Around the Buoy

A podcast featuring stories about life on the water. From sailboats and superyachts, to wooden boats and classic cruisers. Recorded in NEWPORT, RI.

Ep.86: Wreck Diving with Eric Takakjian 04/20/2024

Ep.86: Wreck Diving with Eric Takakjian Wreck diving is a perfect mix of maritime history and ocean exploration and that is why we at ATB are fascinated with the subject. For the past five decades, Eric Takajian has been diving on deepest and most infamous wrecks in the world and at the same time discovering over seventy of history’s most notorious lost ships. From German U-Boats to ocean liners, if it sank on the East Coast of the United States, chances are Eric has dove to find them. Join us as we talk with Eric about the exhilaration and dangers of a sport that has evolved from a niche hobby into a highly sophisticated and technologically advanced endeavor. /episode/index/show/aroundthebuoy/id/30910858

Ep.85: Sara Stone 03/01/2024

Ep.85: Sara Stone The America’s Cup has always been about pushing yacht design to the limit and embracing changes to keep the sport relevant for future sailors. But over the past 153 years, the teams have been predominantly filled with male crews with opportunities few and far between for female sailors to compete. In a move to change that, the organizers of the 37th America’s Cup have opened the door to the world’s best female sailors with the inaugural Puig Woman’s America’s Cup, a regatta to be sailed in the run up to New Zealand’s defense later on this fall in Barcelona. Late last year, our guest Sara Stone, was announced as a member of the first NYYC American Magic Woman’s team but there has been little time to celebrate because Sara has been keeping busy as a new member the US SailGP team and crewing with the Quantum Racing Team in the highly competitive TP52 Series. We catch up with Sara to talk about her sailing career, what it means to sail into the history books and what’s next. /episode/index/show/aroundthebuoy/id/30193003

Ep.84: Must Be Nice Lobster 02/01/2024

Ep.84: Must Be Nice Lobster The expression, “Must Be Nice” is often a dig towards someone else's perceived luck or easy road to success. Whoa, you vacationed in Aspen... MUST BE NICE! Today's guest, Sadie Samuels, might single-handedly change that phrase's definition. Starting at the age of 7, Sadie has made her own luck with an unstoppable drive to catch lobsters. Now with a few seasons under her belt and a few traps over the rail, Sadie's love for lobstering has grown into not only running her own boat, but also owning and operating her own restaurant in Belfast, Maine; both of which are proudly named, Must Be Nice. Take a listen as we meet Sadie and learn the ups and downs of lobstering DownEast. /episode/index/show/aroundthebuoy/id/29759983

EP. 83: Shaw & Tenney 01/02/2024

EP. 83: Shaw & Tenney Shaw & Tenney has been supplying traditional, heirloom quality oars and paddles since 1858. As the second oldest manufacturer of marine products in the U.S., little has changed over those 165 years. In fact, the company has only been owned by three families until this summer when Neil Gutekunst took the reins. A Marine Corps veteran, Neil is not afraid of getting his hands dirty and we talk to him about all things Maine, paddling and most importantly craftsmanship. Listen in! /episode/index/show/aroundthebuoy/id/29305808

EP. 82: Flying Boat Film 11/23/2023

EP. 82: Flying Boat Film With the dawn of the iconic flying boat, Trans-Pacific travel that once measured in weeks by ship could be accomplished in only days. These island-hopping aircraft were passports to worlds that were once only seen in books. Travel is different these days, but there are a handful of dedicated aviators who are keeping that dream alive and their stories are featured in the beautiful film, Flying Boat. Join us as we sit down with the film’s director, Dirk Brawn, to talk about these magnificent machines & their extraordinary pilots. /episode/index/show/aroundthebuoy/id/28773413

EP. 81: Liz Wardley 11/01/2023

EP. 81: Liz Wardley Liz Wardly has done everything in the world of sailing: World Championships, The Fastnet, Sydney to Hobart and four editions of The Ocean Race. So, what is she doing lining up at the start line of the Atlantic Challenge, the 3000 mile row from The Canary Islands to Antigua? We caught up with Liz in between training rows and prepping for the race to talk about her sailing career and how she is getting ready for her solo row across the Atlantic. Spoiler alert, she is a badass. Take a listen! /episode/index/show/aroundthebuoy/id/28481429

ATB Podcast Update: We're Back! 10/17/2023

ATB Podcast Update: We're Back! After a quick summer break, ATB returned to the studio to find our show was removed from Apple Podcasts. A couple frantic weeks later, we're back and better than ever! Listen here for the whole story. In case you missed it, check out our latest episode, Ep. 80: Life on Sweet Day. /episode/index/show/aroundthebuoy/id/28342754

EP. 80: Life on Sweet Day 09/26/2023

EP. 80: Life on Sweet Day The year 2020 was all about pivoting. Almost overnight, we went from leaving the house for work, school and socializing to working, learning and socializing from home via phone calls and video chats. As the world started to open again, many people took the opportunity to cast off from shore and find a new adventure after being cooped up for so long. Our guests today, Kate & Tim Carney, found their adventure on the Great Loop aboard their 31' trawler, Sweet Day. After more than 7,000 miles under their keel, the Carneys had circled the eastern half of the US by water and could officially claim the title, "Loopers." Take a listen! /episode/index/show/aroundthebuoy/id/28153040

Ep. 79: The Cutty Sark: The Last of the Great Tea Clipper Ships 07/03/2023

Ep. 79: The Cutty Sark: The Last of the Great Tea Clipper Ships “When can you get it there”? From overnight shipping to delivering goods in the days of sail, anyone who has shipped anything has asked this question. The Cutty Sark was designed for speed, to deliver materials from all over the globe back to London as fast as possible. Built in 1869, she represented the pinnacle of shipbuilding and success on the high seas. In this episode we are joined by the curator of the Cutty Sark Museum on the banks of the Themes River to learn more about the last of the great clipper ships. /episode/index/show/aroundthebuoy/id/27350595

Ep 78: Fight Oar Die - Rescue at Sea 05/01/2023

Ep 78: Fight Oar Die - Rescue at Sea Each year, rowers set off from The Canary Islands as a part of the Talisker Atlantic Challenge, a 3000nm race to Antigua. Each team knows that they will be pushed both physically and mentally to the breaking point, but it was inconceivable what was in store for the members of the all-veteran team, Fight Oar Die. Sixteen days in, their boat was flipped in a raging storm and they are forced into their life raft. Team member Chad Miller joins us for a firsthand account of their unimaginable ordeal. Take a listen! /episode/index/show/aroundthebuoy/id/26707494

Ep. 77: All Hands on Deck with Will Sofrin 03/31/2023

Ep. 77: All Hands on Deck with Will Sofrin Will Sofrin is a professional sailor and boat builder who was given the chance to take part in a voyage of a lifetime: sailing the replica of the HMS Rose from Newport, RI through the Panama Canal to San Diego for the filming of Master and Commander. After two decades of reflection, Will has put pen to paper and is sharing the stories and adventures of that epic trip. His memoir: All Hands on Deck is being released on April 18th and we are excited to be joined by Will to discuss this experience. Take a listen! /episode/index/show/aroundthebuoy/id/26399040

Ep. 76: The Restoration of Coronet 02/27/2023

Ep. 76: The Restoration of Coronet Ep. 76: The Restoration of Coronet With an impeccable racing record, multiple circumnavigations, and an owner’s list that reads like a who’s who in 19th century yachting; Coronet has been named America’s most historic yacht. With her ongoing restoration stalled, new owners Alex and Miles Pincus moved the hull to Mystic where the Seaport’s talented shipwrights will give her a new lease on life. Alex joins us in this episode to talk about their life on the water, their restaurants, Coronet’s restoration & their lofty goals for her when she sails again. /episode/index/show/aroundthebuoy/id/26060271

EP. 75: Sleep 01/23/2023

EP. 75: Sleep From new parents to elite athletes, everyone can benefit from a good night’s sleep. But what happens if you are in an environment where it is impossible to be rested yet you must be at your best? This is the situation the sailors of The Ocean Race find themselves; racing on yachts built for speed, not comfort. In this episode we talk with sleep expert Dr. Eliza Van Reen whose company, Circadian Positioning Systems, has been working with 11th Hour Racing to advise them how to manage the long hours and lack of sleep. /episode/index/show/aroundthebuoy/id/25701501

EP. 74: Sail Cargo 12/24/2022

EP. 74: Sail Cargo In Ep. 14, we talked to SailCargo about their mission to provide a zero-emission shipping alternative & their plans for a wooden cargo ship named, Cieba. Four years later, the crew is busy finishing Cieba’s hull but in order to start delivering products sooner, the company has purchased the 1909 cargo schooner Vega. With fully booked cargo holds, Vega sets sail early in ’23 & we are excited to welcome new CEO Julia Milmore to the show to discuss new trade routes, new partners & how SailCargo will change shipping. /episode/index/show/aroundthebuoy/id/25423185

Ep. 73: The Austrian Ocean Race Project 12/01/2022

Ep. 73: The Austrian Ocean Race Project We are about two months away from the start of the 2023 Ocean Race in Alicante Spain and there have been many changes since the last time the fleet visited Newport in 2018. Volvo is no longer a title sponsor, there are four fewer legs, but the biggest change is the addition of a second class of one-design boats. This new class greatly expands the fleet opens the door to a whole host of new teams, like the Austrian Ocean Race Project. On this episode of Around the Buoy, we are joined by one of the team founders and boat's skipper, Gerwin Jansen, to talk about this new team, what makes them unique, and what they are racing for. Catch up with Carter, Tyler, and all things Ocean Race on Around the Buoy Episode 72! /episode/index/show/aroundthebuoy/id/25184268

Ep.72: Battleship New Jersey 11/04/2022

Ep.72: Battleship New Jersey The Iowa Class Battleships are some of the most powerful ships to sail into battle and represent the end of an era in naval warfare. The USS New Jersey was launched a year after Pearl Harbor and immediately went into battle; playing a role in the largest naval battles ever seen. She continued to serve for nearly five decades before being decommissioned in the early ‘90’s. In this episode, we talk to Ryan Szimanski, the curator of the USS New Jersey Museum about the most decorated ship in US Navy history. /episode/index/show/aroundthebuoy/id/24900954

Ep. 71: Big C Atlantic Challenge 10/12/2022

Ep. 71: Big C Atlantic Challenge When Sir Edmund Hilary was asked why he climbed Everest, he famously responded, “Because it’s there.” These words have fueled explorers and adventures to risk everything to break ground and push human endurance to new heights. Next May, Andrew Bedwell will be setting out to smash a record that has stood for nearly thirty years; crossing the Atlantic in the smallest vessel. We sit down with Andrew to talk about how he is preparing for a 1,900 NM adventure in a boat shorter than a bathtub. Take a listen! /episode/index/show/aroundthebuoy/id/24664317

Ep. 70: The Mini Transat 07/27/2022

Ep. 70: The Mini Transat Next September, a group of single-handed sailors will leave France for the Caribbean in the Mini Transat, a regatta that celebrates the adventurous sprit of the early Trans-Atlantic races. In a fleet dominated by European skippers, one Mini will be flying the Stars and Stripes, PGN Ocean Racing skippered by our guest Peter Gibbons-Neff. Peter has been sailing in offshore races all his life and as it became difficult to sail in large teams because of Covid, he decided to give single handed sailing a try. Take a listen! /episode/index/show/aroundthebuoy/id/23871546

EP. 69: The Bermuda Race 06/06/2022

EP. 69: The Bermuda Race In 1906, a small fleet of vessels left New York City on their way to Bermuda to prove to the world that an open ocean race in a yacht under 80’ could be run safely. Over a century later, a much larger fleet is set to sail toward the start line at the mouth of Narragansett Bay in the 52nd of the Bermuda Race. It stands as one of the most iconic blue water races and we are excited to be talking with this year’s Race Director Somers Kemp, about what to look forward to in this year’s Thrash to the Onion Patch. /episode/index/show/aroundthebuoy/id/23343254

Ep. 68: The USS Constitution Continues to Make History 05/10/2022

Ep. 68: The USS Constitution Continues to Make History Shortly after the Revolutionary War, it was apparent that the United States needed a new Navy to protect its interests overseas. The USS Constitution along with five other warships were built and immediately sailed into battle. After 225 years of service, it’s amazing that she can still be making history. This January, CDR Billie Farrell became the first female to take command of the Constitution and we are honored to sit down with her to talk about “Old Ironsides” and the roll she plays in today’s Navy. /episode/index/show/aroundthebuoy/id/23058086

Ep. 67: The Clipper Race Restarts 03/31/2022

Ep. 67: The Clipper Race Restarts When the world came to a screeching halt in 2020, The Clipper Race fleet pulled into Subic Bay and the race was put on hold after sailing only half the journey. Just over two years later, the teams are back in the Philippines to finish the lap. In this episode we are honored to be talking with Sir Robin Knox-Johnston (yes, that Sir Robin) who is among many things the brainchild behind The Clipper Race and Mark Light, who completed his own lap back in the 2012 Clipper Race and is now the race’s director. Take a listen! /episode/index/show/aroundthebuoy/id/22628696

EP 66: The Single-Handed Sailor 03/18/2022

EP 66: The Single-Handed Sailor When Dustin Reynolds, also known as The Single-Handed Sailor, pulled into his home port on the Big Island of Hawaii last December, he became the newest member one of the most exclusive maritime clubs, sailing alone around the world. With a membership around 300 sailors, this achievement is made even more remarkable considering that he is a double amputee: the result of a horrific motorcycle accident in 2008. Dustin’s endeavor is an incredible example of resilience, perseverance, and adaptation. Take a listen! /episode/index/show/aroundthebuoy/id/22492238

EP 65: Chantale Begin and Team Salty Science 02/15/2022

EP 65: Chantale Begin and Team Salty Science Chantale Begin fell in love with the ocean as a teenager on a submersible 800ft below the St. Lawrence Estuary and this passion led her far and wide researching as a marine biologist. No stranger to adventure, she has sailed the world as a teacher for Seamerster and then with her family. With this background, it’s no surprise that she jumped at the chance when asked to row the Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge. Team Salty Science is four marine biologists and they are rowing across the ocean for the oceans. /episode/index/show/aroundthebuoy/id/22142231

EP 64: Dean Burke, Tacoma and the Sea 01/13/2022

EP 64: Dean Burke, Tacoma and the Sea Situated on Puget Sound and only 42 miles from Mt. Rainier, Tacoma, Washington is a beautiful city. But decades of industrial abuse turned the once pristine waters into an EPA Superfund Site. This episode’s guest, Dean Burke of Travel Tacoma, has chronicled the healing of the region’s waterways over the past twenty years, through his stunning photography. An avid waterman, he further promotes the region with the Seventy48, a human-powered mad dash from Tacoma to Port Townsend. Listen in! /episode/index/show/aroundthebuoy/id/21765623

EP 63: Elizabeth Beisel's Block Swim 11/23/2021

EP 63: Elizabeth Beisel's Block Swim Elizabeth Beisel achieved athletic notoriety at age of 15 when she became the youngest member of the US Olympic Team in Beijing. She earned two medals in London and served as the swim team’s captain in Rio, but in 2020, when her father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, Elizabeth decided to do something no woman has done before. /episode/index/show/aroundthebuoy/id/21257675

EP 62: Capt. Kelli Farwell and Moveable Feast 11/07/2021

EP 62: Capt. Kelli Farwell and Moveable Feast Wooden boats have long been a Siren song for many. When Emmy award-winning actor, Matthew Rhys, purchased one of the few remaining Hemingway boats, he found himself in dire straits and needing help. Thankfully, he reached out to our guest, Capt. Kelli Farwell, who worked along alongside Matthew to complete her restoration, and stayed on to be the captain of one of the most unique New York Harbor charters, Moveable Feast. Listen in! /episode/index/show/aroundthebuoy/id/21074984

EP 61: The Clagett Regatta 08/20/2021

EP 61: The Clagett Regatta Since 2003, the Thomas Clagett Jr. Regatta has hosted many of the best sailors in international competition. To make it even more special, these sailors have had to overcome challenges that few others have had to face. The mission behind this regatta is to provide athletes with disabilities a platform to complete against other adaptive sailors, and provide an opportunity to learn from the best. /episode/index/show/aroundthebuoy/id/20207921

EP 60: CDR Abhilash Tomy 08/13/2021

EP 60: CDR Abhilash Tomy Sailing solo around the globe is an exclusive club to be a part of; more people have climbed Everest or traveled into space than have completed a lap alone. During the 2018 Golden Globe Race, a fast-moving storm wreaked havoc on the competitors, including our guest CDR Abhilash Tomy. A knockdown and dismasting left him injured, immobilized and adrift for three days. We talk with CDR Tomy about his experience and why he is planning to do it all over again. Take a listen! /episode/index/show/aroundthebuoy/id/20130872

EP59: Gamecock Sailing 06/14/2021

EP59: Gamecock Sailing Newport Harbor is a busy place in the summer, with fleets of boats ranging from modern go fasters to classic wooden hulls racing around the buoys every afternoon. The Gamecock Sailing team is unique because they can be found racing in not one, but all of those fleets. Gamecock Sailing was founded by Peter McClennen to teach teamwork and sportsmanship to a new generation of sailors. He joins us to talk about how his program and lifelong passion. Listen in! /episode/index/show/aroundthebuoy/id/19471151

EP 58: The Western Flyer 05/20/2021

EP 58: The Western Flyer In 1940 John Steinbeck's literary fame came with a backlash. His depiction of migrant workers in 'The Grapes of Wrath' labeled him as a communist, and protests were held to burn his books. Wanting to escape, Steinbeck chartered a fishing vessel named Western Flyer for an expedition to Mexico; a trip recounted in his book, 'The Sea of Cortez'. Seventy-five years later, Western Flyer was found rotting away. This episode is about a complete restoration that will soon return her to Mexican waters. Listen in! /episode/index/show/aroundthebuoy/id/19164356

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