Know Your Seaster: Anya
Second to join, and always first to the foredeck
Here we dive in with Anya. She and Mel are adventure buddies that go way back. When the time came to regenerate Salish Seasters for the R2AK, Anya was the first to join Mel and is still always ready to dive into boat projects and race to-dos.
Q: What’s your sailing background?
A: A love for water and boats inevitably landed me in my own sailboat in 2020. A few friends and I got together to shake off the Covid blues by purchasing a 24ft, swing keel, monohull we dubbed Kula, which means “community” in Sanskrit. Half the group knew how to sail, the other half didn’t, including myself. Together we fixed Kula up; ripping out some sweet, shag carpeting that inexplicably lined nearly the entirety of the interior, modified the oversized wing table over the keel hold, gave her a fresh coat of bottom paint and painted her namesake on her transom. My friends were great teachers and I learned a lot over the few years we had Kula, like how to deal with a troublesome outboard, how to step a mast and what to do when you lose a rudder. But we did fun stuff too, like grabbing crab pots under sail, learning points of sail by dodging anchored boats in Fairhaven and discovering freediving spots by beaching her onshore, swing keel and all that.
Q: What kind of professional/recreational background do you bring?
A: For me, just add water. Sports? I was a college rower and raced surf skis and outrigger canoes. Career? Fish Biologist. Hobbies? SCUBA diving, sea kayaking, whitewater rafting.
Q: Why do you want to do the Race to Alaska?
A: Interestingly, I’ve noticed this is a question that has a more introspective answer than I anticipated. On the surface, I could say the decision was a might bit impulsive; I was awed by the excitement and adventure of watching my friend race WA360 and wanted to be a part of the next challenging adventure. It was a spark, just something I had to do. And then you start to wonder, why is it that I have to do it? So, it is interesting to recognize all these little pieces in your life that start to put together the “why” and realize how much of the race reflects what is already there. For example, grade school Anya once answered the question, “If you could travel back in time, where would you go and why?” and her answer was, “The Lewis and Clark Expedition, because they travelled untamed wilderness not really knowing what to expect.” That was a marvel to me as a kid. On top of that, I love a good challenge, I love learning and solving puzzles, I love community, teamwork and comradery and I love an opportunity to push myself out of my comfort zone and see what is on the other side. Oh and don’t forget the obsession with water and boats...
Q: What’s the best part so far?
A: Oh my gosh my team, for sure! Have you seen these ladies!? We have a wonderful blend of experiences, strengths and talents. They are fun, caring, communicative, joyful and strong women that I love hanging out with. My second favorite part is seeing myself slowly sinking into the reality of the endeavor and finding comfort in it. It is a lot to take on, no doubt about it, but in just a few months, I’ve noticed the needle has moved for me in what is possible. And that’s why I’m here, I wanted the opportunity to grow and see how I evolve through the process. But like I said, I have three amazing women behind me, and I’ve got their back too.
Q: Has anything surprised you?
A: We recently had our shakedown sail to Point Roberts and back; 18 hours in mixed wind conditions. I wasn’t nervous, but having never sailed at night, having never done watch rotations, I didn’t know what to expect. I still laugh because the feeling I had as the sun rose over Mount Baker as we made our way back to Squalicum Harbor was just so intense and yet peaceful. I didn’t know what to do with that kind of energy! It was very empowering, I felt, for myself and for us as a team to have that experience and I was surprised how much it resonated within me.
Q: Anything you’re nervous about?
A: There are a lot of obvious things to be nervous about. Logs, reefs, shipping traffic, unexpected weather, the Kraken. An engine can bail you out of a lot of bad scenarios, but we don’t have that luxury. I believe a healthy level of nerves is appropriate here. Complacency breeds contempt, as they say. I think I am most nervous about sailing 750 some miles and not seeing a single Orca. That would be devastating.