Peregrina — "from Spanish, woman pilgrim." I always aim to travel with the humble heart of a pilgrim, seeking not to take from the places I visit, but to learn, give, and share with others.

ELANA

I grew up on the west coast of the U.S. and barely graduated from high school due to cycling through many group homes during my teenage years in foster care. When I aged out of the system, I worked full-time as a nanny while slowly putting myself through junior college, eventually transferring to a prestigious university on scholarship and graduating with a B.A. in International Relations — with honors. I “made it” by building a career in technology, but I yearned for a simpler life outdoors. Over the years I canoed, surfed, lifeguarded, and even coxed women's rowing 8's, but fell in love with sailing in 2014. I started learning to sail in San Francisco through classes and racing. When I wasn’t sailing, I took long walking pilgrimages through Europe, Japan, and California, happily traveling light with only what I could carry on my back. Circumnavigating the globe on a simple boat, sharing our journey through words and photos, and advocating for foster youth is a natural combination of all my passions.

ZIA

Jadzia "Zia" Dax is a rescue dog of mixed breed. She herds and fetches like a Border Collie but has the looks of a Papillon. We've been lucky to be together since she was about five months old, and she’s backpacked, camped, and hiked all over the USA. I can’t imagine doing this sailing journey without her; she is my best friend and solace in even the scariest moments. She’s a great sailor, never gets seasick, and loves to bark at the sea lions on buoys and boobies who land on deck at sea. She has no idea that she's only ten pounds.

WINDFOLA

Our sloop, Windfola, is a 1985 Sabre 34 mark I. We were lucky to find her in wonderful condition without fancy or unnecessary additions. I've added only what I deemed essential for comfort and safety, like new lifelines, more solar, longer anchor rhode, renewed rig and chainplates, light-air spinnaker, AIS transmitter, a windvane for non-electric self-steering, and a composting toilet.

All work was done by me, my friends and sailing community, and the good folks at KKMI Richmond in Point Richmond, California; Koehler Kraft Co. in San Diego, California; and Bridge Marina Travelift, McCormick Rigging, Pro Marine Electrical, and Mount Marine Fabrication, all in Tauranga, New Zealand. Thank you for all of your support and guidance!

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