Power of a Rendezvous, Beauty of a Ballad, and "Cocaine of the Sea" in Baja
Touting Soundings, Passagemaker, and Fishermen's News magazines articles
Today’s message is a brief round-up of articles of mine that recently hit print in Passagemaker, Soundings, and Fishermen’s News.
Firstly, The Ballad of Teal for Passagemaker magazine. Teal is a classic Seattle-based yacht that began life in 1927 as a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service vessel. She’s in great shape these days, often cruising the waters from Puget Sound to Alaska. Teal still draws a crowd when up north, many folks lining up to share stories of the boat from back in the day when she called those waters home.
This iconic beauty is full of life and history, from planks of wood degraded from the Mt. Saint Helens volcanic eruption to the flawless lines. You can read the full piece online here.
Next, Soundings. I got to hop across Puget Sound to bear witness to the Nordhavn owner’s rendezvous in Poulsbo, aka “Little Norway” this summer. Not only was it a good time with friendly folks, but the event was officially the largest gathering of Nordhavn yachts ever at a reported 58 boats. Things even got a little emotional, notably when talking to Nordhavn owner and president Dan Streech.
Attending this year’s rendezvous, Streech says, felt a little strange. He’s getting near the end of his career and is trying to ensure that all the people and pieces are in place for the event to continue on for years to come. While plenty of boatbuilders host rendezvous all around the world, Nordhavn’s is an owner-generated event, created by boaters who have come together and formed a powerful community, a family of sorts, of their own.
“This is all about owners doing it on their own volition to just express their love of the brand,” Streech says. “And that feels pretty good.”
One thing I took away is that Nordhavns and their owners really cruise far afield, sometimes solo. But what does a Nordhavn owner look like? What does an organic boatbuilder-oriented community like this do, exactly? You can read the piece online here.
Finally, I got into fisheries geopolitics for Fishermen’s News with a macro-level look at the fisheries of Baja California Sur, Mexico. Did you know that the Biden administration was on the cusp of sanctioning Mexican seafood last year? Central to the drama is a black market fish bladder economy, a China-cartel alliance, endangered species, and other factors that have all the makings of a blockbuster thriller. I expect there will be more diplomatic sparring between the USA, Mexico, and China in the years to come. For now, a shaky but hopeful course correction endures.
Consider a paid subscription! I’d love to write pieces like these and really take the gloves off purely for Substack. But alas, rent is due. Stay curious.
Consider buying my book, Salmon in the Seine: Alaskan Memories of Life, Death, & Everything In-Between! Available wherever books are sold, including Amazon, Powell’s City of Books, and Third Place Books. It’s won eight notable independent/small press book awards, so hey, it can’t be that bad, amirite? Leaving reviews on Amazon helps a ton too.