Cole Brauer on Sailing Solo Around the World, Betting on Yourself, and "First Light"

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About this conversation

Cole Brauer made history as the first American woman to race solo, nonstop around the world, but getting to the starting line required almost as much determination as crossing the finish. In this episode of Shelf Care Society , Brian sits down with the record-breaking sailor and author of First Light: Sailing Solo But Not Alone to talk about the extraordinary journey behind her memoir and what it means to build a life outside the routes other people expect you to follow. Cole opens up about entering the notoriously male-dominated world of offshore sailing, learning to trust herself and the people behind her, and fighting for the sponsorship and resources necessary to pursue an ambition few believed was possible. She and Brian also discuss dyslexia and finding success outside traditional measures of achievement, the fear and isolation of sailing alone across some of the most dangerous waters on Earth, and why resilience does not have to mean doing everything by yourself. They also get into Cole's relationship with her boat, First Light, the intimacy that develops between sailor and vessel, surviving brutal storms and "Hell Week," sharing an intensely solitary experience through social media, and the difference between recklessness and the kind of leap of faith required to chase an enormous dream. Plus, Cole reflects on saying yes before you have all the proof, funding, or permission, what crossing the finish line actually felt like, and the call with her mom waiting on the other side. First Light: Sailing Solo But Not Alone is available wherever books are sold.

On the table

• Solo sailing
• Determination