Though born and raised in Maine,
my family can claim no ancestral "salts" that I know of. I was born in
Farmington, but I'm not telling what year! I didn't grow up sailing but
I did grow up around water. My grandmother has a house on a lake and I
spent almost every weekend there during the summer as a kid swimming,
fishing, water skiing, and *gasp* power boating. My family moved to
southern Maine near the coast when I was 5 years old and then
mid-coast Maine when I was 9 and I have been here ever since. I've had
many articles written about me over the years and one quote that hits
home the most for me is "...when
you talk to Brenda about sailing, it's obvious that she was born to be
a windjammer captain." I would never have guessed when I was 18 that
that was my career path!
just a
baby
first day
of school
high
school graduation picture
Although I didn't complete a
college education, I do have lots of credits in accounting, economics,
and banking law. I worked for almost 6 years at a local bank before I
discovered sailing. While
bookkeeping on the side for the schooner Wendameen, I had the
opportunity to sail on an overnight trip, and my connection with
windjamming was instantaneous. It was magical and still plays like a
little
movie in my head. Despite the security and stability that came along
with my job at the bank, I signed up to crew aboard theWendameen. The president
of the bank predicted I'd be back in six months; but here I am fifteen
seasons later!
My involvement with Evans
began in late summer of 1995 when I took over the position as mess mate
from a young lady that was returning to college. I was the cook the
following summer and then the First Mate for two summers before
the schooner came up for sale in the fall of 1998. Though I had been
keeping track
of my sea time, when I purchased the Evans
in February of 1999 I didn't have my captain's
license. I spent that whole winter working on the boat
and studying for my test. It was an absolute rollercoaster ride but
about two weeks after the sale became final, I called my mom and said,
with some disbelief, "I own a National Historic Landmark!"
In addition to sailing each season since 1994 in and around Penobscot
Bay, I have found myself working on several other vessels in the
off-season. I have sailed in the Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race several
times, sailed all throughout the Caribbean from Trinidad to St. Thomas,
through the Panama Canal, and up the west coast as far as Los Angeles.
Although all those experiences were great in their own way, every time
I sail somewhere else I appreciate our idyllic Maine coast.
Owning a windjammer involves
more than just sailing. Essentially, I have several jobs -
electrician, carpenter, plumber, janitor, teacher, painter, camp
counselor, and
businesswoman. And I'll be totally honest when I admit that I had no
idea what I was getting into! Thankfully I was surrounded by
knowledgeable captains that were willing to help if I needed it, I
learned quickly, and the old girl is patient with me. Now I'm just as
happy and confident with a paintbrush as I am with a wrench, saw, mop,
computer keyboard, multi-tester, caulking iron, welding rod, fork
truck, or hammer.
Safety is my first priority. I take this responsibility very seriously
and am licensed by the Coast Guard (100 ton Master - sail, power, and
steam). I attend annual First Aid and CPR training to maintain my
certifications and seek other educational opportunities to stay trained
and informed.
I also take great pains to care for our environment. Windjamming is
inherently one of the most environmentally benign vacations there is
already, using the wind to get from one place to the other rather than
the gallons and gallons of fuel big cruise ships use, but I go a few
steps further. I attended a day-long extended Leave No Trace (LNT)
training workshop in 2000 and set up a half-day training session for
all of the captains in the Maine Windjammer Association in 2004. I
always teach the ideals of LNT on board as well as encourage guests'
support in our compost and recycling efforts. We don't throw anything
overboard!
I take great pride in the Evans and its accomplishments. In
2001, I received a Maine Tourism Award from former
Governor Angus King for my work with the Evans andMaine
tourism. Then, this past season, I did something that I will
probably talk about for years to come - the crew and I sailed the Evans
into The Basin, a deep-water hurricane hole surrounded by the island of
Vinalhaven. I had never heard of anyone in the fleet doing it before
and it was always in the back of my mind as something that would be
unique and exciting. It
was one of the most amazing things I've ever experienced and one of my
guests said that I sail the Evans like a dinghy. For a full
account of our cruise into The Basin, visit our blog.
Everyone always asks, "What do
you do in the winter?" Lots of people assume that I take the schooner
south or just go on vacation somewhere warm, but I assure you that that
is not the case! Even though we only sail for just over four months of
the year, the business is a year-round committment. There's web site
maintenance, brochures to design, stuff, and distribute, phones to
answer, bulk mailings to sign, seal and send, correspondence, tax
preparation, PR and advertising in addition to all the boat
maintenance, sanding, painting, and varnishing that happens each year.
I do find time to enjoy lots of other activities including the National
Toboggan Championships, being a member of a local steel drum band,
doing a weekly show on a local radio station, hiking, kayaking,
reading, writing, knitting, cooking, traveling, volunteering, watching
movies, and, most importantly, napping! I hope it is easy to see why I
love
what I do and that my enthusiasm and love of sailing is contagious.
There's a certain sameness to what we do every day, but seeing it
through the eyes of an excited guest makes me feel like I'm
experiencing it for the first time. I hope I never lose that feeling. I
simply can't wait to share the Evans experience with you!
