A former Lacombe resident is continuing her globe-trekking sailing adventure, with the goal of travelling around the world as part of a two-person crew.
Makenna Shine, 25, called Lacombe home for about 20 years, attending elementary, junior, and finally high school in the community. She now calls Vancouver Island home. Currently, Shine and her partner Jason Frechette, who first set sail in late 2022, have set a goal of sailing around the world on a 41-ft. Cheoy Lee sailboat.
Shine has said she always had the desire to travel extensively, but going by sea was a foreign concept. That was until she moved to the coast and discovered folks who lived on boats as an alternative lifestyle choice.
Meanwhile, the latest leg of the couple's journey has stretched from Guaymas to Chiapas, Mexico.
"Passing a multitude of different topographies, starting in the desolate and dry desert to the warm, tropical and humid states of Mexico, we adventured all along the pacific coast line, attempting to visit and explore each and every bay Mexico had in store for us," she explained.
"Starting off this season with a highlight, Jason and I sailed to an anchorage called Pulpito which was an extremely desolate bay with a 500-year-old active volcano. It took us two hours to hike to the top of.
"Another big highlight was when we sailed further south to Barra De Navidad, and helped to release baby sea turtles out to sea on the beach of Playa Del Coco. Watching these small but mighty bundles of joy crawl their way to freedom as the sun set over the ocean was one of the most magical moments I’ve ever experienced," she said.
"Near the end of our last season, while sailing across the Gulf of Tehuantepec, I officially earned my '5000NM Swallow', which in the old/classic sailor tattoo days was a way to commemorate your earnings of sailing 5,000 nautical miles. This achievement is symbolized by a swallow bird, as it’s a way to measure how far a sailor has travelled," she said.
"It’s a massive achievement and to have earned it on my boat I call home makes me very proud of myself!"
Shine noted that a major challenge the couple has faced this year was the discovery of a leak in their rudder shaft.
"This resulted in having to actively empty our bilge once every few hours, both night and day for six months straight, until we took the boat back out of the water again at the end of our sailing season."
Meanwhile, from the start of this journey, Sheen has been reflecting on her own personal growth.
"I know people grow and evolve day to day, but there is something about encountering such a level of adventure and 'uncomfortableness' that puts a person’s perspective in order," she said.
"I have gradually developed such a low level of anxiety since I’ve started this journey, and that is something I will always be grateful that this lifestyle has taught me. I used to be worried about what people thought, where to park my car, what to wear, and if plans were in order to a tee.
"Now, you learn to go with the ebbs and flows of life, much like the sea. It's forever changing, moving and building."
Sheen said that not only is it life-changing, it's also an experience that can be described as 'life-freeing'.
"We live in a way I would love for more people to experience. If I could share with the whole world the absolute bliss that the cruising and sailing lifestyle provides, I would," she said.
For one thing, they always have 'home' with them.
"Every book, shirt, fork and tool we own, we have on us at all times. You know when you go on a trip and you have that feeling of forgetting something that never seems to slip your mind?
"With sailing - all your belongings, including where you sleep, eat and watch movies all comes with you everywhere you go. Our backyard view changes depending on where the wind takes us. It’s a pretty magical way to live."
Shine also describes Mexico as a beautiful country to explore.
"The people are so family-oriented and are such generous and kind humans. The first example that comes to my mind was a day when Jay and I needed water onshore. We don’t carry a water-maker onboard our sailboat, so to get drinking water, you need to fill up 20 litre jugs and carry them back to your dingy which then takes us to our sailboat.
"The closest water purification shop was a mile down the road, and instead of carrying multiple jugs of water, the man of the barbershop next door locked up his shop and proceeded to gesture us to his car," she said.
"We figured out he wanted to drive us, with our bins of water to the dock where we could then take them to Sitka. The people here in Mexico are some of the most helpful and good-hearted folks I’ve ever met."
Shine noted how the time has gone so quickly, with every moment offering much to absorb.
"I count my lucky stars each and everyday that I got to experience the rawness and such cultural beauty this country provides."
Looking ahead, the duo's next chapter will see them set sail on their third season on the seas.
"A sailor's plans are always written in the sand at low tide, but our potential goal is to sail to Nicaragua, Costa Rica, through the Panama Canal into the Caribbean waters," she said.
"I’m very excited for the new memories to be made this year and all the new places to explore."
Follow the couple's journey via YouTube on a channel called 'Sailing Sitka' or on Instagram/Facebook also at 'Sailing Sitka'."
