By Paige Hoblak (Contributor) – Email
Print Edition: June 20, 2012
UFV Kinesiology grad Jennie Wyness, alongside her husband Dave and their dog Dexter, have set sail for an atypical journey across the Pacific. Due to a difficult job market and rundown economy, she has chosen to focus on personal growth rather than choosing to settle into a job that would just get her by. With her degree in her back pocket and after much preparation and planning, Wyness has set sail for an adventure that will ultimately change her (and her family) forever.
The trio quickly came to realise that sailing is not always so smooth. They have already endured some difficult challenges from cultural barriers to undesirable weather conditions. Owning and operating a sailboat is not as easy as living like a pirate; as they have had to dish out a lot of money and maintain a strict budget, often eating like starving students. They have sailed around several Caribbean islands and are currently residing in Panama. They will be crossing through the Panama Canal and sailing through to the Pacific next season.
After contacting Jennie I got some good insight on the realities of life at sea. “It has required a lot of hard work and determination to get to this point,” Jennie revealed. “I would say the lack of opportunity in the job market made the option to sail very appealing. We had to save as much money as possible to be able to afford a boat, cruising permits for each countries we visit, boat equipment, fuel and food. There is a saying amongst boat owners that when you buy a boat you buy a hole in the water which you pour money into; which is true, but it is worth it.”
Jennie acknowledged her educational experience as a great help in her current journey at sea. “University taught me how to learn, and sailing is all about learning new things,” she said. “We need to adapt to new cultures, new languages, new laws, and changes in the weather. Cruising requires a sharp mind to make important decisions about navigation, weather, conditions, fuel, water and food consumption, and budgeting. The life skills you acquire at university are tested tenfold.”
The main goal Jennie has set forth is to achieve self- growth. “What we looked for was some way to challenge ourselves, to set a lofty goal, and achieve it step by step. All in all, we are not looking for an end result, but an interesting chapter to add to our life story.”
Her most important lesson learned thus far is that Canada is a great country to live in. As she notes: “We took for granted our home, upon travelling to more remote places than on the typical tourist track. We came to realise how lucky we are to be from Canada. We have sound laws, good business practices, lots of work, and our society is relatively trustworthy compared to places we have visited. We are proud of our heritage, and every country we’ve been to has had nothing but good things to say about Canada. We also learned that the ocean is large and very humbling.”
Jennie provided sound advice to students back at home who are about to graduate. “Where there are barriers there are opportunities. You will face a difficult employment situation, work expectations will need to be lowered, and it will frustrate you. Look for ways to differentiate yourself. We saw barriers to career growth and decided to differentiate ourselves by sailing across oceans. The barrier was career growth; the opportunity was to differentiate ourselves by achieving some personal growth.”
Jennie stressed a central value of hers which was persistence. “Following your goals is very important,” she said. “If the opportunity intimidates you, go after it, it will be the most rewarding. A simple bit of advice in achieving goals, is to sacrifice a lot of small luxuries in order to afford the big ones. Remind yourself to live in the now. There is a Chinese proverb saying: ‘Every great journey begins with a foot step.’ Don’t let your goals and aspirations blind you from the work required. Just take it one step at a time; sooner or later you’ll be looking for new goals to achieve.”
The sailing trio are truly inspiring in the sense that they never let stormy seas get them down. Through their journey they have epitomized the true meaning of courage. Jennie has changed her circumstances by transforming a difficult situation into one that can positively transform her life. Through adversity, Jennie has become the face of determination, as the age old saying goes: “A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.” You can follow the trio on their blog website: www.youmeandthed.blogspot.ca
