McKayla Bower // Trans Around the World
On the Wind Sailing
Andy Schell
4.8 • 593 Ratings
🗓️ 30 May 2023
⏱️ 75 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
McKayla Bower is an experienced outdoorswoman who is preparing to set off around the world alone on her San Juan 30, Swirl. Her goal is to become the first openly transgender person to circumnavigate and the first queer person to do so solo.
We talked about her journey of coming out, moving aboard her boat and teaching herself to sail, and learning about fear and risk in the outdoors.
Instagram @svswirl
Don't miss this year's Seam'nship Workshop at the 2023 Annapolis Sailboat Show in October. Register now at 59-north.com/seamnship
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If you liked this conversation you'll LOVE The QUARTERDECK, 59 North's 'deep dives on the art of seamanship.' Join our interactive community and get involved in the conversation at quarterdeck.59-north.com. First two weeks FREE, then multiple pricing options thereafter.
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ON THE WIND is presented by Forbes Horton Yachts. Get in touch with Forbes today about buying or selling a boat. The show is also presented by Blu3, makers of compact shallow-water tankless diving systems.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | I had never put sails up on the boat before. She had never been on a sailboat before, |
| 0:06.3 | and we took off and we made it work. |
| 0:11.9 | Welcome back to On the Wind. I'm your host, Emma Garshaghan. |
| 0:16.0 | And right now, our boat Falcon, our FAR-65, is probably somewhere between Antigua and Bermuda, |
| 0:23.0 | if not already in Bermuda, with the skipper Chris and our first mate, Mia. |
| 0:28.6 | You can follow along with that passage and all of our other ones with our blogs on the |
| 0:33.9 | Quarter Deck, which is our platform for deep dives on the art of seamanship. |
| 0:39.2 | You can go to quarterdeck.59-north.com to see more of that. |
| 0:44.5 | Also, on June 13th, you can join us in Annapolis for an open boat on Falcon. |
| 0:50.3 | You have to RSVP, please, by going to 59-north.com slash events. We hope to see you there. |
| 1:00.3 | This season of On the Wind is presented in part by DiveBlue. Dive Blue makes portable, tankless scuba dive |
| 1:07.2 | systems so you can enjoy diving on your own terms. |
| 1:18.3 | Dive Blue has created two unique systems, Nemo for diving up to 10 feet and Nomad for diving up to 30 feet. So you can explore under the sea more simply. Nomad is what we have on both Falcon and |
| 1:25.7 | East Bjorn, and I'm super excited to try it out when I'm on |
| 1:29.2 | the boat later in the summer in Iceland. Bur. As a mate on Falcon and a boat owner myself, |
| 1:36.6 | Dive Blue enables easy inspections below the waterline, as well as the joy of watching marine life. |
| 1:42.8 | Check it out at diveblue.com. |
| 1:45.7 | That's d-I-V-E-B-L-U-3.com. |
| 1:51.8 | Thanks to Forbes Yachts for presenting this season of On the Wind. |
| 1:55.9 | Our friends at Forbes can help you buy your dream boat or sell your current one. |
| 2:00.8 | Forbes and his wife, Jamie, have also been guests on this very podcast. |
| 2:05.6 | You can check out episode 332 to hear about them cruising the Bahamas in a lobster boat |
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