksailing.

#225. Henrik Engblom is the bosun on the tall ship Pommern, one of the classic Cape Horn clipper ships that sailed out of the Aland Islands in the early 20th century. Aland is a Swedish-speaking but legally Finnish archipelago in the Baltic Sea, about 40 miles northeast of Stockholm, and home to a rich cultural & maritime history. Only in his 20s, Henrik, a native Alander Islander, is already a Master Rigger and in charge of Pommern's restoration. Mia & I visited the ship back in 2013 when we sailed to Aland on Arcturus. I was excited to be back last summer aboard Isbjorn, when in August Henrik gave me a tour of the ship and talked to me at length about his career. -- Want to work for the podcast? We're hiring! Email [email protected].

#224 / #173 Recycled. The Reverend Bob Shepton, now 81, got his start shortly after WWII as a climbing instructor in the British Armed Forces, where he used the outdoors to teach leadership & scripture. He didn't start sailing until much later in life, but got real serious about it real quickly. I sat down with him at the Southampton Boat Show to talk religion, spirituality, his early days as a climber, losing his boat during an Arctic winter, his 15 Atlantic crossings, meeting the Wild Bunch, and the story behind the film series 'Vertical Sailing Greenland.' The music in this episode is courtesy of the Wild Bunch. This episode is sponsored by Forbes Horton Yachts. Visit forbesyachts.com. Bob Shepton might not be a household name in the US, but he certainly is in the UK. He was honored as 'Yachtsman of the Year' in 2014, which may sound irrelevant until you realize the winners in 2013 & 2015 - that would be Sir Ben Ainslie & Sir Robin Knox-Johnston. Good company indeed. Anyway, Bob is one of the most accomplished and yet most humble sailors I've ever met. My interview with him was like sitting down with your favorite grandfather and hearing him tell old stories. We could have talked for hours, and Bob seemed to enjoy every second of it. Before you listen to this episode, take five minutes and watch Episode 2 of Vertical Sailing Greenland - you'll find it in the show notes below. That film is what initially inspired me to reach out to Bob, and he tells the behind-the-scenes story of it at length about halfway through our chat.

#223. Paul Exner is one of our best friends, and easily the best sailor I've ever sailed with. Paul is Isbjorn's Racing skipper, and is the only person - besides mad dad - who I've trusted to sail Isbjorn offshore without me being aboard. He's been a regular on the podcast, so if you don't know his backstory - how he grew up as a Gringo living in Puerto Rico, went on to coach the racing team at the University of Wisconsin, had his own mapping business, built his Cape George 31 Solstice from a bare hull and eventually sailed it to the caribbean - listen to one of his past episodes on On the Wind. Paul & I talk today about surviving Hurricane Irma and how it's changed the lives of his young family. -- On the Wind is presented by Forbes Horton Yachts. And also supported by Broadreach, and Offshore Passage Opportunities.

#222. Carlton Goldthwaite is the visionary founder & owner of Broadreach, a North-Carolina based company that offers adventure travel and cultural immersion programs for students worldwide, a company very close to my heart - my first official captain's job was in 2008, as a Broadreach skipper based out of French St Martin and co-leading three-week sailing & diving trips around the Leeward Islands. Carlton & I spoke in-person at the Broadreach HQ in Raleigh about his seaside childhood on the coast of New Jersey, his vagabonding experiences as a young adult, his stint on Wall Street as a junk bond trader, and the origins and evolution of Broadreach itself.

#221. It's been a LONG time since I talked much about the business on here, and, now three years in (almost) and at the dawn of a new year, I feel like this is as good a time as any. I'm writing and recording this in real-time, by the way - as I write this, it's just before 1000 SWE time on Tuesday January 2, the day this will release. Mia & I spent a lot of yesterday afternoon, January 1, reflecting on 2017 and planning ahead for 2018, across the business. The big question that we kept reminding ourselves of was the overall mission statement of 59 North. What, exactly, do we do, what do we WANT to do, and HOW do we accomplish that without getting sidetracked. -- On the Wind is Presented By Forbes Horton Yachts, longtime supporter of both 59 North in general and the podcast specifically. I've known Forbes for many years, and he indeed helped us buy Isbjorn back in 2015. Remember, Forbes can help you buy ANY boat on the market, not just ones he's listing. To contact Forbes and start looking for your dream boat, visit forbesyachts.com - that's F-O-R-B-E-S. forbesyachts.com. -- On the Wind is also supported by Broadreach and Offshore Passage Opportunities.

SV Delos & 59 North announce their joint expedition to sail around Spitsbergen onboard Andy & Mia's Swan 48 'Isbjorn.'

John Martino is the former owner of 'Isbjorn', then 'Patriot', and he's also the founder of the Annapolis School of Seamanship. I spoke to John in Eastport at the school's headquarters about his history as a sailor, how he founded the school, and of course how he came to own 'Patriot' and what he thought of her as a boat! -- On the Wind is presented by Weems & Plath, makers of fine nautical & weather instruments since 1928. The CrewWatcher MOB beacon is now available online at westmarine.com. Visit weems-plath.com for all their tools and gifts.

Jessie Zevalkink is half of the 'Katie & Jessie On a Boat' duo that sailed the Great Loop in their early 20's, and had a popular blog that documented the journey. Mia & I met Jessie and her partner Luke (Katie was absent) at the Annapolis Sailboat Show in October and talked about that Great Loop trip, Jessie & Luke's recent trans-Atlantic passage, and their plans to sail around the world. -- On the Wind is presented by Weems & Plath. The new CrewWatcher MOB beacon is now available online at westmarine.com. For all of Weems & Plath's catalog, visit weems-plath.com.

Taylor Grieger & his friend Stephen O'Shea make up 'Skeleton Crew Sailing.' They're on a mission to raise awareness for veteran's suicide by 'taming Cape Horn' in their 36' sloop. Taylor is a former Navy Rescue Swimmer who did tours in the Pacific. Andy spoke to him while the crew were stopped in Panama for repairs before continuing on towards Cape Horn.

#217. Tamara Puhovski stowed away on the ARC Europe rally in 2017 onboard the Turkish-flagged 'Morton' to get across the Atlantic. She'd never sailed before, and nobody onboard the boat shared a common language.

#216. Brion Toss, the Master himself, joins Andy Schell at Cruiser's University 2017 in Annapolis for a seminar on offshore yacht rigging.

#215. Gary Adams is the new owner of Oban Marina, in Scotland, which we visited on Isbjorn in June. He's also a former Clipper Race crewmember, who sailed with our friend - and podcast #184 guest - Ollie Cotterell. Gary & Andy sat down on the island of Kerrera to talk about Gary's sailing & business background, his Clipper Race experience and what it's like owning a marina. -- On the Wind is presented by Weems & Plath, makers of fine nautical & weather instruments. weems-plath.com.

#214. Brittany Meyers is the author of Windtraveler, the hugely popular blog about her experience transitioning from 'land to sea to the tropics with three.' She's an accomplished sailor, a mom, an adventurer, and now, after sadly losing her beloved boat 'Legato' to Hurricane Irma, a philanthropist. She tells her story to Andy this week on the podcast. -- On the Wind is presented by Weems & Plath, makers of fine nautical & weather instruments since 1928. Check out the brand new Crewwatcher MOB device online at weems-plath.com. Sail offshore on a Swan 48 with Andy & Mia at 59-north.com/offshore.

#213. Andy Jamieson joined the crew of Infinity, a 120-foot hand-built schooner, on a voyage towards Antarctica. The adventures that ensued were filmed and recently released as 'Sea Gypsies: The Far Side of the World,' easily one of the best sailing movies we've seen. Go to seagypsiesmovie.com to watch for yourself. -- On the Wind is presented by Weems & Plath, makers of fine nautical & weather instruments since 1928. Go to weems-plath.com. -- Join Andy & Mia on the ocean sailing adventure of a lifetime and sail offshore on their Swan 48 'Isbjorn.' Head to 59-north.com/offshore to see routes & dates for 2018, 2019 & beyond.

#212. RECYCLED. Sara Hastreiter sailed in the previous Volvo Ocean Race aboard the all-women Team SCA, skippered by Dee Caffari. Sara's off mountaineer for this year's event, set to sail on October 22. But Dee Caffari is heading up the mixed-crew team on 'Turn the Tide on Plastic,' so you know who I'll be rooting for this year! Mia & I met and sailed with Sara in NYC a few years back, and I had a chance to talk to her on Skype immediately following the last Volvo.

#211. Hank & Andy sat down at the Annapolis Sailboat Show to discuss the ongoing relief efforts in the Caribbean due to Hurricane's Irma & Maria. The successive storms destroyed two of Hank's favorite islands - St. Martin & Dominica - also the places he calls home aboard 'Avocation' during the winter sailing season. Hank discusses his focused effort to help the people of those islands rebuild, and how YOU can help. -- On the Wind is presented by Weems & Plath, makers of fine nautical & weather instruments since 1928. Don't miss their newly announced Crew Watcher Man Overboard system for smartphones. Visit weems-plath.com.

#210: Skip Novak is a leader in the expedition sailing world, and his Pelagic expeditions based in Patagonia are world-class, and a huge inspiration to our business at 59 North with Isbjorn. Skip & Andy spoke about his career in the Whitbread Race, growing up in Chicago, building an expedition business, sailing with Magnus Olsson and much more.

#209: SOOO, while we've been sailing around Sweden on Isbjorn, I've been working behind the scenes to finalize production on the first-ever published book by 59 North, Yves incredible 'Jean du Sud & the Magic Byrd,' a beautiful & philosophical book about Yves' journey to sail solo & nonstop around the world, written in a style I find very similar to the legendary Bernard Moitessier, a sailor I know Yves admired himself. Yves will be joining us at the Annapolis Sailboat Show next week for the duration, and we'll be selling a limited quantity of his book, signed by Yves himself who will be there for you to meet! Which brings us back to today's episode, which is the first chapter of Yves' book, narrated by Yves himself. 'Jean du Sud & the Magick Byrd' will officially launch as Season 2 of Sailing Stories next Thursday, October 5, Day 1 of the Sailboat Show, and run weekly as usually through it's completion. The show is free to listeners, but we're again asking for donations if you like it - go to sailingstoriespodcast.com and just click the big blue FUND button. Lee, Yves & I put a lot of love & a lot of work into this one and we really think you'll love it!

#208: As I record this, Isbjorn is stuck in medieval Visby, on the island of Gotland smack in the center of the Baltic. We've only made it about 100 miles south of Stockholm, on this our 11th and LAST passage of 2017, due to horrendous weather. Recent guests the Veber family reported gusts over 50 knots in their homeport of Falsterbo, on the Swedish southwest coast about 200 miles from here and on our route. So we're sitting tight. What follows is a roundtable meeting recorded about 6 weeks ago with Isbjorn's crew from our PREVIOUS passage, when we were similarly stuck in Marstrand, waiting out a gale. If you want to learn more about offshore weather forecasting, head over to morganscloud.com, where right now there is a series of detailed articles coming out that John Harries & I wrote. -- On the Wind is presented by Weems & Plath, makers of fine nautical & weather instruments since 1928. weems-plath.com. Sail offshore with Andy & Mia on Isbjorn, a Swan 48. Routes & dates at 59-north.com/offshore.

#207. Jake Albano, who's still in his 20s, is a longtime friend of mine and has been an integral part of sailing Isbjorn and managing the cruising rallies I used to be involved with. I first met Jake at the ARC Europe rally in 2014 when he was sailing aboard Persistent Lady, the dramatic story of which you'll hear in the episode. Jake then sailed with me as mate on our first 'test' trip for our business model on Serenity, a Shannon 43 ketch we were loaned before we bought Isbjorn, and he's sailed with us since on many occasions. Jake & I recorded this conversation at-sea aboard Isbjorn in the Azores earlier this summer, and we talk about how he got into sailing as a young person, and his tips for other young people on following in his tracks. -- On the Wind is presented by Weems & Plath, makers of fine nautical & weather instruments since 1928. Visit weems-plath.com for their online catalog. -- Sail offshore with Andy & Mia on Isbjorn, their Swan 48. Visit 59-north.com/offshore for the routes & dates.

#206. Mia & I met the Veber's in Horta in the Azores back in may, where the family of four had just completed their return Atlantic crossing in their 30' "Anna Lisa." The Veber's had set out from Sweden the year before towards the Caribbean, and after a winter cruising & exploring the Caribbean, were headed home. We invited the whole gang aboard Isbjorn, including the kids Trulls & Mathilda, where we talked about sailing as a family, leaving home, friends and school, the challenges of living on a small boat peacefully, what it was like to be filmed on the Swedish TV-show 'Familjer pa Aventyr' and how they felt about returning home. -- On the Wind is presented by Weems & Plath, makers of fine nautical & weather instruments since 1928. weems-plath.com. -- Come ocean sailing with Andy & Mia aboard the Swan 48 Isbjorn at 59-north.com/offshore.

#205. Bruce Scwab is the first American sailor to complete the legendary Vendee Globe race. Bruce grew up in northern California and started sailing with his dad a young age, eventually working at a rig shop for many years where he honed his as a solo racing sailor, winning the first event he ever entered. Bruce now lives in Maine and specializes in outfitting cruising boats with alternative energy sources and is on the forefront of marine energy technology. I'm running this recycled chat today ahead of another chat I have planned with Bruce in October about the more technical side of outfitting & managing onboard energy systems. Find Bruce online at oceanplanetenergy.com.

#204. Randall Reeves is about to embark on an ambitious passage he's dubbed the 'Figure 8 Voyage,' in October. With a 39' steel boat and only his thoughts to accompany him, he's hoping to complete a circumnavigation of both the America's & Antarctica, alone and nonstop. Inspired by historic explorers and modern sailors like Matt Rutherford, Randall's is a personal challenge. I spoke to him back in April, while we we're still in St. Croix, about his sailing past, his preparation & his goals for the trip. Follow Randall & support the adventure at figure8voyage.com. -- On the Wind is presented by Weems & Plath, makers of fine nautical & weather instruments since 1928. Sail offshore with Andy & Mia on a Swan 48. Check out our passage calendar at 59-north.com/offshore. -- On the Wind is also supported by Colligo Marine and Offshore Passage Opportunities.

#203. Cap'n Fatty Goodlander pretty much needs no introduction. He & his wife Carolyn have circumnavigated the globe a full three times, setting an example along the way of how to do it safely & on the cheap. Fatty's brand of storytelling is legendary - he's an editor-at-large in Cruising World magazine, and has appeared in basically every sailing publication there was over the past 30 years. He even had a radio show published on NPR. Mia & I met Fatty & Carolyn in Tortola this past spring and sat down in the cozy aft cabin of their boat 'Ganesh' to record a meandering and highly entertaining interview with perhaps the most entertaining sailor of all. -- On the Wind is presented by Weems & Plath, makers of fine nautical & weather instruments. The podcast is also supported by Colligo Marine & Offshore Passage Opportunities. -- Sail to the Arctic in 2018 on the Swan 48 Isbjorn! 59-north.com/offshore.

#202: Johnny Owens & Paul Rogan are 2/6th of the 'Ireland to Iceland 2017' crew whom we met on the docks in the faraway fishing town of Stornoway in the Outer Hebrides. Their gang of merry sailors were on an adventure to the Arctic in a 40-foot steel ketch, Johnny's father as captain, making music as they want in the pubs along the way. We invited them to Isbjorn to share their story of adventure and creativity. Their expedition is designed to raise funds and awareness for Good2Talk Westmeath, a Mullingar, Ireland-based charity who provide Suicide Prevention, Counselling and Psychotherapy service. Go to facebook.com/irelandtoiceland2017 to follow their adventures. -- On the Wind is presented by Weems & Plath, makers of fine nautical & weather instruments since 1928. weems-plath.com. -- On the Wind is also supported by Colligo Marine & Offshore Passage Opportunities. -- Sail offshore on a Swan 48 with Andy & Mia at 59-north.com/offshore.

#201. Brion Toss is a certified Master Rigger and author of the bible on the subject, The Rigger's Apprentice. I've long admired Brion and first got to meet him in 2008 at the Annapolis Sailboat Show, right before I became a rigger's apprentice myself. I've managed to keep in touch with him over the years (and of course have a copy of his book aboard Isbjorn), and finally we're teaming up to host a hands-on rigging seminar weekend in Annapolis this coming October, 2017. This is a recycled version of a lengthy and informative chat I had with Brion back in 2014 on all things yacht rigging. -- On the Wind is presented by Weems & Plath. Visit weems-plath.com to view their entire catalog of professional nautical & weather instruments. -- On the Wind is also supported by Colligo Marine & Offshore Passage Opportunities. -- Go ocean sailing on Isbjorn, Andy & Mia's S&S Swan 48 at 59-north.com/offshore.

#200: It's been a long-time coming, but Mia Karlsson is FINALLY on the podcast! Mia is my wife, of course, and while we don't share a last name, we share just about everything else! Mia tongue-in-cheek promised to be the 200th episode on the show, long before she ever thought I'd make it this far, so I called her bluff! We recorded a long & rambling chat just before setting out across the Atlantic while Isbjorn was anchored in St. Croix. As I record this intro, we've made it to Sweden and Mia has completed her 4th Atlantic crossing, one more than me, which she's quick to point out. We talked about Mia's history as a competitive swimmer, growing up in the Swedish countryside, traveling, and of course how she's come to love the sailing lifestyle. -- On the Wind is presented by Weems & Plath. Check out their line of high-end professional binoculars at weems-plath.com. -- Sail offshore with Andy & Mia on their S&S Swan 48 Isbjorn. Visit 59-north.com/offshore to see their full calendar of sailing passages.

#199. If you don't know Johan & Malin of RAN Sailing, go check them out on YouTube right away. They're a wonderful young Swedish couple on a long-distance voyage in their aluminum sloop 'RAN'. After months of trading emails, we finally got to meet up with them in Tortola and we hit it off immediately! Mia & I spent three days with Malin & Johan hanging out in Trellis Bay, sharing stories, cooking food and playing Jenga (which was even featured in episode 53 of their YouTube show!). Mia makes a rare appearance this week on the podcast for a four-way chat about their sailing adventures, including Johan's previous trip to Antarctica & South Georgia Island, their departure from Sweden in the middle of winter & their show! -- On the Wind is presented by Weems & Plath. Visit weems-plath.com to check out their line of beautiful compasses and other nautical instruments. -- Come ocean sailing with Andy & Mia on Isbjorn, their Swan 48. 59-north.com/offshore

#198. Special thanks to Thierry Humeau & Telecam Films for directing & producing the TV version of today's podcast with Etienne Giroire. Thierry flew to Florida in April 2016 to film a TV-adaptation of the podcast at Etienne's eponymous shop, ATN Inc. in Ft. Lauderdale. This is the audio-only version of that - to see the full-length film version, go to youtube.com/59northsailing. -- On the Wind is presented by Weems & Plath. Go to weems-plath.com to shop their line of fine nautical and weather instruments.

#197. Today's recycled episode is a family affair, with Ted & Claudia and their kids Max & Anya. Ted & Claudia sailed their Wauquiez Amphitrite ketch from Annapolis to the BVI several years ago, and have never gone home! They've setup base camp on Tortola where they live aboard the boat, work locally and send the kids to local school in the islands. Since this podcast first aired, they've even sold their house back in Annapolis, so they're fully committed to cruising now! We recorded this chat onboard their boat in Tortola back in 2014. You'll also hear Mia & Paul Exner in the background! -- On the Wind is Presented by Weems & Plath. See their entire line of fine nautical & weather instruments at weems-plath.com.

#196. Dennis Schell is affectionately & jokingly known to all my sailing friends as simply 'Andy's Dad'. I have him to thank for my sailing career, and for inspiring me to start my own business. Dad raised me as a sailor & taught me everything I know. We recorded this chat aboard Isbjorn in Trellis Bay, BVI, shortly before we both sailed - he on Sojourner, us on Isbjorn - north to Bermuda. We covered the gamut of my dad's sailing career, from his days sailing sunfish on Blue Marsh Lake, to his working at a Ft. Lauderdale boatyard, building and marketing his own sailboat, the 'Salt 19,' his first ocean passage in a 50-knot gale off Cape Hatteras and tons more! -- On the Wind is presented by Weems & Plath. View their collection of fine nautical & weather instruments at weems-plath.com.

#195. Jon Amtrup is a Norwegian sailor who spends a large portion of his time above the Arctic Circle. In fact, when I spoke to him back in January at the Oslo Central Train Station, he had just returned from Tromso after a winter sailing expedition with a group of Russians who wanted to see the northern lights! So Jon's pretty hard-core to say the least. He's also an avid single-handed sailor, and is helping another Norwegian sailor put together a campaign for next year's Golden Globe Race. Jon & I spoke at length about his career and his & our future Arctic plans. Contact Jon at explorenorth.no -- On the Wind is presented by Weems & Plath. Visit weems-plath.com to see their line of fine nautical and weather instruments. Since 1928. -- Come ocean sailing on Andy & Mia's Swan 48 Isbjorn at 59-north.com/offshore.

#194. Dr. Andrew Merrie is not a sailor, per se, but is indeed a vocal advocate for the world's ocean's. An expat Kiwi living in Stockholm, he works for the Stockholm Resilience Center, a non-profit, independent research institute specializing in sustainable development and environmental issues. We're releasing this week's show early because Andrew is launching his latest research project 'Radical Ocean Futures' this weekend at the UN Ocean's Conference in New York City, June 5-9. Andrew & I talk about his background, growing up in New Zealand, his move to Sweden and his ocean's project, which is part art, part science and part science fiction. You can see his work at radicaloceanfutures.earth. -- On the Wind is presented by Weems & Plath. Visit weems-plath.com to see their full catalog of fine nautical and weather instruments & tools. Go ocean sailing on the Swan 48 Isbjorn. Sign-on to crew at 59-north.com/offshore.

#193. Greetings from Bermuda, where we recently made landfall on Isbjorn! This week's recycled episode features Webb Chiles, certainly one of the most adventurous small boat sailors in recent memory, if not one of the greatest. He's been around the world several times, cross the Pacific in an open boat, nearly drowned when he fell overboard off Florida and on and on. He's written several books about his adventures over the years, and indeed continues to make new adventures. I spoke to him a few years back about his exploits, why he pursues them, how he handles fear, what motivates him towards his sailing goals and more. -- On the Wind is sponsored by Weems & Plath. -- Come ocean sailing on Andy & Mia's Swan 48 Isbjorn at 59-north.com/offshore.

#192: Susie Goodall is a badass. Mia & I met her in Antigua in February after she'd just completed a solo trans-Atlantic crossing in her Rustler 36. At just 26, she is the first woman to enter next year's Gold Globe Race, essentially a reenactment of the famous race that Sir Robin Knox-Johnston won in 1968, establishing nonstop solo ocean racing. Susie was prepping for the return voyage to England when we spoke, which will fulfill the races qualifying passage requirement. Despite her youth, she's an accomplished sailor, having worked as a skipper with Rubicon 3 in the Arctic and has sailed thousands of offshore miles. Follow Susie's adventures at susiegoodall.com. -- On the Wind is presented by Weems & Plath. Visit their catalog of traditional nav tools and weather instruments at weems-plath.com. -- Come ocean sailing on a Swan 48 with Andy & Mia. View routes & dates on 59-north.com/offshore.

#191: Kristoffer Applequist is kind of a big deal in Sweden. One of the countries premier comedians, Kristoffer is also a sailor, and a longtime fan of the podcast. He reached out to me a while back, and we've since become friends. Mia & I visited his beautiful house in the Sunne, in central Sweden, to talk to Kristoffer about his comedy background & his sailing ambitions. Since this conversation, his sailing goals have seriously ratcheted up - he recently bought a Hallberg-Rassy Monsun 31, and has even bigger cruising plans. Follow him on Instagram @appelstoffe. Ask us Anything! Send questions to [email protected], or leave us a voicemail on 443-440-5411 and we'll play it on the show! -- On the Wind is presented by Weems & Plath. Go online for their full catalog of nautical & weather instruments at weems-plath.com. -- Come offshore sailing with Andy & Mia on Isbjorn at 59-north.com/offshore.

#190: Crossing the Atlantic is at the top of my mind at the moment - by the time you hear this, we'll be at-sea, en route to Bermuda, the first leg of what will be my 3rd, Mia's 4th trans-Atlantic passage. I recorded this seminar about our two previous trans-Atlantic experiences the Toronto Boat Show in 2016. Mia & I discuss weather routing, seasonal route options and best practices, and call on our friends David & Isabelle, who completed an Atlantic Circle on their Hunter 42 'Morning Haze'. To follow along with the slides, go to the show notes page at 59-north.com/podcast. Ask us Anything! If you've been curious about something I haven't covered on the show, or just want to know what our favorite food is, send your questions to [email protected]. If you want to get on the show itself, leave us a voicemail on 443-440-5411 - we'll play the recording back, and answer your question! -- On the Wind is presented by Weems & Plath, makers of fine nautical & weather instruments. Browse and buy online at weems-plath.com. -- Come offshore sailing with Andy & Mia aboard Isbjorn, a classic S&S Swan 48. For routes, dates & what to expect, visit 59-north.com/offshore.

#189: Clint Wells is one of my best friends, and Isbjorn's first mate when Mia can't make a passage. He was there when I first met Mia in New Zealand, and he sailed across the Atlantic with us on Arcturus back in 2011. Clint is NOT a sailor - or at least wasn't, until joining us. I spoke to him a few years back about our Atlantic crossing together and the challenges he faced - both physically, and even more so mentally - as a new-to-sailing crew member stuck on a 35-foot boat for 23 days in the North Atlantic. For those of you new to ocean sailing, Clint has some words of wisdom. -- On the Wind is sponsored by Weems & Plath. Shop navigation & weather instruments at weems-plath.com. -- Crew offshore on Isbjorn, our Swan 48. Routes & dates at 59-north.com/offshore.

#188: Linda Hammarberg & her husband Ludvig recently returned to Sweden after a multi-year circumnavigation with their two young kids, Otto & Lovis, onboard 'Mary af Roverhamn,' their Joshua-type steel ketch. During parts of the voyage they were followed by a film crew from Swedish television for the show 'familje pa Aventyr' - which basically translates to 'Families on Adventure.' The Hammarberg's are typically Swedish, in that they're very humble, and yet very accomplished sailors. Mia & I spoke to them in their shoreside home in Marstrand in January about their adventures sailing around the world and the struggles they had on returning home. Follow their continuing adventures on symary.com. -- On the Wind is presented by Weems & Plath. Shop online at weems-plath.com. -- Come ocean sailing on Isbjorn, our Swan 48, at 59-north.com.

#187. Matt Rutherford is a longtime friend of the podcast and founder of the Ocean Research Project. Matt became famous, of course, for his legendary Solo the America's voyage, during which he sailed a 27' Albin Vega around both American continents. In our latest chat, recorded in Sweden back in January, Matt recalls the summer of 2016 in Greenland, where he & his partner Nicole piloted their research schooner Ault into the uncharted waters of the far north, nearly coming to grief in a wild Arctic storm and subsequently being rescued by the Danish Navy. Matt is one of the best storytellers we've had on the show, so I just let him go to town again in this one, and he doesn't disappoint. Follow Matt's ongoing adventures at oceanresearchproject.org. -- On the Wind is sponsored by Weems & Plath. Visit weems-plath.com to see their full catalog of fine nautical & weather instruments. Since 1928. Come offshore sailing on Isbjorn with Andy & Mia! Visit 59-north.com/offshore to see the latest passages routes and availability.

#186: Today's episode is a recording I made of my seminar on Heavy Weather Sailing I gave at last weekends Ocean Sailing Seminar, hosted by World Cruising Club in Annapolis. While I'm lucky not to have too many gnarly heavy-weather sea stories of my own, I've studied the subject for years and enjoying talking about it theoretically. What follows is a discussion on what I feel are the 'best practices' for handling heavy weather, of course brought to life by a few of my own sea stories. Follow along with slides from the presentation at 59-north.com/heavyweather. -- On the Wind is presented by Weems & Plath. Go to weems-plath.com to see their catalog of nautical instruments & tools.

#185. Retired Senator Tom Harkin & I recorded this 'recycled' episode at his house in Hope Town, in the Bahamas, almost two years ago now. Tom was a career senator, but this episode is nothing about politics. Rather, it's about Tom's incredible, unbelievable life story. He was a fighter pilot during Vietnam and became one of the few people ever to eject from a jet and survive to tell the tale. He also tells his insane story about building a wooden trimaran in Japan and having it's Westerbeke engine shipped over on an aircraft carrier. Sailing has been the 'red thread' that has tied together Tom's life story. This is my all-time favorite interview, so even if you've heard it before, it's worth another listen. --

#184: Olly Cotterell is one of the youngest Clipper Race skippers ever, sailing to a podium position in the 2013-2014 edition of the RTW race onboard OneDLL. He currently skipper's the prototype, foiling racing yacht 'Maverick,' which recently won her class in the RORC Trans-Atlantic Race. Olly & I have a connection in that we've both worked for Broadreach. We met up to record this episode in person in Antigua, ahead of the Caribbean 600. Olly has an amazing story that includes growing up on a sailboat in Bermuda, working up the ranks as an RYA instructor, surfing at 35 knots in the Southern Ocean in the Clipper Race and much more. -- On the Wind is presented by Weems & Plath. Join Andy & Mia on an offshore passage aboard Isbjorn, their classic S&S Swan 48 at 59-north.com/offshore.

#183. Chris Museler, NY Times journalist & sailor extraordinaire, has been a longtime friend of the podcast since the early days, and he's back yet again for another catch-up. Chris has a remarkable journalism career and is one of the few people who get to write about sailing for the NY Times. He crossed the Atlantic onboard Hugo Boss as an onboard journalist with recent podcast guest Ryan Breymaier, sails in most of the major ocean races, and cruises his own cold-molded schooner Magic out of New England. Chris & I chatted in January about his new boat, composting toilets, the Cruising Club of America, inspiring young people to go sailing, and more. -- On the Wind is presented by Weems & Plath. Join Andy & Mia on an offshore passage aboard Isbjorn, their classic S&S Swan 48 at 59-north.com/offshore.

#182. Alan Block, aka Mr. Clean, is one of the driving forces behind the hugely popular - and sometimes controversial - Sailing Anarchy website. He's a staple on the racing scene, traveling far and wide to cover events from the Volvo to the Vendee and lots in between. Alan's story is a fascinating and circuitous one, and during our 90-minute conversation, we covered the whole thing, from his early days as a lawyer, to his dreams to set off sailing, and ultimately to his serendipitous opportunity to work with Sailing Anarchy. Alan is also the founder and host of the Sailing Anarchy podcast, free on iTunes. -- On the Wind is presented by Weems & Plath. Join Andy & Mia on an offshore passage aboard Isbjorn, their classic S&S Swan 48 at 59-north.com/offshore.

#181: Yves Gelinas is a French-Canadian single-handed sailor and inventor of the Cape Horn wind vane, the simplest, most robust, and most elegant solution for self-steering on an offshore cruising boat. Yves invented and perfected the gear while circumnavigating nonstop via the Great Capes in his beloved Alberg 30 Jean du Sud in the 80s. During that voyage, he filmed Around the World with Jean du Sud, which quickly came to be considered the greatest sailing movie ever made. Yves still builds the Cape Horn units himself from his workshop in Quebec & still sails Jean du Sud, most recently voyaging to Martinique in 2015. -- On the Wind is presented by Weems & Plath. Join Andy & Mia on an offshore passage aboard Isbjorn, their classic S&S Swan 48 at 59-north.com/offshore.

#180. Today's episode is slightly different. Magnus Ormestad is the host of my favorite Swedish podcast, called 'Husky,' where he interviews folks into outdoor sports & adventure. Magnus & I met a few years ago over coffee in a bike shop in Stockholm and became quick friends. We recorded in Sweden in January - it was a back-and-forth talk between two people used to 'hosting', with him interviewing me a bit and vice versa. But this episode is really more about what ties together outdoor adventure pursuits - how people find the passion and motivation to pursue their dreams, in any environment. Be sure to check out Husky's English-language episodes on iTunes. -- On the Wind is presented by Weems & Plath. Join Andy & Mia on an offshore passage aboard Isbjorn, their classic S&S Swan 48 at 59-north.com/offshore.

#179. Martin Hasselov is a sailor and PHD scientist based on the beautiful West Coast - which the locals call the 'best coast' - of Sweden. Martin has a lifelong love for the sea which started as a small boy fishing in his families rowboats. After college he built a steel ketch from a bare hull to explore further afield. Now armed with a PHD in marine science, Martin recently bought an ex-BT Challenge yacht - a steel 67-footer designed for a southern ocean circumnavigation the 'wrong way round' - and uses it as an educational platform for promoting marine science locally, and exploring the world's oceans further afield. On the Wind is presented by Weems & Plath. Come ocean sailing with Andy & Mia on the Swan 48 Isbjorn - visit 59-north.com/offshore for the latest offshore routes & dates.

#178: Rick Tomlinson is one of yachting's most accomplished photographers. What I didn't know before we met, was how accomplished he is as a sailor. Rick was a crew member on four consecutive Whitbread Races, and literally invented the modern concept of onboard reporter. Back in his day, Rick was an integral member of the sailing crew - he took photos onboard as a hobby, on his off-watches, and even developed film in the galley sink offshore! Mia and I traveled to Rick's beautiful studio in Cowes on the Isle of Wight last September to chat about his career. On the Wind is presented by Weems & Plath. Come ocean sailing with Andy & Mia on their S&S Swan 48 Isbjorn. Visit 59-north.com/offshore to see the full passage calendar.