TL;DR

I have some crew experience and an American Sailing Association Keelboat 101 cert. I'm a wilderness/remote Emergency Medical Technician. Good communication skills, and I know how to live in tight spaces. I'm not afraid of cooking, cleaning, or maintenance. I'm looking for a trans-Atlantic passage from North America/the Caribbean to Europe in early 2022.

About Me

I write sci-fi and fantasy. I'm interested in how cultures and people work together and communicate, why it goes great, and why it goes terribly. I'm drawn to an eclectic mix of low-tech/analogue and high-tech/digital.

Why I Want to Sail

The skills of sailing have always fascinated me because of my experiences with my granddad, and I love learning everything I can. Not just the "cool" skills like sail trim and maneuvers, but the nitty-gritty maintenance stuff.

I'm looking for a way to be able to visit the people I love on both sides of the Atlantic with less of an ecological impact.

Experiences Relevant to Cruising:

- Summer 2020 - 2 week sailing trip with my spouse and father-in-law along the coasts of Denmark and Germany.
- Summer 2019 - I took 60 + hours of keelboat classes at the local sailing club in addition to completing my American Sailing Association 101 Basic Keelboat certification.

- I've lived in many US States, Latin America, and East Asia, and finally landed, unexpectedly, in Germany. I've also lived a total of around ten years in intentional communities. I've learned to adapt to lots of different cultures and kinds of people.

- I lived 11 months in the wilderness of the US Northwoods with families with children, as course participant and resident Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician. Our only metal tools were knives and tomahawks, and we transitioned from making fire with matches to only making it with bowdrill, and from living in tents to living in bark and thatch lodges.

How is this relevant to sailing? I know how to live with lots of people in tight spaces through thick and thin! During the winter (down to - 30° F), I slept in a huge lean-to with ten other people. We were lined up like sardines in a can. I learned a lot about interpersonal dynamics and communication, and how to keep working effectively with people even when there are personal disputes or discomfort. It didn't matter if we liked each other that day or not, we depended on each other and had to work together. And you know what? By doing that, more often than not, we ended up liking each other.

Am I the Perfect Communicator Who Always Maintains Equilibrium and Who Can Help Resolve Every Situation? Absolutely not. :) But I always strive to do my best.

Qualifications:

- ASA 101 Basic Keelboat
- National Outdoor Leadership School certified Wilderness/Remote Medicine Emergency Medical Technician
- Bachelor degree in Sustainable Community Development

Languages:

- English: Native language
- German: Level B1
- Spanish: Rusty - American Sign Language: Basic (would totally sail with a Deaf crew) - Gregg Shorthand: 50 Words Per Minute

Misc.

- I'm working my way through the RCC's "The Atlantic Crossing Guide"
- Regarding drinking or smoking, I don't drink or smoke myself, but I'm fine being around people who do. In smoking situations I prefer not to be indoors for long periods of time with someone who is smoking. Regarding drinking, I would prefer to be on a boat where the responsible consumption of alcohol is in moderation.

Margaret’s Sailing Experience

Other nautical or relevant qualifications

Voyage History