She Sails held their third meetup in Fall City, WA, earlier this month! While several of the original attendees couldn’t make it this year due to work conflicts, that made room for some new attendees to experience the fun!
Here’s what first-time attendee Fionna Boyle had to say about the event:
She Sails is a She Must. As a first time participant, I can’t say enough positive things! As an experienced conference goer for personal and professional growth, I was hopeful, excited and open-minded for the event that came so highly recommended by other women mariners.
Starting weeks before, Megan Rycraft (She Sails founder) coordinated logistics and engaged with participants. I was flying in and everyone was so helpful in offering transportation which, after an 8-hour layover, was above average to start!
Night one was fueled with a crackling fire in the community room, “the graze” full of delicious snacks for the picking, drinks and icebreakers. Crafting skills were indulged with tote bags for design and She Sails logo add-ons: perfect mementos to remember the weekend.
The bulk of the event comprised morning yoga sessions, great conversations on the importance of emotional intelligence, exercising the assertive voice, lessons learned from the loss of the El Faro and honoring the 33 fallen mariners.
Camaraderie, community building, care and compassion for all experiences and persons at the table created an intimate space for a small group of women to share their careers and the ebb and flow of life.
I can’t wait for She Sails 2021!
Another friend of ours, Christine Klimkowski, was in attendance for the third year running! We asked her to give some thoughts on the event as well.
One weekend in mid-January with some bad-ass ladies has become a life-affirming tradition.
When I first attended She Sails 3 years ago, I didn't really know what to expect. I did know one thing. I knew a few of the women attending and, for better or worse, we'd have a few glasses of wine and enjoy each other's company. And the same has been true every year: I didn't know everyone attending or how it would go, but I did know that I could and would have a good time.
The "secret sauce" year after year has been three-fold. First, while knowing some of the women involved, it has been amazing to meet women from all sectors of the maritime industry that I otherwise would have never met. I'm from the deep-sea world, and it's been great to meet my sisters in towing, dredging , tankers and great lakes; mates, masters, engineers and stewards alike.
Second, the organic questions, problems and solutions that arise from the unscripted social time has been amazing. Everything from periods to pornography, work gloves to podcasts, reading recommendations to sexual harassment, birth control to boots. If you've thought about it, wondered if other women have struggled with the same issue, or been curious about other points of view, we have talked about it! Even when the same subject has been brought up in a previous year, it's always refreshing to hear new thoughts and ideas.
Third, and the most surprising, no code-switching! There is a distinct moment every year where many of us have the same realization…"I/she haven’t/hasn't had to set up, qualify or overly describe this situation and EVERYONE GETS ITS?!?!?!" I think we, as women in the maritime industry, don't realize how much time and mental & emotional effort we put into describing our lives and issues at work to others outside the industry. It is so consistently refreshing to be with a group who just GETS IT!!
More on code-switching and minorities here: NPR's Code Switch Podcast & Wikipedia's article.
So, if you've thought about joining us before, if you'e wondering about attending a weekend that wasn't filled with workshops and panel discussions, JOIN US! Professional and personal development isn't just about structure; it's about relationships and community, too.
If you'd like to know more or have specific questions, please feel free to email me: Christine Klimkowski.
And one more attendee, Katrina Anderson, graciously wrote up her thoughts on her third She Sails Meetup!
The 3rd Annual She Sails women’s retreat took place over the weekend of January 17-19th surrounded by the picturesque mountains of Snoqualmie Pass at Fall City Farms, WA - not your normal locale for a get-together involving a bunch of sailors! However, an awesome retreat space to relax and reflect on our life on the water. The Northwest did not disappoint with wind and rain but as we know, sailors are a hearty bunch and we enthusiastically had a good time, not deterred by the weather in the least. As usual, the weekend was full of networking, relaxation, personal growth, and release. These ladies know how to have a weekend! We enjoyed yoga, good food, and conversation, along with exceptional sessions to hone our career-building skills.
This year’s topics were a bit heavier on the emotional side of sea-faring, but the format of the weekend really lends itself to group problem solving, brainstorming, and teamwork. The theme of the event this year was “Emotional Intelligence”. We learned about what it was, how to identify it, and how to build our personal emotional intelligence as a tool for future success. This led us into a very heartfelt group discussion and case study of the El Faro Tragedy. The El Faro crew is sorely missed by many in our group, and we were able to talk about the case in the context of both a healing and future problem-solving initiative. The seafaring community never wants to see tragedies like this happen, and we were actively engaged in the topic of how to foster healthier ship culture, so that crews can feel heard while still keeping order on board. It was a heavy topic to close the day, but the gals gathered at the bunk house for a communal meal and a heartfelt toast to those we lost.
She Sails is an entirely different experience that is hard to describe without actually participating in it. It has changed my life by introducing me to some spectacular ladies I never would have encountered in my days at sea. It makes friendships feel closer, even if we have half a world between us.
The ladies debriefed at the end of the weekend with a session to discuss logistics of future She Sails retreats. We discussed trying to coordinate outreach at sea to provide resources for sailors in trouble, both physically and mentally, as well as remedies for any professional issues that might need some outside guidance and help. Everyone involved re-committed to staying connected and having small meet-ups whenever they reach land. The group is still actively looking for the best way to advertise these meet-ups online, but for the moment we are just outreaching through social media and phone numbers exchanged.
Here’s to another year of sailing safe, and hope to see you at She Sails next year!!
Sincere thanks to Fionna, Christine, and Katrina for sharing their thoughts on She Sails 2020! Congrats to founder Megan Rycraft on another successful year!
She Sails Night 1
Dinner Party