LEAP INTO THE RIGGING: HOW TALL SHIPS BECAME MY LIFE

Just after selling my catering company and ending my marriage, I was wide open to adventure—though I had no idea what form it would take. Then I met a Russian-storyteller-psychologist-Olympic sailor (yes, really), who introduced me to the HMS Rose, the largest operational square-rigger in the United States and the ship featured in Master and Commander. Before I could overthink it, I stepped aboard. Soon after helping organize a Russian sailing exchange, I signed on as a volunteer deckhand. My secret goal: climb the rigging without freezing in fear. A week into the voyage, with 60-knot winds whipping the square sails, the mate told me I didn’t have to go aloft. But I wanted to. Fighting wind, cold, and adrenaline as I secured the sails in near-hurricane weather, I met a version of myself I didn’t recognize—but instantly loved.

Sailing on board between Connecticut and New York

That moment opened the door to crewing on the tall ship Californian and eventually helping train deckhands. I talked myself into my first regular berth by agreeing to serve as ship’s cook. Months later, just as I thought I might become a full-time tall-ship sailor, I was offered a shore-side job tied to California’s upcoming 150th anniversary. Tall ships from around the world were set to sail to our coast—until the state abruptly canceled the event.

Mortified that we had invited naval ships across the ocean only to withdraw the welcome, I finally said, “Fine. I’ll do it myself.” Scaling back the vision, I focused on what mattered: receiving the ships and staging a parade of sail. On July 4, seven Class A vessels—from the U.S., Ecuador, Colombia, Indonesia, Canada, Japan, and Russia—passed under the Golden Gate in a breathtaking, Gold Rush–era tableau of nearly 200 sails. I later sailed with Guayas to Los Angeles and with Dewaruci to San Diego—salsa-dancing on deck, learning new languages, and forging friendships that crossed oceans. I was hooked. I founded Sail San Francisco, welcoming tall ships every three years, and collected stories: faxing charts to a ship mid-voyage (in pieces!) and fielding a Force Majeure request—for wine.

Today, as I relaunch my nonprofit as Ocean Alliances, my mission is simple and bold: bring tall ships to all of our ports, all of the time!

Temporarely assigned as a cadet: receiving Admiral Diaz aboard

Commander Lara and current and past Commodores of International Yachting Fellowship of Rotarians: Alison Healy and Karen Lyle