Pam Wall // Cruising Pioneer

#133 is Pam Wall, circumnavigator and another of my sailing heroes. Pam is a staple in most of the sailing magazines and seminar circuits, and made a career in sailing working for and with West Marine after sailing round the world in her beloved Freya 39 Kandarik. I spoke to Pam during her lunch break one day at Cruiser’s University in Annapolis this fall, where we were both on the speaking schedule. Pam’s sailing career started in the 60s when on a whim she moved to Ft. Lauderdale to pursue a sport she knew little about. Inspired by Australian sailors who had worked their way all the way into the Great Lakes, where she grew up, Pam decided the life was for her. Pam describes what it was like back in the day in Ft. Lauderdale, a yachtie town if there ever was one, and how she met her husband, Andy, their plan to build a boat and sail away, how she became involved with West Marine, Andy’s agonizing death not too long ago and how she’s only now starting to recover again from a hellish few years. Pam, recently let go by West Marine, now works for Steve Dashew and was on her way to New Zealand after our chat to get acquainted with Steve’s revolutionary long-distance motor yachts. Get in touch with Pam on her website at pamwall.com.