I was lucky enough to sail with Maiden twice: in Antigua right as Covid struck the world and again across the Atlantic. In Antigua I got to witness the incredible teamwork and innovation involved in racing that kind of boat with a crew of all women. Rather than relying on brute strength, the crew really leveraged the running rigging to move the heavy sails and get things accomplished with smooth teamwork. I was so impressed with the calm and gracious crew who made it possible for a crew with several visiting sailors to be competitive in the event. Many passersby on the docks shared the impact Maiden and the documentary had on their lives and sailing. Maiden’s legacy and impact were clear every place we went. I will never forget the amazing athleticism from Liz (skipper/driver at the time) and the incredible depth of capability onboard. During the race event, Covid starting moving around the planet and everyone was thrown into uncertainty. The whole Maiden team rallied to help us visitors get home and adapt as ports everywhere closed down. More recently, I was able to fill a spot for delivering the boat across the Atlantic for the return to touring. Spending about a month working to get the boat ready, moving, and across an ocean was an educational and impactful experience that taught me a lot about longer voyages. Some of the same crew members were on that crossing- it was wonderful to see Erica and Amalia again and to meet all the new crew. Erica in particular is as talented as she is warm and modest. I learned an enormous amount from her and love to follow her inspiring sailing adventures now. Sailing with Sharon was another incredible experience- her fortitude, generosity, skill, and crew management taught me many things I have taken forward into other sailing trips. Some of my favorite memories from the trip: Amalia’s artfully decorated hardboiled eggs, Heather’s lessons about the stars, Erica’s patient helming instructions, Marie fixing the spinnaker countless times, admiring Ami’s creative engineering fixes, Lucy always driving with a huge smile, Sharon explaining what to expect from distant clouds with stunning accuracy, and the feeling of time passing slowly surrounded by such a great group of people. Any hiccups we experienced were handled calmly and Sharon created an environment of prioritization for crew care which I strive to bring to other vessels. We arrived to Miami from Spain on my birthday and it will surely be my favorite birthday forever. As part of a separate sailing adventure, I was lucky enough to catch up with the boat in Southampton as they prepared to do the OGR. I enjoyed following the race and watching Heather and crew accomplish such an amazing feat. Fellow-Transatlantic crew member Lucy was also there starting her OGR campaign- impressive! From my time aboard Maiden and with the crew(s) I was fortunate enough to meet I learned countless things about sailing but also a great deal about the capacity for inspiration Maiden shares. Sailing on Maiden made me a better driver and helped me be braver about stepping behind the helm. Working with Sharon showed me what it takes to manage a crew with compassion and care. Being part of the delivery crew taught me many aspects of crew dynamics that I have since employed on international races elsewhere. It was a magical, powerful experience to be part of a crew where I am not the only woman but one of many! Being included with Maiden is my favorite line on my sailing resume and a bright spot in my sailing memories. I am very grateful for the opportunity, friendship, and warm support from all the many folks who make the entire Maiden operation function. There are many people lifting up the boat who are important behind the scenes. These days I continue to sail, work on my own boat, and race sailboats. I use tricks and tools Maiden’s crew showed me often. Thank you for the chance to be a small part of the amazing legacy. Maiden has given me countless memories I will treasure. Warmly, April Armstrong