We're on Patreon! And an update from Williamstown, Australia 🦘⛵️

We are still docked in Williamstown, Melbourne, because Windfola’s repairs aren’t quite complete yet. (If you missed it, a catamaran drove into us in March and did nearly AUD$20,000 in damage.)

Repairs are nearly completed, thanks to the amazing team at Penfold Marine!

The days are short and cold here, with a crisp wind that howls across the ocean from Antarctica. The temperatures and severe storms make me nervous about my decision to carry on sailing west to South Australia, but I still think that route is a better choice for our long-term goal of crossing the Indian Ocean next May. (We’ve missed the window to cross this year in May/June due to the accident.)

I’m feeling a bit run down after the months of stress over Windfola’s repairs and doing battle with an insurance company that has shorted us. I’m so thankful to the small community we’ve made here, but I would like to travel home to the USA before we sail any further west and it becomes more difficult. I have an opportunity to hop a flight for free and Zia has a a loving warm home to visit, so…

For the month of July, I’ll be in the USA!!! Would you like us to visit your club, social organization, or youth group? Drop me a note!

When times get tough, I tend to turn inward, not ask for help enough or share what’s going on. But I’m learning – I should have let you all know about the boat hitting us in March, rather than struggling through the aftermath quietly. Another year of my mission in Australia just isn’t possible without grassroots funding from our fans, and it’s important that I be honest about that with you so you can help us keep sailing and giving. I also want to be able to reach you directly so that I can share more raw, exclusive content than I post to social media.

Please take a moment to go check out our new Patreon site! I have some really cool offerings planned, and all levels of sponsorship available, from a simple $5 a month for access to exclusive content and our tracking map, to video calls and custom-made content for top-tier supporters so you can ask me anything or even get cruising advice to prepare for your own upcoming adventures! I’m so excited to share more unfiltered, frequent updates with you as we carry on with our journey to make a difference for young people around the world!

Thank you for all your cheer and support,
Elana xx ❤️

HIT BY A CATAMARAN!!

March 15th, 2024 📍Williamstown, Melbourne

Zia and I are currently hanging around Williamstown, Melbourne, after a boat crashed into Windfola’s transom and did nearly AUD $20,000 in damage — including crushing our precious windvane autopilot!

After sailing all the way here from Bundaberg, we are still planning on going south of Australia to reach the Indian Ocean… but our timeline has blown out and we’ve missed the appropriate season to cross the Great Australian Bight (February/March) and to cross the Indian Ocean (May/June). Next week, our boat is slated to haul out with Penfold Marine for repairs, and hopefully we’ll be on our way west just a few weeks later.

Now that we aren’t rushing to make it to the Indian Ocean by May 1st, we can take our time exploring South Australia. I’m really looking forward to this off-the-beaten track sailing through the St Vincent and Spencer Gulfs, despite the fact that we’ll be on the edge of the Southern Ocean in Winter! 😱 Maybe it’s finally time to install a heater…

Best of all, with more time in just one state, I’ll be able to apply for a “working with children” card, which means I may finally be able to connect with youth in Australia, rather than just fundraising and interacting with adults. It will be awesome to have more time and reach to make a bigger positive impact as we sail on!

I'm trying to make lemonade out of lemons in my mind, anyway...

A Terrible Accident :(

Zia was in an accident four days ago, and that’s how we met Ella, an animal whisperer from a family of angels.

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Today Zia was sedated for a final X-ray, which confirmed there’s been no damage to her organs or bones. I’ve always thought she was resilient... but I’m totally dumbfounded that she is this ok after being run over by both wheels of a fast-moving mountain bike.

I am SO grateful for Ella’s kind parents and brother swooping in to care for us in our moment of need. After Zia was run over, I was more scared than I’ve ever felt in even our worst moments at sea. She made horrifying cries and her whole body crumpled up. Ella’s family showed up, drove us 30 minutes to the nearest emergency vet, comforted both of us, and let us spend an evening in their home while we monitored Zia post-accident. She began to perk up once the pain meds kicked in, and she’s been rapidly improving ever since. (Truthfully, she’s recovering faster than me...)

We’ve been taking it easy the last few days because Zia’s bruised and sore... which means that *just* as our boat projects finished and we could haul anchor, we’ve yet again had to postpone our departure for the South Island. The ocean has been calling loudly to me for weeks, and I’ve been yearning for freedom... but must just believe that all is as it’s meant to be.

And despite the awful circumstances, I’m glad for both of us that we got to meet Ella and her lovely family. They’ve reminded me that we can all bring more goodness into the world by just choosing to care for one another.