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"...we were to discover that happiness has no frontiers, that it's a state of mind and not a possession, not a set route through life, not a goal to gained but something that steals in gently like an evening mist or the morning sunlight - something beyond our control."
Robin Lee Graham
Dove
"I don't think there is one answer to heavy weather. I think every tactic that there is has got a very good argument for why it should be used and a very good argument for why it shouldn't be used. And there's success and disaster stories of I would say all of them. And every storm is different, every skipper is different, every crew is different, every boat."
Susie Goodall
ON THE WIND Podcast, #305
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"The one place I know I belong is on the ocean. There is no question about that. You know, I have never felt like I belonged anywhere as much as I feel like I belong on the ocean."
Pip Hare
Andy Schell's ON THE WIND Podcast, #393
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"I knew that weather can turn concrete plans into vague abstractions, but that's no reason to forgo the pleasure of laying them."
Dallas Murphy
Rounding the Horn
"To be truly challenging, a voyage, like a life, must rest on a firm foundation of financial unrest. Otherwise, you are doomed to a routine traverse, the kind known to yachtsmen who play with their boats at sea… 'cruising' it is called. Voyaging belongs to seamen, and to the wanderers of the world who cannot, or will not, fit in. If you are contemplating a voyage and you have the means, abandon the venture until your fortunes change. Only then will you know what the sea is all about. I've always wanted to sail to the south seas, but I can't afford it." What these men can't afford is not to go. They are enmeshed in the cancerous discipline of "security." And in the worship of security we fling our lives beneath the wheels of routine – and before we know it our lives are gone. What does a man need – really need? A few pounds of food each day, heat and shelter, six feet to lie down in – and some form of working activity that will yield a sense of accomplishment. That's all – in the material sense, and we know it. But we are brainwashed by our economic system until we end up in a tomb beneath a pyramid of time payments, mortgages, preposterous gadgetry, playthings that divert our attention for the sheer idiocy of the charade. The years thunder by, The dreams of youth grow dim where they lie caked in dust on the shelves of patience. Before we know it, the tomb is sealed. Where, then, lies the answer? In choice. Which shall it be: bankruptcy of purse or bankruptcy of life?"
Sterling Hayden
Wanderer
"Decision is the hardest part — execution is easy." Robin's consistent philosophy across every venture, from the Golden Globe to the Clipper Race, is that once the decision is made, the obstacles largely dissolve. He doesn't agonize; he acts. "The thinking about it is the hard part. It's much easier to make the decision and get on with it."
Sir Robin Knox-Johnston
Andy Schell's ON THE WIND Podcast, #163
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"The least advertised tragedy is the fear or dislike of sailing that can be instilled in your prospective sailing partners when your lack of skill leads to a few incidents that could have been avoided if you'd spent a little more time practicing sailing skills."
Lin & Larry Pardey
The Self-Sufficient Sailor
"Ships are the nearest things to dreams that hands have ever made, For somewhere deep in their oaken hearts the soul of a song is laid; A soul that sings with the ship along through plunging hills of blue, And fills her canvas cups of white with winds that drive her through."
Robert N. Rose
My Ship of Dreams
"I am a citizen of the most beautiful nation on earth, a nation whose laws are harsh yet simple, a nation that never cheats, which is immense and without borders, where life is lived in the present. In this limitless nation, this nation of wind, light, and peace, there is no other ruler besides the sea."
Bernard Moitessier
The Long Way
"In anything at all, perfection is finally attained not when there is no longer anything to add, but when there is no longer anything to take away, when a body has been stripped down to its nakedness."
Antoine de Saint Exupery
WIND, SAND & STARS
"While I supposed myself to be looking as salt as Neptune himself, I was, no doubt, known for a landsman by everyone onboard as soon as I give in sight. A sailor has a peculiar cut to his clothes, and a way of wearing them which a green hand can never get."
Richard Henry Dana
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST
"That's how you succeed doing crazy stuff, right? You gotta be conservative in your day-to-day, even though the overall plan is not conservative, it's kind of crazy. But stay in the middle, man."
Matt Rutherford
Andy Schell's ON THE WIND Podcast, #506
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"If you're going to build anything that endures, it's got to have a really clear purpose, a really great sense of belonging, and a sense of belief as well."
Conrad Humphreys
Andy Schell's ON THE WIND Podcast, #500
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"If you want to sail around the world to say that you've done it, well, don't do it because you have the wrong attitude. If you really, really want to do something because you love the ocean, you want to see the world as it is still now before it is too late, then do it."
Jimmy Cornell
Andy Schell's ON THE WIND Podcast, #502
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"Sharing the wisdom of the high seas, with those wise enough to seek it out."
Andy Schell
59º North Mission Statement
"You can just look at the globe and just see you can cross oceans from where you are now, and that's like a mind-blowing thought for me."
Øyvind Nilssen
ON THE WIND Podcast, #504
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"It must be remembered that on long offshore passages a well-built and well-equipped boat will stand up to much more rough weather than will the crew."
Don Street
The Ocean Sailing Yacht, Vol. 1
"The tough part is making departures, shedding the shackles of society's expectations, kicking the addiction of electronic connections, subverting the guilt of our own obligations, and pushing off the dock physically and metaphorically."
John Kretschmer
Sailing a Serious Ocean
"You'll be bothered from time to time by storms, fog, snow. When you are, think of those who went through it before you, and say to yourself, 'What they can do, I can do.'"
Antoine de Saint Exupery
WIND, SAND & STARS
"There was no hurry now, Joshua was to spend the winter in Casablanca, where the local yacht club had provided us with a safe mooring in extremely pleasant and gay company. The club members are really keen sailors who go out every weekend even if a howling gale whistles through the rigging, and many of them perform quite admirable feats of seamanship in leaving their moorings under sail alone, without a hitch and as though it were the most natural thing in the world. A real pleasure to watch."
Bernard Moitessier
Cape Horn: The Logical Route

"59º North runs the most professional offshore training program you can find, and it shows in their professionalism, leadership, skill, and service. I felt honored to be part of the maiden voyage of FALKEN—she's a beauty, and the 59º North refit crew did an amazing job! Shout out to Nikki Henderson (Captain) and Alex Laline (Mate) for inspiring, knowledgeable, and caring leadership. I can't imagine having a better experience with any other."

Alex
|
2023
|
FALKEN
|
Portsmouth-Portsmouth
United States
|
🇺🇸
1,253
Miles sailed
1
Passages sailed

"Having sailed on ISBJØRN in 2019 from Puerto Rico to Key West, I was excited to join another 59º North passage. Meeting the crew in Las Palmas for the trans-Atlantic passage on FALKEN was a fantastic experience, sharing cultural perspectives and sailing knowledge with people from six different countries. I learned so much, from safety procedures to specialized sail trimming, and made great friends on that journey."

Kevin
|
2025
|
FALKEN
|
Las Palmas-Falmouth
United States
|
🇺🇸
4,139
Miles sailed
2
Passages sailed

"My time on FALKEN crossing the Atlantic was highly rewarding and incredibly enjoyable. The trip was routinely challenging and always a lot of fun, allowing me to stretch myself and enjoy being absent from the rest of the world for a time. Unforgettable."

John
|
2024
|
FALKEN
|
Mindelo-Charlestown
Canada
|
🇨🇦
2,175
Miles sailed
1
Passages sailed

"I highly recommend the experience of doing a passage on ISBJØRN. I gained valuable offshore experience on a fine boat, learned how Andy and Mia competently manage their boat, learned about celestial navigation, and had a great time doing it. Completing ISBJØRN's first back-to-back 200 mile day passage was a smokin' fast bonus!"

Reed
|
2017
|
ISBJØRN
|
St. George-St. Croix
United States
|
🇺🇸
393
Miles sailed
1
Passages sailed

"I can’t say enough good things about the camp, August, and ISBJØRN. The format is perfect for someone like me—I’ve done some sailing, but not enough to feel comfortable on a passage. August is an amazing teacher and so patient! I learned an incredible amount and feel ready to take on a passage with 59º North."

Susan
|
2023
|
ISBJØRN
|
Bergen-Bergen
New Zealand
|
🇳🇿
4,717
Miles sailed
5
Passages sailed

"Adventure, education, majesty... I can't imagine a better pair to introduce people to the sublime enterprise of offshore sailing. This trip will always live amongst my cherished memories. Thank you!"

Matt
|
2018
|
ISBJØRN
|
Lagos-Funchal
United States
|
🇺🇸
1,085
Miles sailed
1
Passages sailed

"I had an unbelievable sailing experience aboard ISBJØRN with Naxo as skipper and David as apprentice. They took special care to accommodate everyone's wants and needs, and we sailed every point of sail, practiced MOB drills, docking, navigating, trip planning, and weather forecasting. The food was hot, plentiful, and varied, even during our cold offshore passage. I plan on doing this trip again and recommend that you do too. Thanks to 59º North, Naxo, and David."

Daniel
|
2026
|
ISBJØRN
|
Bergen-Bergen
United States
|
🇺🇸
1,285
Miles sailed
2
Passages sailed