"Won't You Let Me Take You On A Sea Cruise?"

The boat "The Maiden Factor" is looking for four new crew members for two legs of the around the world cruise.   Requirements:  you must have some sailing experience and you must be a woman.  The Maiden Factor is an aluminum sail boat under the skipper ship of boat owner Tracy Edwards.  She has a fascinating story.

She left home at 16 and began backpacking all over Europe.  Working as a barmaid in a Greek tavern, one of the customers asked her how she would like to be the cook on his yacht?  She would like it!

Her experiences on it gave her a deep love of sailing.  And curiosity as to why sailing was such a Men Only sport.  She is a quick learner and soon wanted to be the navigator.

Her first racing competition was in the Whitbread Round the World in 1989.  Corporate sponsors were sparse as the Powers That Be didn't think a crew made up solely of women could do it.  She did bringing in The Maiden as winner on two legs of the race and second overall for her class.  Hers was the first all-female crew to sail around the world.

Forced for financial reasons, Edwards sold the boat but after help from King Hussein's daughter, the boat was relocated and restored.  King Hussein was a believer and is quoted as saying, "With faith, honor and courage, anything is possible."

Today it is on a three year long world tour, fund-raising for women's charities, aiding more than 1.4 million in 32 countries.  These charities include:
I Am Girl
Just A Drop (sustainable water)
the Orchid Project  (abolishing female genital cutting)
The Girls' Network
Room to Read (building libraries)
and no doubt more.

If this sounds appealing, visit   themaidenfactor.org  and read the blogs of current and past sailors.  Read about five days without food ... terrific battles with the sea and bad weather, snapped main masts.  Showers and washing one's hair are strictly rationed even though the ship carries a water distillery machine.  Most of the time, the crew is totally isolated from the rest of the world.  Just the Maiden and a helluva lot of ocean.

Our friend, a member of the LA Yacht Club, invited us to the reception for the crew while the Maiden lingered in the San Pedro/Los Angeles Harbor.  They were 24 to 40 years old, very fit looking and personable.  It was a pleasure to see and hear them.  A documentary of this story is available and information about it on the Website.   Thank you, Jan, for a very pleasant and informative evening.