'87-'96:

 

Sailed across the Gulf of Mexico several times with my family and participated in club racing in the Mid Gulf region.

Mar '98

Diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma after a surgery was performed to remove a large mass from chest. Consequently, Withdrew from my classes at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) to begin treatment. Received chemotherapy at Oschner Hospital in New Orleans and radiation treatment at Stanford University Hospital in Palo Alto. These treatments occupied one year. During that time Became fascinated with solo sailing and followed the Around Alone (single-handed race around the world) obsessively. Those sailors were an absolute inspiration for me and I looked forward to hearing about their trials everyday on the Around Alone Website. I swore that after I was finished with treatment, I’d sail across a large body of water by myself. I began preparing myself for the sea. It gave my mind something to focus on while my body was receiving treatments. I read every bit of information about offshore sailing I could get my hands on, and even taught myself celestial navigation. I had committed myself to the concept of sailing solo to Savannah, GA from Louisiana and was determined to get better.

Dec 22 '98

Date that I received my last cycle of Chemotherapy.

Mar '99

Re-registered in school at SCAD, picking up essentially where I left off one year earlier.

'99-'01

Attended school and began preparing a 21’ foot sailboat (Reve) for a single-handed passage of 1,200 nautical miles from the New Orleans area to Savannah, GA.

Spring '01

My father and I helped sail the boat Pipe Dream from Valparaiso, Chile to Panama City, Panama. One week after returning to the United States set off on Reve for a 1,200 nautical mile trip from Slidell, LA to Savannah, GA, only stopping once in the Florida Keys. Elapsed time for trip was eight and a half days - by the time I arrived in Savannah I knew I was ready for a bigger challenge on a faster boat. The Single-Handed TransPac gradually came into focus.

Aug '02

Graduated from SCAD with a BFA in painting. Two months later moved back to New Orleans and began working as a bike messenger.

Began working for UK Sailmakers in New Orleans. Working for them allowed me a flexible schedule to pursue fundraising for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and sponsorship opportunities.

Participated in the Charleston to Bermuda Race on the crewed sailboat Kativa as navigator/tactician to further my offshore racing experience. We won the race overall beating several boats that were considerably faster boat for boat. After the Bermuda Race went to California to race in the biannual Transpac, a crewed race that starts in Newport Beach, California and finishes in Honolulu. I had never been on the boat before or met any of the crew, but I had a good time. Even though we finished sixth place in our class I was glad to be there because I really needed the experience for the Singlehanded TransPac, my ultimate goal.

Spent a lot of time getting Surfinn prepared for the Solo Transpac. Began participating in solo and fully crewed events as part of my training and entered the following races:

• Bayou - Lacombe: 2nd place in spinnaker class
• New Orleans - Mandeville: 6th place, class B
• Mandeville - New Orleans: 1st place, class B
• Gulfport - Pensacola: 6th place, class B

Also entered two designated single-handed races:

• CSA Singlehanded Race: 1st place in spinnaker class
• Singlehanded Around the Lake Race: 1st place in spinnaker class (by two hours)

Completed a 400 mile solo trip on J90, Surfinn, from Gulfport, MS to Key West, FL.

Competed in the Solo Transpac on Surfinn (J90) - 5th place

Began working with Kip Stone on his Open 50, Artforms

Bermuda 1-2 on Farr 40 with skipper John Ryan - 2nd place

Monhegan Race on Artforms with full crew - 1st place overall

Delivered Artforms to Plymouth, England with Kip Stone and Greg Feldman

TranAtlanctic Jacques Vabre (5th place)

Delivery from St. Thomas to Maine on Open 50, Artforms with Kip Stone.