Barnacle Babes Magazine Vol 2 / No 3 Summer 2017

GALEOPHOBIA:

FEAR OF SHARKS

Warrior Women of the Sea Connection | Conservation | Community

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Confessions Of A Warrior

BY JESSICA WINKLER

TO GET YOUR COPY GO TO WWW.BARNACLEBABES.COM/STORE ConfessionsofaWarrior

Editorial Welcome to our 4TH issue of Barnacle Babes magazine!

I’m scared to death!

I’m gonna fall flat on my face. I’m scared I’m scared that I don’t know what I’m doing and y, others believe, I’m not doing this the rentl of what others think. I’m scared because, appa way and the way I’ve been led! I’m scared right way. What is the right way? I only know my keep giving everything away! I’m scared that I’m going to never make any money because I already worked hard for and for what? To I’m going to go bankrupt! Loose everything I’ve en who share a passion for the ocean? bring a community together of likeminded wom if it’s too late for the planet? What if, I am What if this community doesn’t exist? What the last year is for not? I cry as I write this truly crazy and everything I’ve sacrificed for because I am scared. Fucking FEAR!!! my fears? I’m passionate! I do believe there Why do I keep plugging away at this, in spite of change the world, women who can make a is a community of women out there that can that I can’t just let this passion happen in difference and that IT”S NOT TOO LATE! And, gly. Maybe I’m a bit obsessed! Maybe even due time. THE TIME IS NOW! I feel this stron of my body, my soul and my being…I’ve possessed! LOL I’ll own that! But with every fiber who read this will understand and many been called to this work. I know many of you others agree that I’m nuts… r than the FEAR of doing it! And as many I think my FEAR of not doing this has become large share, FEAR can be a motivator. It fuels of the articles that have been written in this issue our passion and helps us to realize our strengths. giving than facing your FEARS and getting There is nothing more energizing and more life it done!

I hate it! LOL…I want to just give EVERYOne of my biggest FEARS is asking for support! ed as a communication platform for ocean THING away! Barnacle Babes has been creat so many amazing women a chance to passionate women! It’s an opportunity to allow opportunity to get these stories in front of stand up and let their voices be heard. It’s an c and make a difference! It’s about saving so many others and educate the general publi can’t keep this going unless Barnacle Babes the oceans and ultimately the planet! But I events, COME to our events, JOIN our soon makes money. How can you help? SHARE our ase from our store. All these ways help us to be membership platform, get involved, purch g community and come together to save to grow this voice, outreach and create a stron our seas!!! s we were meant to become, we can use We can’t let FEAR stop us from being the individual that we long and desire for. Do you have FEAR, however, to motivate us to create a world tial? And, can you look at those fears and any fears that stop you from reaching your poten may not be possible if you DON’T take use them to then create a world that you FEAR your fears and what action you are taking. action? Please write to me and let me know bes.com and we will publish them in our You can send me your stories to Jodi@barnacleba next issue.

As always, making waves,

Jodi Mossop

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Content 08 21 24 38 46 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

08 The F Word Justin Towell

10 Plastic Panic Sicily Finnes

12

Galeophobia: Fear of Sharks Jillian Morris Brake

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16 When Passion is greater than Fear Gaelin Rosenwaks

18

Fear

Jessica Winkler

21

Skin Deep

Ashleigh Magill

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22

Love or Fear Susan Knight

24 Embracing Fear Saoirse Wang

32 The Women of Long Island Lisa Michelman

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34

New Book with Influence Publishing Julie Salisbury

36

Women of Alaska Shaunna Echo-Hawk Atkinson

38

Fear of a plastic ocean Morgan Knowles

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44

Fuel your Fear Sarah Specker Saar

46 Follow your Bliss Lulu Agan / Jodi Mossop

50 Reconnecting With Nature Through Sailing Marla Hedman / Jodi Mossop

www.barnaclebabes.com | 5

Barnacle Babes

Vancoucer, BC, Canada.

JODI MOSSOP Publisher | Editor | Content Curator jodi@barnaclebabes.com IVETA LEKESOVA Graphic/Layout Designer design@barnaclebabes.com

CONTRIBUTORS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS SARAH SPECKER, MD

medical doctor, conservationist & world travelling surfer

MORGAN C KNOWLES, M.S. Marine Biologist, Educator, Social Media Marketer @mawrgun on Instagram and Twitter

SHAUNNA ECHO - HAWK ATKINSON

Commercial Diver and tribal member of the Tsimshian Nation @s907

SAOIRSE WANG

Awakening and Integration Coach working with creatives, intuitives and healers www.findinghenosis.com

ASHLEIGH MAGILL

Barnacle Babe Sea-Star & Graphic Designer @miss_a_shines

JILLIAN MORRIS BRAKE

Shark conservationist, Founder Sharks4Kids, Videographer & Photographer and Crazy Shark Lady www.shark4kids.com | @Sharks4Kids

GAELIN ROSENWAKS Explorer, Marine Scientist, Photographer, Filmmaker, Presenter www.globaloceanexploration.com www.gaelinrosenwaks.com | @GaelinGOExplore

JESSICA WINKLER Professional Kitesurfer/Instructor, Warrior Trainer, Author, World Traveler @ConfessionsOfAWarrior www.BarnacleBabes.com/WarriorTraining www.JessicaWinkler.net

NICOLE GLASSER

@eastcoastaqualholic

JUSTIN TOWELL

Bamboo Clothing Co | @BambooClothingCo www.BambooClothingCo.com

JULIE SALISBURY Influence Publishing www.influencepublishing.com @influencepub

LISA MICHELMAN

East Coast USA Mermaid Ambassador aka “Splash” @lisamichelman

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SICILY BAMBINI FIENNES

Cofounder at the Climate Collective, conservation blogger and volunteer for Archelon, The Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece. www.conservationsensationblog.wordpress.com

SUSAN KNIGHT

Underwater Photographer Susan Knight Studios, www.SusanKnightStudios.com

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The Barnacle Babes Magazine is an informative and inspirational digital and print magazine platform with interviews, stories, conservation efforts and more.

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SOCIAL MEDIA & NEWSLETTER Join us at the community of salted women, to get daily inspirations, videos, event updates, and posts about our Warrior Women of the Sea. Interactive weekly discussions will lead to actionable quests.

Thank You

Contributors FEATURED CONTRIBUTOR

JESSICA WINKLER

Warrior Trainer – Jessica Winkler is a professional kitesurfer and world traveller. She saw the ocean for the first time when she was 16 years old and from that moment on knew it was her calling.

She didn’t; however, have the opportunity to pursue her dream until in her 30’s. Turning pro at 34 she feels a strong desire to show women that no matter where you are in life and what your age you can accomplish anything you set your mind to. Jessica suffered a tragic assault that left her barely hanging onto life, but with sheer will and focus came back to achieve a 3rd place win at the World Speed Kite Championships just 2 years later.

Cover Photo: Jessica Winkler | Location: Turks & Caicos | Photographer: Liisa Tupits Outfit: by Liquido – Liquido Rainbow Paisley Pattern Leggings and Aria Bra, Adidas Sunglasses

JILLIAN MORRIS BRAKE Jillian Morris is a marine biologist and shark conservationist who calls Bimini, The Bahamas home.

She has spent 1000s of hours in the water diving with and studying sharks around the world.

She is the founder of Sharks4Kids, which is an education nonprofit with the goal of creating the next generation of shark advocates through education, outreach and adventure.

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JUSTIN TOWELL Exploring various fields of work led Justin to short-term moves to Alberta, Ottawa and Montreal, ultimately returning back to Vancouver for a second time with a global and significant network he created. Following his passion of eco-friendly products, marketing and people, Justin embarked on his greatest journey yet, the development of Bamboo Clothing Co. It is this accomplishment which has led to Justin’s growth as an entrepreneur and drive for a more sustainable way of living. Justin’s dedication to the development of the highest quality of bamboo-made products stems from his understanding of discipline and enabling oneself as a catalyst for limitless potential.

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SHAUNNA ECHOHAWK Shaunna Atkinson grew up in Metlakatla Alaska, a small Southeast Alaskan fishing village, with her two children.

An active commercial fisherwomen and diver, she's currently taking the season off as her partner is crabbing and long lining in the Bering Sea. Shaunna would like to introduce the world to the many unique stories, she and other Alaskan women have to share.

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F The

Word

By Justin Towell

There’s one 4 letter word in the english language that kills more dreams than failure ever will. That word is FEAR. It comes in many forms. Being able to identify what fear really means can help bring more positive vibes and happiness to our life. In fact, fear is all about choices and the change that it brings.

Maybe we fear letting go of something good for the opportunity of something great. Maybe we fear the unknown because it is unpredictable. Maybe we fear change because it is difficult. We may even fear being ridiculed or laughed at for having an opinion or an idea. After all, it’s easier to be accepted when you agree with someone else, right? Nobody likes being rejected.

Often, we simply fear what people might think of us. We tend to make decisions based on our chances of being accepted or attractive to our colleagues, friends and family.

The very same people who seem to know us better than we do.

From the outside, they know our greatest strengths. They know our weaknesses.

Joffrey Lake, BC Glacier base.

Building an Inukshuk used

by Native Americans to help guide future explorers in proper direction and thought to grant them with safe passage. @JalilaNoel

Granville St bridge selfie. @JustinJackBear

Therefore, they can be the most critical of our decisions. Do you want more out of life? Do you want to be successful? Do you want to help a cause? Do you want to start a business? You want to leave a dead end job or an abusive relationship? Do you want to take better care of your health? Do you want to travel? When you finally decide that you want something new or something different and commit 100% to that idea, then life will become exciting again. Embrace the unknown. Embrace curiosity. Like a child. Anything is possible. Don’t fear failure. Because the more you fail, inevitably the more you will succeed.

We are habitual creatures. We get into routines and habits. We get comfortable with just getting by. We get complacent. Then one day, a dramatic event happens in our life that effects us in such a way that we begin to ask questions about ourselves.

Maybe we come to a realization that something is missing from our life experience. Something better. Something more. Don’t wait for life to happen.

There’s always doubt in peoples minds. It’s a feeling that prevents people from living their dreams. Remember, “fear” is just a 4 letter word that, although found in most people, only exists in the dictionary. So, go live your dreams.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.” - Marianne Williamson -

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By Sicily Fiennes

P

lastic pollution is a hot issue in the news these days. But really, this is something we should be fearful of.

We should be prioritising the reduction of plastic. It’s ironic writing this while typing on a computer that is composed of plastic, but that’s the reality.

Plastics in one form or another have been found in over 600 species of marine organisms (NOAA). It is estimated that 8 million tonnes of plastic enter our oceans every year, and though this is blurred by the varying quality of waste management systems around the world. Eriksen et al. assert that there may be over 5 trillion pieces of plas-

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tic floating in our oceans, potentially with a concentration of up to 580, 000 pieces per sq km.

Plastics can perforate or obstruct the gut of sea birds - these also nest in coastal areas so have a greater exposure to plastics on top of their tendency to ingest floating plastics. This was predicted to have the greatest impact at the Southern Ocean boundary in the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand. And as plastics ingestion is increasing in seabirds, their predictions estimate that plastics will be present in 99% of all seabird species by 2050.

Sicily happily beach cleaning in Norfolk, England

Let us all make an effort to change our plastic orientated society. Even if plastics are of no concern for you, not only are you wasting money by buying single use plastic products, but if you are a fish eater, while the risk of human harm from ingesting contaminated fish is nowhere near of concern today, who’s to say what that would be 10 or 20 years down the line?

A recent revelation of the plastic pollution situation on Henderson Island only serves to highlight the contentious nature of this issue. It was recently discovered that 38 million pieces of plastic were on Henderson Island, which forms part of the Pacific Garbage Patch. As part of the Pitcairn Island group, this amounted to 18 million tonnes and has the highest density of anthropogenic debris recorded anywhere in the world.

Crabs on the island have now made their homes in plastic jars - hence in this way the plastic may have benefitted the wildlife on this island.

We require a standardised method of waste management systems, with more complex filtration methods which could to be implemented worldwide if we are ever going to tackle our plastic dilemma. This means governments are going to have to improve infrastructure for waste management, and perhaps more developed countries will be forced to help developing countries in improving their infrastructure. However, this may only be able to be quantified from a position of privilege in first world countries.

There may only be so much that can be done on the consumer level with regards to plastic pollution and there will likely be ramifications on many levels in the production chain. Concerned consumers may be the only members of society who act sustainably. Many people may not have the access to make more informed choices with regards to plastic panic and should we expect them to?

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Galeophobia Fear of Sharks

By Jillian Morris Brake

High School students inBimini meeting a Caribbean reef shark for the first time.

Photo Credit: Jillian Morris

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C

hances are, your fear of sharks is someone else’s story, a brilliantly detailed story told to us from the time we first learn what a shark actually is. “Monster”, “Killer”, “Deadly.”. No this not an excerpt from Jaws, these are all words used consistently in mainstream media to describe sharks and our view of them. Even people who have never seen a shark will avoid the ocean due to the sheer possibility they might encounter one. Engrained in our minds is the idea that simply dangling our bony toes into the ocean is like ringing the dinner bell.

Sharks are not puppies; not furry and cute, with droopy eyes, which immediately have us reaching for our wallets to donate as they flash before us on the screen. They are powerful predators with 450 million years of evolution supporting their ability to find and capture prey.

So why are you afraid of sharks? Is it their teeth, their size or the idea that rogue sharks target unsuspecting swimmers around the world?

When we are asked to think of a shark, the Great White is likely to come to mind first, as they have garnered celebrity status, starring in the largest amount of Shark Week shows and horror films and gracing the covers, mouth agape, of dozens of publications. Have you ever heard of the velvet belly lantern shark or the tasseled wobbegong?

Did you know juvenile lemon sharks have best buddies? Did you know some sharks glow?

Did you know some sharks are born alive; leaving a “belly button,” scar from the umbilical cord? Did you know that humans kill approximately 100 million sharks each year globally? If you are like much of the world’s population, your answer was no to all or most of these.

The Great Hammerhead Photo Credit: Jillian Morris

There are over 500 different species of sharks, but because they are smaller and less toothy, we will never see them make mainstream headlines. If you dig a little deeper though, you can dive into the world of these amazing animals. Last year scientists discovered the Greenland Shark, endemic to the cold waters of the north Atlantic and Arctic oceans and can live at least 272 years, making it the longest living vertebrate animal alive today. When the tide goes out, leaving reef areas exposed, the Epaulette Shark can walk back into deeper water, able to survive without oxygen for 60 times longer than humans. Have I peeked your interest yet? I could keep going, sharing the weird and wonderful adaptions these amazing creatures have developed, but let’s talk about actually entering their world.

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Face of a Nurse Shark. Photo Credit: Jillian Morris

Dead Nurse Shark. Photo Credit: Jillian Morris

My shark story is different. I have spent thousands of hours in the water with sharks around the world. I have dived with, filmed and photographed dozens of different species including great whites, tiger sharks and bull sharks. Most of my adult life has revolved around studying them, filming them, working to protect them and teaching others about why they are magnificent and actually deserve a better PR team. I love sharks, but I do not hug them or ride them.

eco-friendly guide and make this your shark reality. There are incredible locations around the world that provide some of the most amazing encounters with sharks of all sizes. I have seen people of all ages climb back onto the boat with an entirely different perspective than they anxiously carried into the sea with them. Think about why you fear these animals, is it your own experience? What is keeping you from creating your own shark story, rather than the one you’ve been convinced is reality?

They are beautiful, intelligent animals and they At this point you might be asking yourself why this woman wants you to swim with a shark; well my belief deserve our respect.

Respect is what allows me to share their world with so many people around the world.

is that in order to care about something, we need to make a connection.

Sitting at the edge of the boat, mask on your face and fins on your feet, waiting with anticipation to slip into their world; this is something I love sharing. I have seen hundreds of people replace fear with awe and fascination after just a few moments of viewing sharks swim by them. Yes, this is something anyone can do and everyone should. Find a responsible, reputable,

Globally, sharks are targeted for the fins and meat, but are also caught as by-catch (non-target species). The oil from their liver is used to make vitamins and can be found in makeup and dog treats. Did you know that nearly 25% of sharks and rays (their flat cousins) are threatened with extinction? Overfishing is hav-

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The Great Hammerhead in Bahamas.

Photo Credit: Jillian Morris

Jillian photographing juvenille lemon sharks in the mangroses.

Photo Credit: Jillian Morris

ing a huge impact on these animals and better management strategies need to put in place. If you are still living the story of fear, it’s highly unlikely you are going vote for better protection or make more sustainable choices as a consumer. These animals are not man-eating monsters, but actually play a critical role in the health of our oceans. Let’s change our shark story, to help change theirs.

Student meet a Nurse Shark for first time.

Photo Credit: Jillian Morris

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WHEN

Passion

IS GREATER THAN FEAR

By Gaelin Rosenwaks

N

o ocean-going expedition is without its risks and I learned firsthand about this about eight years ago. I was at sea on an expedition in the Gulf of Mexico when I woke up not feeling great but with the change in environment, schedule and food, I didn’t think much of it.

Plus I was young, fit and healthy…nothing could medically happen to me out there except maybe some kind of physical injury. But as the day progressed and I felt worse and worse, I found out that I could not have been more wrong as, by 8pm, I found myself being medevaced off of the ship. One thing I never thought about in all of my time at sea up until that point, is how remote you are when you are at sea.

Gaelin’s photos were all taken by her during her experience.

In the early evening, it was determined that I needed to get off the ship and to a hospital. Of the dozens of oceanographic expeditions I had been on, this was the first one in the waters off of the continental United States and if ever there was a time to be close to shore, it was this. Even more fortunate, we were close to shore (approximately 30 miles and the closest I have ever been on an expedition).

Right around sunset, a Coast Guard Helicopter arrived, the swimmer was lowered and I was soaring in a basket over the Gulf of Mexico being lifted into the chopper. It was all very surreal and it is difficult to put into words what I was feeling. One would think I would have had immense fear, but instead it was the opposite. Like any expedition, I had to face this head on and my only fear was what was going to happen to my career. Would I ever be able to go to sea again? Being at sea for months at a time was (and is) my life blood so losing this was unfathomable. Of course, I should have been more worried

about survival, but in my little cocoon of the helicopter, in the capable hands of the Coast Guard, I was not thinking about that.

As we flew over the Bayou, the sun was setting and after about an hour, we landed on the roof of a hospital and I left the safety of the helicopter and entered the hospital for care. Despite the seriousness of this situation, it only increased my desire to get back out to sea and do more in my exploration of the ocean and the planet

Life is fragile but as my mantra has always been, “if you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much room…” .

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By Jessica Winkler I’ve always loved the topic of fear. It’s my favourite thing to talk about with people. I would say for a living I diminish fear and help people find their strength in overcoming it. I’m a professional kite boarder and instructor.

Every single person I’ve taught to kite board in the past ten years is terrified, no matter who they are. People have all sorts of different reactions to this level of fear. Most people’s hands shake. Some become really quiet, yawn a lot or talk too much. There are many different human reactions. One of the first questions I ask a person is what sports they enjoy and find out what type of person they are. I think it is important to get a person talking about themselves to calm them down. I like to then ask them directly if they are afraid and what they are afraid of. Most of the time, they say yes. The common answer to why is, “I’m afraid the kite is going to carry me out to sea”.

Their biggest fear is a lack of knowledge on how a kite functions and this is an easy problem for me to solve. I like to use easy analogies so everyone can understand my explanations. I carefully explain how the kite is like a car. I tell them a car will not drive you off a cliff if you don't step on the gas pedal and turn the wheel. The kite works in much the same way and together we are going to practice learning how to drive until you feel comfortable.

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Using this comparison immediately calms the person down, their shoulders relax. They start to smile more and ask more questions.

From this point on, my teaching mechanisms for men and women are completely different. For us women, we need to know how, why, what and when before we can start to feel comfortable with a new situation. I honestly believe this is our primal instinct as the care giver. To keep the children safe, we need to understand the situation. I don’t have children myself but what I have observed over the years is, the older women, if they have children, ask more questions and have more fear. Almost all the women I’ve taught who are older and have no children tend to jump in with both feet and read for whatever happens. Only after teaching thousands of people over the past ten years have I been able to come up with such generalities. I know it doesn't apply to everyone but most.

I like to explain as many details as possible about the sport before we even get in the water and I make sure to ask my student questions along the way to get them thinking. Once I can see they have a general

“If you're afraid - don't do it, if you're doing it - don't be afraid Genghis Khan

understanding of the kite I then switch to a more casual approach to the lesson. We women are social creatures so we like to talk. I like to chit chat as much as possible and get to know the person. It takes their mind off of what we are doing and allows them to use their instincts more. However, most of the time we are our own worst enemies. Self-doubt and over thinking is what causes us to struggle or fail. When we relax and go with the flow we tend to perform better. I find women are excellent at learning to fly a kite. Typically, a woman will learn much faster and have better technique then a man. It’s only when it comes to the getting up on the board, men tend to pick it up faster because they can muscle through the situation, but not always.

Kiteboarding is a sport that most people don’t think they could ever do in their life time. If there is one thing I can share with

I call myself a Peaceful Warrior… because the battles we fight are on the inside.

Socrates

you is that you can do it. I know fear can be debilitating. Don't let fear get in the way of you living your life.

Here is my outlook on fear… What’s the worst that can happen? You die…. yes harsh but think about it, if you do, you won’t know anyway and life after you will move on. Just come back as someone really awesome next time. You get seriously injured. The chances of this happening are VERY slim and can happen in absolutely anything you do in life. What if you don’t like it? Then stop doing it. But at least try! Don’t give into FEAR. Honestly I know its blunt but this is the reality. Next time you are very afraid of something think about this.

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Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark, professionals built theTitanic.

UNKNOWN

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By Ashleigh Magill

W

.e’ve all heard the term “beauty is skin deep”, but that’s not entirely true. Lotion, sunscreen, and makeup all gets absorbed through our skin and into our bloodstream – soaking our temple in whatever chemicals make up the product. It really makes you consider the word “Makeup” doesn’t it?

In 2005, the Environmental Working Group published studies that found toxic chemicals in the umbilical cord blood of newborn babies. Over 287 toxins were found, 217 being neurotoxins and 208 are known to damage growth development and cause birth defects.

This doesn’t just affect our chemical balance and overall health; these products make their way into our lakes and oceans. I read an article in Vogue about a national park in the U.S. Virgin Islands where coral reefs were rapidly being killed. They were stumped until a local Rastafarian passed by and said “it’s the tourists”. It was determined that on a single day, about 2,000 - 5,000 people visited the beach and,

Stream2Se

All Good Kids Sunscreen

when they left, the surface of the water would look like an oil spill. After pulling samples and testing for toxicity, they discovered that it was the chemicals in sunscreen to blame.

Now that I’m pregnant with my first baby, I’m extra cautious with what products I use, not just for our health but for the health and future of our earth and our waters. What if my child can’t swim in the lake or surf in the ocean? What if she must live her life wearing a mask outdoors? I have no idea what it will be like for her, all I can do is my part. Love my body. Love my planet.

Here are a few “better” sunscreen products I’ve found, do your own research and visit www.ewg.org/skindeep to dig deeper!

Be Natural

Badger

Kiss my Face Organics www.barnaclebabes.com | 21

By Susan Knight

Love

Photo credit: Susan Knight Studios Mermaids: Mermaid Iara, Mermaid Celine Photo location: Exuma, Bahamas

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or

FEAR?

W

hen I think of what it means to be afraid, I think of us all being stuck in our heads, thinking. Fear. Anxiety. What is it exactly?

Isn’t it projecting into the future and imagining that things will not go well. We all want a very important thing. To feel safe. If our lives can evolve such that we feel safe, many things are possible. When anxious, look around and truly be present with your situation. Are you currently safe? Are things actually fine?

Once, I was teaching a beginner SCUBA class in the pool. While slowly walking into the deeper water with the gear, a girl suddenly became panicked. A panic about future projection. We stopped. I asked her to look around and assess the situation she was currently in. She was comfortably standing on the bottom, head still above water, breathing, handling the equipment well. She calmed. In this case, however, she was unable to fully relax and complete the pool session. That is ok. It’s not for everyone.

All the power to her for trying.

In other cases, people take that leap of faith to the deep end and are soon floating as if in space. That moment progresses to become the ocean, lakes, swimming with amazing creatures, a sense of flying under water. To move through the moment of “oh no” and find your place of feeling safe is compelling. It tends to lend well to a life of adventure.

If really, in each moment, there is only a choice to move in either love or fear, I always wondered how I would know.

Two things I find helpful. First, to notice if I am projecting thoughts that things may not go well. Second, to ponder how I feel. Do I feel big, expansive, excited, even a bit silly. That’s Love. Or do I feel small, nervous, insecure? That’s fear. I have noticed that even my body responds accordingly. In Love I find myself standing taller, breathing deeper, a smile on my face. In fear my body actually contracts, bends, brow furrowed, “what if” thoughts racing. This is all invaluable information. LISTEN TO YOUR BODY. Can it really be that simple? Love. Big. Fear. Small. It might just be.

Appreciation to the teachers who, years ago, shared with me this powerful tool.

While we experiment with this thing of being human, it is so important to also feel supported. Find like-minded people or at least people that support and love you for your quirky wonderful self. I’ve included an image that reminds me of the kind of support we can be. A softness in a world that can seem fast and harsh. Protective. Caring. At one point or another, each of us tends to step into the roles of being confident, hesitant, needing, giving.

I also try to remember that it can be as much a gift to let someone else help and care for us as it is to help and care for others.

This is what we can offer each other. Even if we haven’t yet met.

LOVE... BIG. FEAR... SMALL. I dedicate this article to my Dad. A constant philosophizer.

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Embrac

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cingFEAR

By Saoirse Wang

F

EAR, that mother flipping emotion that grips the body and stops the heart. Why oh, why do we have it, why oh, why do we let it rule our life?

Well, we could wonder into the science and the good ole, flight or fight issue, but it’s been done. I’d like to share a new spin on fear. Let‘s own her, let’s take charge, let’s bring her into the light and use her to our advantage and change the world with it. Fear is an emotion, it’s the strong reaction you have when faced with the unknown and the possibility you could get hurt or have to change something. Fear is the illusion your body creates to stop you in your tracks, fear is also a taught mechanism of control. Fear is what happens when you come up on your edge and go shit what is out there? I do not have a big enough light to see what is beyond this point in my life.

Fear is found when we have no more rules to live by, we are suddenly faced with our self and our responsibility, and there is no game and no response when I shout into the dark.

There is only silence and a vast empty ness. Fear is a powerful energy that stops us dead, stops us breathing, stops us seeing and stops us living.

Fear stops us so we can take a moment and check into our true existence, so we can truly start to see who and what we are made of. Fear stops us to see if we want more of whom we are and if we are ready to embrace more.

Fear lets us see if we are brave enough to jump, to experience, too fucking live out loud. www.barnaclebabes.com | 25

Too long we have used fear to control and manipulate us into stopping what we really want to do. We use it to paint a narrow picture of existence, created by our parents, our teachers, our faiths and supposed leaders. We have been taught to use fear to stop us expanding into how amazing and big and powerful we truly are. We have been using fear the wrong way, and letting others control us with their fear of us, of themselves of the world. Other people’s fear of the strange, the different and the truth is what is ruling the world now. Recognize the fear, it’s good, it’s there and it is healthy, but use it to be curious about the thing that struck you, use it to gain your power, your life, your strange and your truth.

We can’t get rid of fear. Another false teaching that I would love to dispense with, the thought we can get rid of fear is a denial of its power in our life. Fear is our friend, she is a powerful ally, if used correctly and partnered with. Fear is to be embraced and loved because if you can embrace her, you can change your world. By grasping her and not letting go, you challenge the status quo created to keep you mediocre. We look at fear as this impossible task; it takes our breath and stops us.

But what she really is doing is building our muscle to test us to see if we are ready.

To give us pause to embrace the task at hand, to see if we have the skill to maneuver our life and give us the space to look at all we have done and all we can do.

Fear is the giver of breath if used right she is the pause to some new adventure some great unknown.

Fear is you in disguise, she is you becoming you. Fear is your true self hidden in the dark waiting for you to reach out and shine your light on her beautiful, powerful, creative and expansive face.

Fear’s dearest friend is your dreams, it is not her goal to crush them and end them. It is fears hope to give you the power to attain them, to give you the endurance to enjoy them and to understand how important the work you do to achieve them is. Fear and Dreams ARE your ally, they are the gift to a bigger, brighter light life. Inspiration is birthed from these two powerful forces coming

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People living deeply have no fear of death.

Anais Nin

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together. Without fear you can’t see your edge, without a dream you can’t see life. The combination inspires you to go further trust yourself and jump, jump with everything you have to push past the lie you are small and not worthy of amazing things you desire.

When I was a child I lived in the water all summer, I had a fascination with sharks, and my goal was to swim with them, but that required going into deep, dark water. I lived on a lake, we had no sharks but we had deep dark water and I had an imagination filled with deep, big powerful sharks and other fish.

My dream was and still is bigger than my fear. I would swim out as far as I could and stick my body straight down in the water and hold myself out there as long as I could. I stayed till the fear overcame me and my imagination blew up of things swimming around and nibbling on me. At the point where fear became a body pain I would hold there just a minute longer, pushing it just a little bit further, then I would bolt back to the shore and catch my breath, only to do it again and again. This crazy training, I have mastered and to this day, I present to others as fearless.

It’s not fearlessness, it’s knowing that past that moment when fear looks like it going to take away everything and I will have anything left, I hold to the truth, ing can hurt me.

I am infinite and powerful and I am in charge. I practiced repeatedly my relationship with fear and my dreams, I strengthen my muscles to trust myself and my belief in my ability to always go into the abyss and find myself, to see the truth of what my fear is, the unknown me.

What does that mean to you, let’s put it into perspective shall we, because what is the point of words if we can’t move them into our life. Well it means you need

just is not noth-

to create a new relationship with yourself and your dreams and your fear. Understand you are always going to be scared, it never stops, it always is there. But it does not have to be the excuse to stop you and stop others from embracing life and changing the world.

This is not a superpower that only a few people get, this is a gift given to turn you into a super hero. No athlete or skilled master wakes up in the morning gifted with their skills; they take the time to practice sticking to the journey at all costs. continue on Page 31 >>

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The woman who does not require validation from anyone is the most feared individual on the planet. ~ Mohadesa Najumi

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Managing and working with fear is the same thing, you start small and you understand that it is just you that you are coming up on. Fear is you starting to learn who you are and what you want to become.

There is no rule to this game because there is no rule to you, you are here to experience you, and fear is here to help you do that.

Start with something small, whatever that is and practice pushing yourself just a little past the point of discomfort. Oh hell yes, you are going to be uncomfortable, but you can’t grow in comfort, nothing happens when you are comfortable and safe.

Comfort is the death of life; fear is the expression of a new possibility of life.

Fear is an engagement on a new level, it is the rush of uncertainty and creativity, and it is the touch of the feminine we have been craving. Fear is the balance to the masculine certainty of our crazy world. So, embrace your feminine creativity, embrace the dark side of the light, learn how fucking big your light is and embrace your fear and when you do, your dreams will always come true, but more than that, you will find yourself. You will save the world and you will be alive and impactful, you will have learnt how to use fear to change the world, not destroy it.

Practice daily, practice becoming friends and integrating this powerful gift of fear, swim out into the deep dark waters, let your self-breath into the possibilities and look yourself in the eye and say yes. Yes, I am ready, I am strong enough and I am ready to live the impossible dream. And, if you need to swim back to shore, do it, but don’t give up on fear because she will not give up on you, she will wait in the deep for you to shine your light on her and show you your dreams, your possibilities, your endless amazing expansive and ever-changing self. Shout into the Dark, and hear your voice come back at you. You got this, you are never alone. Fear is your friend and she will never let you down but she will change your world and expand your horizons, if you work with her.

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Lisa Michelman's

The Women of Long Island, NY LISA BRINGS TO US NICOLE GLASSER The sea brings me a happiness that nothing else comes close to. It brings me peace and an overwhelming appreciation for life. As a kid growing up, I'd go to the beach and spend countless hours in the shore break, getting pummeled by wave after wave. A lot of people are scared of that feeling, but I cherished it. It was at an early age that I learned to accept the power of the ocean and not to fight it.

About 5 years ago, I visited my older brother in Costa Mesa, CA. We rented a few paddleboards and even though he'd only done it once before, my brother taught me how to stand up paddle.

It was intimidating at first but I quickly fell in love with the sport and started SUP surfing on the south shore of Long Island, NY. Now, my love for the ocean has become an obsession.

I became a certified SUP instructor and have been teaching over the summers for the last 4 years. It's during my lessons that I take the opportunity to educate people on ocean and water safety, their environment, and what they can do to help sustain this beautiful planet.

I've always believed that giving back to your community is a vital responsibility. In addition to participating in the occasional beach clean-up, I volunteer at a local animal shelter a few times a week. When it's warm enough, I often have the opportunity to take a shelter dog on a walk to a nearby boat ramp to go swimming. They always jump in the wa ter without hesitation and you could see the look of pure bliss on their faces, you could see the happiness they feel in the water. It's during these moments that I truly relate to these animals and appreciate the sea on a completely different level.

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The Ocean

My Obsession

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BARNACLE BABE CALL OUT FOR

New Book

WITH INFLUENCE PUBLISHING

By Julie Salisbury

Writers Retreat in Turks and Caicos, Provencials.

Photo Credit: random Passer-by

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When you have a love for the ocean there is a deep passion that goes to the core of your soul. Your heart feels full and you can sense the smile across your face in a permanent grin. I once tried to explain to someone when I lived in Vancouver why it was so important for me to live right next to the ocean. A view was not enough, I had to smell it, feel the wind as it skimmed the top of the water, watch the tide at its lowest and highest and watch the birds living off its bounty.

If you are reading this and know exactly what I’m talking about, you are a salty sister.

When I returned to the “dirt” after living for seven years on a sailboat, I would start a conversation about my days at sea, and I would see eyes start to glaze over as they imagined the small confined space of a sailboat. I was not speaking their language, these were not salty sisters.

When I met Jodi, and heard her vision for Barnacle Babes, I felt a kindred community that understood my love for the ocean. Now, at last, I had found my salty sisters who wanted to share their common love for the ocean. It’s time for salty sisters to come together and unite and share our stories with a community that hears our words and shares our passion. My dream is for a collection of books “Chicken soup for the soul” style. Let’s call it “Salty Sisters of the Sea for the Soul”. A place we can share our adventures and love affairs with the ocean. A place where we can bring awareness to how precious our ocean is and what is happening to her. A place for heart warming stories that will encourage others to feed their soul with the salty sea. If you want to share your salty stories please contact me or Jodi and let’s launch our first book series at the next Warrior Women of the Sea Conference!

Refugio-Sea of Cortez, holding a giant Squid Photo Credit: Greg Salisbury

What’s stopping you? I’m guessing the first thing you are going to say is “my story is not interesting enough and no one will want to hear it”. Well that is not surprise given I’ve seen plenty of glazed eyes with my own stories. What I realize now is that I was talking to the wrong people! We’re a weird bunch, us salty sisters, with a passion you can’t recognize unless you are one of us! Personally, I could never understand why people are so passionate about football, but that’s because I dislike football. Talk to me about football and my eyes will glaze over – no matter how interesting the story is!

So, know your audience! If you are speaking to the right audience, I guarantee your story is interesting!

What else is stopping you? You probably don’t consider yourself a writer. You certainly wouldn’t consider yourself worthy of being an author. You are probably concerned you don’t have great grammar or English.

Well neither do I and even though I am a publisher and published over 100 books plus my own book, “Around the World in Seven Years”, you might be surprised to

hear I am dyslexic. You see, if you can tell a story, you can write your story. It is not your job to do the editing and polishing, someone else has that talent! That is why I created Influence Publishing and Inspire-a-Book ten years ago, to collect storytellers and help publish their stories with the right team to polish the words.

I’m not looking for writers; I’m calling out for salty stories!

Ok so the last objection I always hear is, “I don’t know where to start or which story to tell”. That is where I come in to help. Working on a collective book together is fun and inspiring because all you must do is tell stories! I do the rest. I figure out which is the best story for you to tell and how all the stories of our collective weave together. We even do a fun one day workshop to plan our book together. Once you see how much fun writing a book is, you’ll want to do much more than just write one chapter! Connect with me at founder@ influencepublishing.com and let’s start sharing our Salty Stories with the world!

Women of Alaska Brandi Patterson

By Shaunna Echo-Hawk Atkinson

T

.oday I want to share a story with you about a fellow fisherman, Brandi Patterson. I feature the Alaskan women who fish the Alaskan waters for a living and below is her story.

The women featured in my articles have endured the hardships of earning a living in a non-traditional trade for women and their stories will reflect the healthy respect they have for the sea and the land they are tied to.

From past and present experiences, I know when you are fishing in the Alaskan waters; anything can happen in an instant. The weather and tides can change unexpectedly and pull you in an entirely different direction and even out to sea.

Brandi was twenty-one years old when her dad taught her how to fish on a 42-foot stern picker, a fishing vessel named, Brandi Alexis, where she fished alongside of her brother Tre. Brandi was just out of college when she began her fishing career.

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Brandi: The last season I fished, it was my brother and I aboard our family boat, the Brandi Alexis. We were fishing in our territorial waters of Annette Island in southeast Alaska.

We deck loaded that day and we decided to sit back and wait for a packer to unload our fish but we decided to try our luck again and make another set because we knew we were on the fish.

We let out the net, knowing the smart thing to do was to unload the fish first on the packer because our boat was so top heavy.

Within twenty or thirty minutes, all of our corks disappeared.

In order to pull up the net from the other end, we had to drop our buoy, which allowed us to run to the other side of our net. We saw that we snagged up on rocks which is why our corks disappeared.

We had to start pulling the net in as fast as we could. My brother warned me he would have to start yelling at me because he knew the situation was beginning to get dangerous, due to the net being snagged on rocks. There are many things that can go wrong in these dangerous situations. He has many years of fishing experience compared to me. But I told him he would not have to yell at me because I knew I could handle what was coming.

I picked the fish as fast as I could, as there was a fountain of fish coming over the roller. I picked so fast that he had nothing to say.

I knew there was a chance we could puncture the boat, as we were feet away from rocks.

Once we got to the end, the tide switched and took us in a different direction. We were in such shallow waters by then that we were leaning over the boat trying to untangle the net off the rocks and at the same time watching the tide, as the tide switches in minutes.

The fathom meter was madly beeping indicating we were too close to rocks in shallow waters. We finally got the net off the rocks just in time and there was no damage to the boat or net, we were lucky. I was taught to have a healthy respect for Tide Women, which is what we have been taught traditionally about the tides.

We headed home but our boat was very low due to our hatches and deck filled to capacity with fish. The fish on deck came up to the top of my boots, we were deck loaded.

As we traveled back home, the boat was sitting so low in the water that I could easily touch the sea with my hand because we were so heavy with fish.

When you are that top heavy, it would not take much to roll and capsize at sea. But we were so excited, we were smiling from ear to ear because we deck loaded and our dad would be proud.

Out of nowhere, it started blowing and we hit a rip tide and the waves started to come over the sides of the boat. We starting climbing the waves and our boat would come out of the water. In all of the action that was happening, my Captain was surprisingly very calm but would not make eye contact with me.

I, on the other hand, had deer in a headlight eyes, I was petrified, I knew there was a chance we would not make it back home but once we hit a certain point in our protected waters, the sea began to calm down.

My brother then looked at me with the biggest smile and stated, “I did not think we would make it". He said he was about to send me in the back to throw out fish, to rid us of the weight. We gambled that day.

I called my dad to come down and look at the boat when we unloaded at our cold storage. To see my dad grin from ear to ear was priceless. He was so happy to see all the fish we caught and that his two children had a successful fishing trip.

We would not have taken those risks if my dad had not passed on his knowledge of the sea and fishing to my brother and I. ~ Brandi is still an active fisherman and is currently getting the "Brandi Alexis" ready for the upcoming 2017 fishing season.

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Fear of a

Plastic OCEA

By Morgan Knowles

The history and future of plastics in our oceans.

P

lastics; derived from synthetic and semi-synthetic compounds from hydrocarbons mixed with petrochemicals, (aka chemicals derived from petroleum, natural gas, oil, and coal). They are malleable, pliable, extremely inexpensive to mass produce and are impervious to water. Plastics can be cast, pressed, or molded into a variety of films, fibers, foams, beads, bottles, boxes and much more.

Sounds like a super material, right? At the time of its origin in the early 1900’s, plastic was too good to be true. People were now able to preserve natural resources like metals, wood and cotton, and produce synthetic alternatives to replace them, what could go wrong? Plastics were strong, durable and were indestructible! As plastics evolved over time, more and more toxic chemicals were added to give it more plasticity, to make it stronger, lighter and more resistant to weathering. Sadly, three decades after its creation as a wonder material, a major pitfall was realized. More and more of this chemically treated, indestructible material was littering many cities globally. It wasn’t until the 60’-

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c AN 70s the term marine debris hit the scene, when plastic materials were first observed polluting our oceans.

Today, its versatility, portability and its unlimited functionality makes uses for this product, limitless. The unfortunate result of its creation, over production, an over-materialized society and lack of proper recycling is causing havoc to the marine environment. Water bottles, drinking straws, toothbrushes, bottle caps, food wrappers and millions of other items are accidentally and intentionally washed into our waterways which find their way to their final resting place, the sea. Up to 90% of the marine debris found in our oceans is plastics and the mounting impact of marine debris has been considered one of the most pervasive and overlooked issues in the world's oceans.

During my master’s research on marine debris and plastic pollution on the Florida Reef Tract and local beaches, I dove into this incredible amount of overwhelming information that I was not prepared to comprehend. I knew it was a vast, mysterious and deadly threat to marine life but I had no idea just HOW threatening this is to all life on land and in the sea.

Did you know every piece of plastic that was ever created still exists today?

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After all, that was what it was designed to be: an everlasting material. An immortal super- substance has fused into our daily lives from your clothing and food to hospitals and space-crafts. When plastic finds its way into the marine environment from litter blown from landfills or washed away form heavy rains, trash finds its way into rivers and streams.

Plastic litter acts much like other more “natural� debris items like food scraps, wood chips and natural cloth materials migrating through elements away from where they were once placed to the ocean. Litter takes quite the beating from the marine elements like the sun, wind, salt and waves. However, unlike natural debris bits which naturally decompose and fragment into smaller biodegradable pieces, plastics do not naturally decompose. Due to the durability of plastics and their synthetic nature, most plastics are extremely resilient to stressors caused by the environment. Over hundreds of

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years of weathering and sun exposure they eventually begin to dry, crack and fragment into smaller bits of plastic debris. This weathering process leaches the noxious chemicals used to keep plastics pliable and strong into surrounding waters. This drying process also changes the composition of plastics making it spongelike state, allowing it to absorb things like motor oil and agricultural run-off pollutants from floating in sea surface waters.

Once larger plastic items are broken into small bits it is now in its most dangerous form: microplastics, microfibers and nano-plastics. These are plastic fragments that are smaller than 5mm or less in size, which are divided into smaller categories (micrometers, nanometers and picometers) and many are invisible to the naked eye. Pollution from these types of plastics come from two main sources: 1) weathering of larger plastics as mentioned above and

2) a direct introduction through run-off.

In terms of the later statement, many tiny plastics balls (aka nurdles) are intentionally created to be this nano-sized to fit in your body wash, toothpaste and scrubs which are directly washed down the drain after every use. Also, every time you wash your polyester workout pants, plastic microfibers are agitated out of the pants through the washing process, they are not filtered out by our washing machines and lead directly to the sea. Pollution from these nearly invisible plastics present an unfathomable quantity of debris in our oceans today. Unfortunately for us, these micro particles have been working their way up the food chain to our dinner plates for decades. Many studies have been conducted in the past 5 years with evidence that zooplankton ingest micro/nano plastics. From elementary school science, we learn that those plankton are the foundation of our seafood food chain, if they eat it, we eat it...

Scientists are working to understand the processes, transport, deposition, accumulation of marine plastics and are also investigating all the detrimental effects plastic debris has in the marine ecosystem. There is still a lot we do not know about it, but here is what we do know: »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »»

8 million tons of debris are dumped into the ocean every year (which is one garbage truck dumping its contents every minute for a whole year!).

By 2050 there will be more plastics in our oceans than fish biomass.

Over 90% of marine organisms will encounter debris throughout their lifetime.

1 in every 4 fish you eat is contaminated by plastics (unless you’re in Great Britain which is 1 in 3).

Marine debris/plastics cause asphyxiation, gastrointestinal blockages, starvation, leaching toxic chemical sickness, abrasions, amputations and lacerations.

Bisphenol A (BPA) and other like chemicals found in plastics leach into foods, drinks and seawater when exposed to heat or other stress (sun, wind and waves).

BPA exposure and toxicity is mostly related to its hormones mimicking abilities (e.g. estrogen) in humans which wreaks havoc on our nervous system, digestive system, endocrine system, respiratory and circulatory systems and is even linked to cancer.

More than 90% of Americans have traces of BPA in their systems today.

Marine debris is found in every ocean, even in the most pristine and uninhabited places on earth.

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Marine debris and plastic pollution are huge global epidemics. They affect everything from our oceans, our atmosphere, our water quality, our economy, our seafood, our health and safety. I am afraid we are at a tipping point with the amount of pollution in our oceans.

They are drowning in plastics, and other forms of pollution and it is coming back to contaminate our drinking water, air and seafood.

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There is a bright light at the end of the tunnel! It has been said, by many scientists, that cleaning up is a great way to help local communities, however it may not be the best way to solve this problem globally. We must catch it at its source by educating consumers on the plastic pollution problem, dangers of marine debris, provide alternatives to single-use plastics and food packaging, and proper recycling techniques.

There are hundreds of organizations out there dedicated to the marine debris and plastic pollution epidemic created to study, observe, clean and solve this issue.

There are inventors developing cleaner, safer bioplastic alternatives that are truly biodegradable. There are people upcycling and reusing plastics in unimaginable ways. There are others finding ways to make recycling more efficient.

Now more than ever, reusable alternatives to plastic are all over the internet and in stores around the globe!

THINGS YOU CAN DO TODAY TO HELP OUR PLASTIC PLANET. »» Take a good hard look at what you are purchasing, throwing away and recycling and see where you can improve by cutting back on the amount of trash you produce. »» Opt for reusable items instead of single-use products like canvas shopping bags, mason jars to refill grains and nuts. Use reusable water canteens and cotton/wax food wraps to keep your food fresh. »» Recycle as much of your trash as you can. Contact your local recycling center to learn more about what you can and cannot recycle. »» Join local efforts to pick up trash. Find your local Surfrider Chapter, marine conservation Non-Profit, dive/surf shop, or start your own clean up with family and friends! »» Spread the word! People won’t understand the gravity of the situation until you show and tell. Once they understand more than likely they will always opt for ocean-minded decisions.

I would also urge you to watch the incredible film, A Plastic Ocean. In A Plastic Ocean, an international team of researchers, adventurers and ocean ambassadors expose the ugly truth of what is polluting our seas and how it is changing our planet. You can also host a screening of the film in your local area!

See the website below for more details. https://www.plasticoceans.org/film/

If we change our daily habits and everyday decisions with the ocean in mind, those actions can accumulate to create huge impacts positively changing the world around you.

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y b d e l l e Fu yourfears

By Sarah Specker

A

ccording to Freud, the famous Austrian neurologist and founding father of the psychoanalysis, our mind consists of 3 levels: the consciousness, the pre-consciousness and the unconsciousness.

On top, the consciousness contains our regular thoughts and feelings, abutted by the pre-consciousness that serves as a repository for recent but already forgotten ideas and sentiments, enabling easy recollection. Lurking beneath the surface of these two, lies the unconsciousness, a limitless level alike Pandora's Box, filled with our purest most primitive desires, lusts and fears. Like an endless universe within the confined space of our brain. His theory claims that satisfaction of these primitive urges - serving to enhance the individual’s chances of survival - is our prime inborn focus, fuelling our every thought and action. Simply put: desire is the father of thought.

Because of the sheer, overwhelming power of these primal lusts and fears, our consciousness likes to focus it on something. This enables rationalization and therefore creates a fake sense of control. The result is a directed chase after pleasure and avoidance of pain. Unfortunately for our unconsciousness, society's structure (shaped by morals, norms and values) does not allow for such direct satisfaction of our basic needs. This impossibility would create tension within our psyche and generate compensatory, yet not very productive behavior like regression or denial.

All in all, according to Freud, we spend our lives deceiving ourselves about why we do what we do. We are barely just marionette puppets, controlled by our unconscious desires and fears.

But...is all this really such a bad thing? These strong hidden emotions can push you to heart stopping heights as well as dangerous depths. Would man have evolved into its current form without these urges as stimuli?

Theories like these inevitably make you reflect on your own desires and fears.

What do I think - or assume - that makes me tick? The saying has it that in the face of real fear you see your own true self: so what am I really afraid of? The dark, heights, getting hurt by people I love and trust are the fears I am consciously aware of. But the biggest fear of them all is not of dying, but a fear of not living.

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During my childhood I had acute lymphatic leukemia, a form of bone marrow cancer. Over a short period of time my life as a happy, careless 4-year old girl changed into one filled with uncertainties, pain and fear. At the time treatment for this type of cancer was experimental - they had only just stopped full body and brain radiation because of the severe detrimental effects this had on a developing brain - and survival rates were low. For at least 4 years I was chubby, bald and pale, frequenting the academic hospital and being stuffed with pills and needles. I was one of the lucky ones that survived, unaffected by any relapses or long term physical damage. Inevitably all of this changed me, but it's hard to point out in what way because of my young age at the time. What I do know is that I really, really, really wanted to live. Even before I got sick I was an outdoor child, pouting whenever I wasn't allowed to play outside anymore. Afterwards, this feeling grew even stronger: even though I enjoyed school and didn't mind studying, I loved being outdoors even more: horse-riding, climbing trees, rollerblading, building huts, walking in the woods and even becoming a junior WWF-ranger were favorite pastimes. Anything but being locked up inside again. Looking back, I realize I was mostly afraid of missing out on the big world outside: I would daydream about faraway places, making lists of things I imagined myself doing like swimming with dolphins, exploring the Mongolian desert on horseback, visiting ancient temples and sailing the seven seas. Nowadays people would probably call this FOMO.

This fear - or desire?- has served as a fuel that has made - and still makes- me push many personal boundaries, striving for living all of those dreams.

To the outside world this sometimes makes me look like a drifter, roaming the world 'without a purpose’. But what if the drifting itself IS the purpose; just like the old saying 'it's not about the goal, but about the road you took to get there'.

According to Freud's theory there would probably be some intrinsic sexual desire or primal aggression motivating me, but since he also believed that I will never become really aware of these emotions, it all doesn't really matter.

For now I'll enjoy this life of adventure and exploration, fuelled by my own fears.

Until next time.

Love, Sarah

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FOLLOW YOUR BLISS! Jodi Mossop's interview with LuLu Agan of SwellWomen

Jodi: So LuLu, how did SwellWomen come to be?

LuLu: SwellWomen can be summed up by the following quote: “Follow Your Bliss” by Joseph Campbell.

In 2003, these were the words that inspired the launch of SwellWomen. SwellWomen combines four of my blissful passions: surfing, yoga, cooking & wellness — passions that I’ve found to share with woman all over the world. With the art of surfing, I teach with colors outside the lines of life back home. Pulling people outside of their everyday lives erases egos and unleashes the bare human spirit. As I like to say, “it’s like we are all kids again and everyone is on the same playground.”

Ever since launching SwellWomen, my belief in the beauty and importance of being empowered (and empowering those around us) has only grown. I see it every day, no matter where we are in the world or who is with us! Surfing and yoga feeds our souls and creates a community to share this bliss with women all around the world — that’s what SwellWomen is all about!

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Jodi: What does it mean to “Follow Your Bliss”?

The meaning of “Follow Your Bliss” changes depending on the woman. No two ladies are the same, and no two blisses are the same! To me, though, following your bliss means doing the things that feed your soul. When you are happy and in the moment, doing what you love and doing it passionately, everything tends to line up and your life flows effortlessly. It’s so much easier just to be content. Such an outlook on life is truly contagious!

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Jodi: So, tell me, why do you do what you do?

Lulu: By sharing my bliss with others, I aim to inspire them and help them to gain a new prospective on life. There’s simply nothing like watching a guest ride their first wave, do their first crow pose or get inspired by a journaling about their experience. The memories created from each and every retreat blow my heart open with gratitude and fill it with more joy than I ever thought possible. How could I not do what I do?

Jodi: What makes SwellWomen different from all the other “Surf/Yoga” retreats?

Lulu: I think there are many, many of fabulous retreats out there — there can be such

supportive, intuitive movements — but SwellWomen definitely caters to a certain type of women. She’s looking for a hint (or more!) of luxury and exclusivity; she benefits from that type of next-level treatment. Because of this, we test and hand-pick our destinations to ensure the beauty and richness meets the SwellWomen standard. Our team takes great care in creating an all-inclusive experience that is beyond mind-blowing.

Jodi: And, what would someone get out of attending one of your retreats?

Lulu: From the feedback we receive from our guests, they leave feeling entirely blissed out, empowered and inspired. Their words, not ours! :) There’s something incredibly magical about a group of women coming together, to support each other in our goals, triumphs and challenges. There’s an indescribable sense of camaraderie in the water and on the mat — women go away with a deeper connection to themselves and their place in the world.

Jodi: How does SwellWomen contribute to the healing of women and the ocean?

Lulu: Our retreats foster personal connections and life transforming experiences — but the key to doing this is the exotic, secure and welcoming environment. Typically, we find these places surrounded by water! There’s something special about salt water. It cleanses the spirit as well as the body — it conducts that type of positive energy that we take oh-so-seriously. We

know so little about the ocean world, and as we discover it’s secret, we oftentimes uncover our own!

When your environment supports you, it’s easier to challenge yourself and find

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power in the unknown. Women who go on a SwellWomen Retreat return fulfilled, vivacious with a newfound belief in their capabilities. They learn how to reconnect with themselves, all through a reconnection to the infinite deep blue sea.

Jodi: Do women that come to learn to surf, come with any fears? If so, what are they and how do you help them work through it?

Lulu: I haven’t met one person that isn’t dealing with some sort of fear while on retreat

(or in their life). The fear of the unknown, the water itself, the fear of failing — those are just some examples… but, the ocean has infinite wisdom if you choose to listen to it. The swells of the tide (especially the ups and downs of surfing) directly correlate to the up and downs of everyday life. We all know how that feels… and surfing teaches us to how to ride those waves, both physical and metaphorical! More prolifically, we teach that if you actually, truly believe in yourself then anything and everything is possible. We teach our guests to consciously breathe when they are getting ready to catch a wave and apply that when they need to slow things down and focus on their present. Apply those two rules and anyone can face the fears.

Jodi: Where does SwellWomen want to be in 5 years?

Lulu: We want a positive effect on as many women as possible, whether it be on a SwellWomen Retreat or something equally as empowering, such as simply taking time out for herself every day. A woman stepping into her power radiating with self-love and joy is so incredibly inspiring… how can it not inspire those around her to do the same?

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An interview with Marla Hedman

By Jodi Mossop

We’ve all met those people…People who, when you meet them for the first time, you instantly fall in love with them. Marla Hedman, for me, has been such a person. I’ve gotten to meet with her and converse with her over the last year a handful of times and appreciate any and all opportunities to have done so.

Just recently, before she left to sail Portugal this summer, she and I sat for tea in a coffee shop on Granville Island and chatted. This woman’s smile is amazingly radiant and she always puts you at ease and comfort as soon as you are with her. She is certainly a favorite Warrior Woman of the Sea and I couldn’t be happier than to share her with you.

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We started our conversation off by talking about the need to connect more with nature, getting back to listening to our bodies and our intuition. How our lives have taken us so far away from the trees, the dirt, from the wind, weather patterns and the ocean, and how when she jumps onto a boat, she connects with all of what is true, deep into the marrow of her bones. When others come to sail with her, she sees quite a physical change in them as well, especially nature and ocean loving women. Their shoulders, their arms, their hands, their torsos, their breasts, their knees and their hips, all change. Many people come to Marla stuck in their heads,

their bodies completely disassociated with their brain and the brain is running everything, EVERYTHING! All the time!

Marla believes that getting back to nature, remembering who we are and allowing our bodies to connect and lead the way, does wonders!

She shares with me her understanding that nature is here to remind us about who we are and to teach us. Sailing, in particular, helps bring back our spiritual consciousness and that when people come out of their heads and back into their bodies and their eyes; they REALLY see what they’re seeing!

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Marla Headman grew up in Manitoba, Canada and has always been surrounded by water. She took sailing lessons when she was quite young and has always known that she would always love it. However, she went away from boating for some time to go to university and take up skiing but the calling to the water was forever there.

She moved out to Vancouver, BC Canada many years later and it took her awhile before she heard about a great charter company and decided to drop in on a sailing event. When she stepped out onto the sailboat‌BOOM! She felt like she was home. Marla shared that the people she met that night were amazing and she could still remember standing there and having this overwhelming feel-

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ing that she was going to be working for the company and teaching sailing.

Great supportive and encouraging mentors within the company encouraged Marla to become a skipper and instructor and so…she did. She then decided on her present lifestyle, a lifestyle that does not always pay well but allows her to have an incredibly rich life, full of experiences. Experiences on the water, experiencing the many places she visited and experiencing the many wonderful people she’s met while doing what she loves to do. She says it a hugely rich life and she LOVES IT! She loves teaching and loves helping people see that they can sail. If they have a dream or they get a little idea of that dream of sailing, after a session, with her, they feel encouraged and motivated. I believe much like the way she was in the beginning by her mentors.

Marla loves working with both men and women and finds that most of her clients are men. Her favorite clients, however, are couples. Some of the men from her sessions have told her how incredibly grateful they are to her. They’d had this dream of sailing for a long time but their wife has been afraid or uncertain about doing it together. After Marla coaches the couples on working together she then leaves the wife or partner with a feeling of safety and confidence, they’re equally hooked! And for the “dreaming of the sea husband”, that’s the best gift he could have ever been gotten… priceless!

I asked Marla what the ocean gives to her and she answered,

“The wind and the rhythm of the water and the sun and even on a stormy day, it is therapeutic. It’s there and with the wind, it lifts your heart and makes you feel alive.

But it also challenges you. When you’re challenged and you see that you can handle those challenges and make a plan and execute it and be successful at it, it is an amazing feeling”.

Marla Hedman is a Sailing Instructor, Skipper, Concierge, Adventurer, Navigator, and Trip Planner from Vancouver BC Canada. If you’d like to know more about Marla, you can email her directly at beamreachingmarla@gmail.com or like her on Instagram @sailingwithbeamreachingmarla

Marla’s been 12 years destination sailing, chartering and teaching. I asked her where she loves to sail the most, she answered her backyard, the southwest coast of British Columbia. When asked where she has chartered, she told me stories about some adventures in New Zealand, Turkey, Croatia, Greece, the Greek Islands, British Virgin Islands, and down to the Mexican Baja.

This woman is forever sharing, forever smiling and always laughing. They don’t get better than this and I am grateful for knowing her.

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KIRSTEN RATZLAFF

Everyday Beach Clean up in Bali, Indonesia

Just getting back from the Cliffs of Mother in Ireland

Tasha Haight Where the Tasman Sea meets the Pacific Ocean

TESS HEDDERICH Ocean Legacy Crew of Cianna Armstrong,

Cage of death at Crocosaurus Cove Darwin, Australia

Virginia LeMesieur and Dinah La Fleche

Salty

White Rock, BC Canada Mermaid

MuQwin Peninsula Provincial Park, Vancouver Island, BC

Warriors

Sylvia Taylor Shaunna, Siya & James Tommy

Becky Osenenko Becky and plastic mountain –

Mexico along the side of the road

Beach in Metlakatla, AK.. Our first official Barnacle Baby!!!!

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Pepper Morgan

West coast fish kisser at Albion, CA

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MARCH 3 - 10, 2018

SURF & YOGA RETREAT EL SALVADOR

Worrior Women unite for a life changing retreat www.BarnacleBabes.com/retreats