When we discovered the project 'Women and the wind' we were fascinated. And today we want to share it with you, because we think it is wonderful and inspiring.
The adventurous and curious spirit of three women came together in the project ' Women & the Wind ', with the aim of understanding the synergy between nature and humanity. But in a radical way: crossing the North Atlantic aboard a wooden catamaran that is more than 50 years old, the Mara Noka.
Mara Noka
After more than a year of restoring and rebuilding the Mara Noka, Kiana Weltzien, Laerke Heilmann and Alizé Jireh decided to set sail from North Carolina on June 27, 2022, arriving on July 25 at Flores Island (Azores, Portugal). Their goal was clear: to follow the movement of plastic pollution from the Gulf Stream to Europe. It is estimated that there are 21 million tons of microplastic pollution in the Atlantic Ocean.
But who are the protagonists of this story?
Kiana Weltzien , the boat's captain, left her real estate career in Miami in 2016 to travel for a year. During that time, she met her future mentor and went to live on his boat, a double Polynesian canoe. From that moment on, she knew this was her new way of life.
In 2018, Kiana purchased the Mara Noka , a modern two-person Polynesian canoe with which she decided to sail around the Atlantic, despite her limited sailing experience.
In the Canary Islands, Kiana met Laerke Heilmann , an illustrator, surfer and ocean conservationist. Her interest and love for the sea and adventure is no coincidence, as she comes from a Danish family of sailors. Their connection was such that they both fed off their desire for adventure by creating 'Women & the Wind.
Although she had never sailed before, Alizé Jireh had dreamed of doing so since her teenage years. The third member of W&W met Kiana through social media. Kiana’s ocean life inspired Alizé to visit her in St. Augustine. Six months later, Kiana invited her to join the North Atlantic crossing and document it, as she is a filmmaker and camerawoman. Despite her lack of experience in sailing and feature films, Alizé accepted the challenge.
The trip became an experience of reflection and connection. Throughout 30 days of calm, storms, setbacks and unimaginable landscapes, Alizé's camera never stopped recording. And thanks to that, a documentary was created that shows the deep connections between people and nature.
Although the trip lasted thirty days, Kiana Laeke and Alizé continue to work to facilitate women-led, environmentally-focused adventure projects. Their goal is to foster travel as a key component to inspire creative work.
* To learn more about the project you can visit their website and Instagram .
* All photos are taken from their digital platforms.
The adventurous and curious spirit of three women came together in the project ' Women & the Wind ', with the aim of understanding the synergy between nature and humanity. But in a radical way: crossing the North Atlantic aboard a wooden catamaran that is more than 50 years old, the Mara Noka.
Mara NokaBut who are the protagonists of this story?
Kiana Weltzien , the boat's captain, left her real estate career in Miami in 2016 to travel for a year. During that time, she met her future mentor and went to live on his boat, a double Polynesian canoe. From that moment on, she knew this was her new way of life.
In the Canary Islands, Kiana met Laerke Heilmann , an illustrator, surfer and ocean conservationist. Her interest and love for the sea and adventure is no coincidence, as she comes from a Danish family of sailors. Their connection was such that they both fed off their desire for adventure by creating 'Women & the Wind.
Ambition and the desire to change the world led Kiana, Laerke and Alizé to set sail across the Atlantic Ocean on the Mara Noka, with some joys and moments they never imagined. Torn sails, wet beds, lots of rain and little sun...
The trip became an experience of reflection and connection. Throughout 30 days of calm, storms, setbacks and unimaginable landscapes, Alizé's camera never stopped recording. And thanks to that, a documentary was created that shows the deep connections between people and nature.
Although the trip lasted thirty days, Kiana Laeke and Alizé continue to work to facilitate women-led, environmentally-focused adventure projects. Their goal is to foster travel as a key component to inspire creative work.
* To learn more about the project you can visit their website and Instagram .
* All photos are taken from their digital platforms.
