Solo sailor Elana Connor has been stuck in New Zealand since March 2020 due to COVID and the governments strenuous effort to contain the spread of the virus.
She was so sailing traveling the globe with her best friend, Zia — a small spaniel mix and rescue dog on her beloved craft Windfola. She made landfall in New Zealand in December, 2019, but could not continue on to the Indian Ocean this year as planned because foreign ports in lock down would not accept her craft – so she has resolved to make very good use of her time by advocating for foster youth in New Zealand.
Below are two interviews to enjoy – and several ways to follow Elana!
Nov 24. 2020
Oct 6, 2020
Elana entered foster care as a teen and bounced through many placements until she turned 18 and had to fend for herself. She is a very strong and capable young women in a difficult and constraining predicament due to COVID.
She is committed to continuing her mission to shine a light for foster youth around the world by circumnavigating — but wants to make the most of her time in New Zealand by taking on a serious sailing challenge while she waits to carry on to the Indian Ocean in 2021. She is departing on a Figure 8 of the New Zealand North and South islands in partnership with VOYCE Whakarongo Mai (a national advocacy charity for foster youth) to raise monies to fund a scholarship program to send foster youth on the Spirit of New Zealand tall ship’s 10-day youth development journey.
The Figure 8 Journey started mid October 2020 with her departure from Auckland, and with the support of Yachting New Zealand, VOYCE, and the Spirit of New Zealand, she plans to speak with youth, women’s, sailing, and foster kid organizations around the country in all of the ports she visits. If she is successful in her fundraising campaign, she hopes to empower many foster kids with a 10 day sailing journey – a gift that will teach resilience and skills to last a lifetime.We will check in with her along the way during her Figure 8. She departs from Auckland October 16th, sailing for about 4.5 months to complete the figure 8, timing her return to Auckland with the America’s Cup in March 2021.
Her sloop, Windfola, is a 1985 Sabre 34 mark I. She has kept the ship simple — no inverter, generator, heater, fridge, freezer, or water maker! — and only added what she deemed essential for comfort and safety, like new lifelines, more solar, longer anchor rhode, renewed rig and chainplates, light-air spinnaker, AIS transmitter, a windvane for non-electric self-steering, and a composting toilet. Love what Elana and Zia are doing? Consider becoming a supporter!
How does Sail Sport Talk know about her predicament? Elana was based in San Francisco in 2014 when she got the sailing bug. She was- sailing, training and racing out of South Beach Yacht Club where she has a small fan base cheering her on.
So she is getting active and providing New Zealand a reason to allow her to stay beyond the newly imposed restrictions. She is promoting her circumnavigation 8 of the New Zealand North and South islands in partnership with VOYCE Whakarongo Mai (the foster program) to raise monies to fund a scholarship program to send foster youth on the Spirit of New Zealand tall ship’s 10-day youth development journey.
The Figure 8 Journey starts mid October 2020 – and each port she pulls into might make it tricky to get a birth – but she is determined to be useful and to raise awareness among the Kiwis that the national foster program needs support from the nation. If she is successful – she will empower several foster kids with a 10 day sailing journey – a gift of empowerment to last a lifetime.
The tall ship Spirit of New Zealand is a steel-hulled, three-masted barquentine from Auckland, New Zealand. It was purpose-built by the Spirit of Adventure Trust in 1986 for youth development. It is 42.5 m in total length and carries a maximum of 40 trainees and 14 crew on overnight voyages
The Spirit of New Zealand
A 10 Day Voyage on board Spirit of New Zealand is a life-changing experience – unlocking potential, leaving kids ready to face the future!
Over a thousand young Kiwis each year get on board to experience the trip of a life time. Gaining a whole new set of skills, lots of new friends and a new confidence to take on the challenges in life. The whole voyage is based on learning by doing. The youth face all sorts of challenges and take part in lots of activities on the ship, on the water and on the shore. Leaving them with a level of self-empowerment only found on the Spirit of New Zealand.
Increased confidence and skills: On Spirit they improve communication and leadership skills and learn the importance of self-awareness and being a part of a team. As foster kids face the various challenges in life on on ship their confidence increase
Elana is campaigning to provide scholarships for foster youth to go on this unique journey.
YCE Whakarongo Mai
New Zealand has over 6000 children and young people in the state care system. VOYCE – Whakarongo Mai, which stands for Voice of the Young and Care Experienced – Listen to me. Established in 2017, is an independent charity organization that helps to advocate for the approximately 6000 children with care experience (children in foster or whanau care) in New Zealand. They exist to amplify the voices of these children and ensure that they are heard – so as to positively influence their individual care and to collectively affect change in the wider care system. VOYCE was co-designed by children with care experience for children with care experience.
If you are moved by Elana’s efforts and the youth she hopes to inspire – please donate to VOYCE Add a note with your donation about Elana’s inspiring Figure 8 journey so she knows you were moved.
If her global solo sailing and needs to keep Windfolo in tip-top shape are what move you – you can really help by supporting Elana here.
Follow Elana on Instagram – let her know you found her via Sail Sport Talk.
If Tall Ships are what move and groove you – consider supporting the Spirit of New Zealand. Add a personal note with your donation about Elana’s inspiring Figure 8 journey so she knows you were inspired.