Captain Liz Clark: Surfer, sailor, author, change maker. In this episode Liz describes her deep, multifaceted relationship with the ocean, which has provided her a sense of peace, acceptance, and purpose over the years. She discusses how the ocean has challenged her to grow in many ways, reflects on her decision to embark on a solo sailing voyage in her 20s, despite the significant risks involved.

Liz shares advice for surfers looking to improve their relationship with the sport, emphasizing the importance of focusing on enjoyment and flow rather than performance-based goals. She discusses how her own surfing evolved to be more about the experience than competition as she got older.

Liz describes how her solo sailing voyage led to a profound "awakening" in multiple aspects of her life - discovering herself as a woman, developing a deeper spiritual connection, and gaining a clearer understanding of her place in the world.

Links to Liz:

https://swellvoyage.com

https://www.instagram.com/captainlizclark/?hl=en

The sponsor for this episode is https://flatrockwetsuits.com.au

Enter code MASTER15 for 15% off a new wetsuit.

Transcript:

@1:10 - Michael Frampton

Yeah. Let me start. I want to ask you, do you remember your first wave, your first surf?

@1:19 - liz

I do. I do. I was in high school. I think I was a freshman in high school, so 15.

And I had a friend who was a surfer, and she offered to take me out on her board one day.

And we just stayed in the whitewater the whole time. And I don't even think I stood up all the way.

But I got the feeling of the glide and just being out there in the ocean, which was something I already loved so much.

And yeah, I was hooked. I was absolutely hooked.

@2:01 - Michael Frampton

So now, what does surfing mean to you now?

@2:07 - liz

Well, I mean, it's surfing is such a foundational part of my life. It's just one of the biggest pillars that I revolve my world around.

And so, yeah, surfing means so much to me. shape so many of my decisions around it, you know, based on being able to keep freedom and have a lifestyle that allows me to surf when the waves are good and be in a place where I can enjoy that year round, know.

Yeah, it's my salvation and my playground and You know, it gives me so, so much.

@3:04 - Michael Frampton

How would you describe your relationship to the ocean?

@3:11 - liz

My relationship to the ocean. I mean, the ocean has given me so much, you know, when you think back to.

When I think back to my youth and. Just how the ocean was always a place that I could go to feel.

At peace and accepted. Always kind of a medium where I felt like I could be myself. And then, of course, when I spent.

Ten years, you know, more than a decade and. Thousands of miles traveling the ocean on my sailboat. You know, the.

Ocean gave me so many challenges and, you know, was a place where I was forced to grow in so many ways that, yeah, our relationship is something of like love and respect and a healthy amount of fear, but there's so much more to gain than, you know, to fear in my opinion, so something I keep going back to all the time to feel good, to stay inspired, to keep feeling a purpose in my life, and so yeah, I'm very close to the ocean and hope that I will get to continue to be.