Swell: A Sailing Surfer’s Voyage of Awakening
By Liz Clark (2018; Patagonia Books; hardcover $35)
Liz Clarks’ Swell is a delightful read for anyone yearning to cruise long-distance.
As a fresh-faced 25-year-old surf champion, Clark set off from California 12 years ago to explore the best breaks and anchorages the world had to offer.
In her colorful 320-page tome, flying fish “fall like a shower of silver into the sea” in an “ocean wilderness” painted with “mind-melting sunsets.” Ashore, “tall trees nod and rustle, as if gossiping while I pass.”
The book is at once poetic and pragmatic, with vivid depictions of squalls and lightning storms, while she zigzags thousands of miles of sea, often alone. She tenaciously endured — and ultimately whether they included hard sailing or tackling endless repairs, all the while evoking her grandmother’s motto: “Life is hard by the yard, but a cinch by the inch.”
Throughout her tales, where Clark truly shined was as an ambassador for the human race. Landing on a small tropical isle, she pedaled by an old man tottering on a ladder. Soon, Clark was perched on the ladder, painting his house. She joined a circle of local women weaving grass skirts, and hopped aboard dubious tin fishing boats to help feed the village. She eventually landed the largest tuna, and was honored with the stillpulsing heart.
And heart was what Clark brought on her journey, embracing everything she encountered: the children, the wildlife, Mother Earth and, ultimately, herself.
For details, including her April 2018 book tour, visit swellvoyage.com.