We all live with fantasies of one day leave the gray days and go on a great adventure. Some of us continue to dream, others act. Moreover, the recipe of “how to do it” is always different. Someone who carefully plans every step, and someone just listens to the wind and waves.
In 2006 at the age of 26 years, Lisa Clark – bartender by profession, surfer and sailor by vocation – on your catamaran “Swell” came out of the Harbor of Santa Barbara. Thus began her journey around the world, which continues to this day.
In fifth grade, Lisa Clark was attached bulavochka to the world map to mark the spot in the way of his future epic voyage around the world. The father, Russell Clark, a lawyer and yachtsman, from early childhood children were taught to sea aboard their 50-foot Gulfstar sailboat model 50.
As a student at the University of Santa Barbara, Lisa, bought their own boat together with your friends went on a transatlantic crossing to the Channel Islands. This trip settled it one more idea: to circumnavigate the globe in search of the best and yet unexplored surf spots.
The mission is not easy, and Clark preparing for it thoroughly. Within six months she was a crew member on a mega-yacht, then sailing the boat traveled along the Mexico and Central America.
“I spent a year and a half as captain, with friends as a team on Board, sailing down along the West coast of Mexico and Central America. When I announced that going alone to cross the southern Ocean, my mom volunteered to accompany me, and I gladly accepted the offer. We spent 22 unforgettable days, breaking the large open water area on the planet.”
Later, while working as a bartender in Santa Barbara, she met Barry Swiler, founder of the Maritime Museum Santa Barbara and head of the environmental studies program UCSB. He had similar dreams, but let them implement age – 83 years. Sailer became the main sponsor of mission Lisa Clark. Her father also joined in, and soon Clark got on Board my new 40-foot (12 m) catamaran Swell.
In January 2006, Lisa, accompanied by friend and part-time photographer, went on a trip around the world. They took the route from Panama to the Galapagos Islands, across the Pacific to Tahiti, to New Zealand through the coral sea, along the Southern shores of Java and Sumatra, across the Indian ocean to Madagascar, then passing the Cape of Good Hope, across the Atlantic home.
“Mysteries of the open sea I have met even closer, spending mostly on their own, the whole year in studies, French Polynesia and Kiribati. I enjoyed the contrasts of a single voyage – freedom of the path selection and decision-making based on current weather and forecasts, not pre-planned routes.
To return to Kiribati on my yacht Swell has found a mysterious leak, damaged part of the rigging and desperately needed repair. It was a laborious task that required a lot of time. Only in 2011 I went to the next transition with a length of 2 500 nautical miles through the Islands of French Polynesia.”
The damaged boat Clark repaired for nearly two years, covering the expenses through your paycheck bartender and sponsorship contributions.
“I plan to continue to explore the Pacific Ocean, not so much for waves, but for personal growth, opportunities to work on local environmental projects, to make presentations about the issues of pollution and environment, to continue to write and document my journey in hopes to inspire others, to help them overcome fears, out of passion.”
“Plans swimming, and surfing useless. I learned that the more flexible I am, the more successful in their movements, staying in the same rhythm with the right winds, of Course this way of thinking spilled over into the rest of my life, how I make decisions.”
Since 2006 it’s been nine years, but his journey Lisa Clark was not going to complete. Her staying mostly alone, now accompanied by the cat Amelia, which is increasingly becoming the hero of the separate accounts of life on Board the catamaran Swell, Clark published on the pages of the website www.swellvoyage.com
The rules of life Lisa Clark:
1. Seize the moment, focus on the next step, and not all coming your way.
2. Watch face your fears.
3. Trust your impulses.
4. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Constantine Kuhlow
Author ruYachts
Editor, co-founder of the portal ruYachts.com.
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