The Best Adventures Begin as Detours
It’s September 12th, 2025. I’m sitting here at my laptop in Austin, Texas after almost two months abroad. From Amsterdam to South Africa, and from South Africa to Greece, where we joined Bobbi White from Sailing Doodles to sail around the Greek Islands.
Amsterdam
I’ve always wanted to go & when I finally did I discovered it might be one of my favorite places.
It’s been a while since I’ve shown up in this space. As many of you now know, I had a beautiful baby girl named Violet last September, 2024. She’s about to celebrate her first birthday next week. And wow, how much has changed. For a moment, I thought maybe I would give up sailing, move to land, and do things the way my family and most of society expected me to after having a baby. But what I realized was that raising a child on the water — to appreciate nature, the ocean, and all the world has to offer — is actually what I really want for her, and for myself.
Having Violet has reinvigorated and re-sparked my passion for this lifestyle. I want to show her that living isn’t just about getting to the next day; it’s about experiencing the day that you’re in.
Lots of you have asked, “Where have you been for the last 18 months?” and “Who is Violet’s father?” Over that time, besides our Euro trip, I’ve been splitting my time between Austin, Texas, and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Initially, my plan was to sail through the Panama Canal while pregnant, then fly from Panama to Costa Rica to give birth to Violet. Some of that plan came to fruition, but not all of it.
Sailing from Puerto Vallarta towards Costa Rica
7 Months pregnant
When I was about seven months pregnant, I got Houdini ready and scrambled to find crew. Violet’s father, Esteban, had never sailed before, other than a few times in the bay with me when we were getting to know each other. He suggested we invite his two surfing friends, who also had never sailed. I agreed, and in the end, I found myself essentially soloing the boat at seven months pregnant — all the way to Guatemala.
Long story short, it was exhausting, and I learned something about myself. I don’t think I want to solo sail. The big question for me was, “Can I do it?” And the answer is yes. But there’s something about seeing a pod of dolphins breaching and flipping in the sunset — so beautiful you can’t find words to describe it. Experiencing that with someone else adds depth. It’s worth sharing moments like that.
It was 107°F on the boat when I finally decided to call it and fly to Costa Rica to give birth to Violet. I buttoned up the boat as best I could, but the fact of the matter was there were some major leaks. While I was gone for five months, water crept in and a lot of dry rot happened — one of a sailor’s worst nightmares.
The boat had to get out of Chiapas, which is right on the Guatemalan border. I called everyone I knew, asking if they’d be willing to do a cowboy sail across the Bay of Tapachula to bring the boat back to Puerto Vallarta, where it would be easier for me to fly in with a new baby and assess the damage. My friend Cameron came to the rescue. He tightened the whiskers on the rotting bowsprit and yeehawed Houdini back to Puerto Vallarta.
When I got back to the boat, Violet was four months old. To say I was overwhelmed by the state of things would be an understatement. There was dry rot and leaking around almost all the windows in the pilothouse. The bowsprit had to be completely rebuilt again — for the third time. Violet’s father and I were on different pages by then. For as much as he was excited about becoming a dad, the reality of how much work it took didn’t align with what he wanted. That left me navigating new motherhood mostly on my own. It was equal parts frustrating, heartbreaking, and strengthening.
When he saw Violet again after four months, he decided to take a paid position on Houdini to help me fix it. I couldn’t really afford it, but I couldn’t afford not to either. Things weren’t working out as planned, and suddenly I had one hand to do the work of six. The other was for my baby.
As the months passed and I found my footing as a new mom, I began to feel more confident about returning to the boat and getting her ready for the Panama Canal. And that’s where you find me now. In less than two weeks, I’ll head back to Houdini in Puerto Vallarta to re-laminate the bowsprit, overhaul the engine, do a few shakedown sails, and crew up for the next adventure. If you would like to join me on Houdini check here.
Life doesn’t always work out the way we planned, but that’s okay. Some of the best adventures begin as unexpected detours in the story we thought we were writing.
