Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival 2026

Join marine mammal biologist, boater, and author Beth Ann Mathews for a dynamic presentation on turning life at sea into compelling personal stories. We all know how even the best laid plans for long-term expeditions at sea can lead to exciting adventures, formative challenges, and personal revelations and reckonings worth sharing. Beth draws on her journey from associate professor of biology at the University of Alaska in Juneau and field research biologist in Glacier Bay, Alaska—teaching, publishing scientific papers, being a mother, and sailing with her husband for three decades—to writing Deep Waters, her award-winning memoir with over 200 reviews.
Her upcoming memoir (2027) has been described as a “candid reckoning with choices the author never imagined she would make—one that resonates with readers who value honesty, vulnerability, and the search for meaning when life diverges from our ideals, while also exploring how we build lasting human connections.”
Beth’s presentation will explore how to capture and revitalize memories, tap the power of vulnerability in storytelling, and offer practical tips for getting started. Attendees will receive a resource list for taking their work to the next level, along with guidance on creating or finding a memoir-writing critique group.This session is for boaters who want to write personal stories for family and friends—or for publication.