A Terrible Accident :(

Zia was in an accident four days ago, and that’s how we met Ella, an animal whisperer from a family of angels.

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Today Zia was sedated for a final X-ray, which confirmed there’s been no damage to her organs or bones. I’ve always thought she was resilient... but I’m totally dumbfounded that she is this ok after being run over by both wheels of a fast-moving mountain bike.

I am SO grateful for Ella’s kind parents and brother swooping in to care for us in our moment of need. After Zia was run over, I was more scared than I’ve ever felt in even our worst moments at sea. She made horrifying cries and her whole body crumpled up. Ella’s family showed up, drove us 30 minutes to the nearest emergency vet, comforted both of us, and let us spend an evening in their home while we monitored Zia post-accident. She began to perk up once the pain meds kicked in, and she’s been rapidly improving ever since. (Truthfully, she’s recovering faster than me...)

We’ve been taking it easy the last few days because Zia’s bruised and sore... which means that *just* as our boat projects finished and we could haul anchor, we’ve yet again had to postpone our departure for the South Island. The ocean has been calling loudly to me for weeks, and I’ve been yearning for freedom... but must just believe that all is as it’s meant to be.

And despite the awful circumstances, I’m glad for both of us that we got to meet Ella and her lovely family. They’ve reminded me that we can all bring more goodness into the world by just choosing to care for one another.

Learning About the R. Tucker Thompson Tall Ship

Yesterday I met one of the men who built this gorgeous tall ship, the R. Tucker Thompson, and sailed it all over the world for a variety of programs. He had incredible stories, and took Zia & me down to tour it! I climbed to the top of the forward mast, something I’ve always wanted to try... but can’t imagine doing at sea!

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What’s particularly awesome about the RTT is that she’s in a community trust to benefit Northland youth. She’s a working ship all summer—taking tourists out onto the Bay every day—but all the profits fund their youth development sailing program in the winter, offering week-long sail training experiences to children 13-18, designed to build confidence, leadership, and teamwork while teaching about the history, culture, and environment of the region. According to their website, “Over 90% of schools in the Far North are classified as Decile 1 or Decile 2 meaning they are the poorest communities in New Zealand. 100% of all donations go towards youth placements and your donation goes towards providing grants for students.” Donors can also sponsor a child, covering the entire cost for the one-week adventure. The program offers payment plans to help families out, with subsidized prices for local youth.

I can’t emphasize enough how much outdoor education really saved me when I was in foster care. There was no sailing in the area where my group homes were, but a program did take us to a horse stables where we could care for farm animals and learn to ride. It was incredibly therapeutic, just as I imagine this youth development sailing program is for similar kids here.

The annual tall ship race is next weekend, and I’m excited to see her and some other visiting tall ships fly across the Bay.

For more info on their programs or to donate, checkout their website! https://tucker.co.nz/